Having witnessed first-hand the needs of children in homes run by the Jamaican Government across the island, Gary Williams made a pledge to help those children 30 years ago
Out of his efforts was born Children of Jamaica Outreach (COJO) Incorporated, which has spent the intervening years bringing corporate sponsors and others together to provide assistance to state homes throughout the country.
Williams, in an interview with The Gleaner, said having spent some time working with Alpha Boys’ Home he saw how the homes were run and the lack of resources going to them.
“The government needs to be more pro-active, more hands-on and give more resources to these homes. We in the diaspora are just trying to do our little part,” he said.
Williams expressed the view that the government feels that it is doing a favour to assist organisations bringing help to the island.
“The bureaucracy and challenges to get things done in Jamaica are daunting. I don’t know if the government prioritises children in state care,” he said.
It all began for Williams in Islington, St Mary, where he was born. He moved to Kingston at a very early age and has little or no recollection of the town in which he was born.
In Kingston he attended Holy Trinity High School and later St Georges College. On graduation, he worked in the travel industry.
His volunteering at Alpha Boys’ Home gave him an insight into how children in state care were shortchanged.
In 1988, he moved to the United States where he continued his career in the travel industry, working with British Airways.
“I moved to the United States for a better life and for the opportunities that living in the United States offered,” he told The Gleaner.
However, the lack of resources flowing to children in state care still weighed on him. So he decided to do something to assist children in the homes in Jamaica.
He therefore started COJO Inc in 1995 with a commitment to invest in the future of children and support childcare institutions.
“I like to do good and the opportunity came to me to give back to children in government care,” he explained.
Williams said that, while at Alpha, he saw the need and so endeavoured to give back, having been exposed to the shortcomings.
“COJO was founded to help those most in need,” he said.
Williams pointed out that children in government care do not have alumni associations, so COJO is their voice, their alumni.
“These are the kids that I believe are neglected and I believe that, if given the opportunity, can become productive citizens,” he said.
Over the years Williams has been able to bring together sponsors drawn from corporate America as well as well-established Jamaican-owned businesses, both in the Diaspora and in Jamaica, to provide assistance to homes across the island.
He singled out American companies such as JetBlue Airlines, which has become a main sponsor of COJO, consistently helping the organisation in its work. Among those who have also assisted COJO in its work are GraceKennedy, JN Group, Sandals International, Caribbean Foods Delight, Tower Isle’s, the Jamaica Tourist Board, and Dennis Shipping.
Williams said that he has been able to attract corporate sponsorship because his organisation is transparent in what it does and sponsors are kept abreast of its work through packages sent to them showing what has been done.
“We have a track record with our corporate sponsors,” he said.
In 2012, COJO introduced scholarships as part of its outreach. Since then, some US$300,000 in scholarships has been given to students in government care to attend institutions such as the University of Technology, Mico University College, Shortwood Teachers’ College and Northern Caribbean University.
Williams said that, in 2024, 15 scholarships valued at US$55,000 were given to students. The year before, 14 scholarships valued at US$50,000 were awarded.
Homes have also been provided with much-needed equipment such as stoves, washing machines and dryers as well as refrigerators. COJO has even built a library at the Glenhope Place of Safety.
Looking to the future, Williams said that, at least for the next 10 years, he hopes COJO will continue to make inroads in further assisting the children in state care.
“We hope to continue to advocate for children in state care. We hope to give more scholarships and we hope to get more corporate entities involved,” he said.
Williams firmly believes that the country’s children are the country’s greatest resource and that each and every child can become a productive citizen.
“Children in state care are there through no fault of theirs and they must be given the chance to achieve their full potential,” he said.
Williams noted that the need is great but COJO will continue to do its part to lift up children in state care.
“We don’t intent for them to be left behind,” he said.
COJO, he said, will remain involved in the fight to uplift children in government care who live in homes across the island.
The latest COJO fundraising effort was held Saturday night at the Fox Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, Long Island, New York. Eight people were honoured at the event, including Dr Sandra Lindsay, Dr Patricia Smith, David Shields, Andrew Morris, Lorna Hawthorne, Marcia Skyers-James and Maurice and Allison Russell.
Lindsay was presented with the Pioneer Award, Hawthorne the Visionary Award and Skyers-James the Distinguished Service Award.
Of the other awardees, Shields was presented with the Visionary Award, Morris was presented with the Corporate Service Award, Smith the Humanitarian Award and Maurice and Allison Russell were presented with the Philanthropy Award.
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