Great Shape! Inc.Since 1988 Great Shape! Inc. has built schools and roads, sponsored students to the U.S., paid for school uniforms in Jamaica, facilitated a literacy empowerment project (SuperKids) and the world’s largest, humanitarian dental project (1000 Smiles). Great Shape partners with Sandals Resorts International, First Book, International Smile Power, the Jamaican Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education. Thanks to all our teammates!
Check Out Our New BLOG! Great Shape volunteers report on SuperKids & 1000 Smiles... plus all the most current daily runnings. Click the above link to read more. If you have Great Shape stories, events or pictures you’d like to post, please email Lucinda at lucindakay.com .
2008 GRATITUDE…Wow! Great Shape is blessed with fantastic volunteers. Thank you for your commitment, bright ideas, fundraising and talent.2008 SUCCESS!!!A win, win, win for Great Shape! Inc., Sandals Resorts International, & Jamaica. Great Shape’s two projects in 2008, served nearly 30,000 people in Jamaica. SuperKids: Reached 9,000 ChildrenSkills to read… power to lead…In the fall of 2008, the newly launched SuperKids (literacy empowerment project) improved literacy in seven schools in the Ocho Rios area. Forty volunteers inspired through a reading curriculum, book donations, computers, sports, art and music. The Jamaican Ministry of Education’s Laurel Brent Harris says, “I love Great Shape’s holistic approach. These volunteers engage the child fully.” SuperKids attracts volunteers from across the U.S.; educators, computer techs, athletic coaches, dancers and musicians, plus folks who just love kids and believe in literacy. Great Shape Co-Founder, Gretchen Lee reminds us, “a child who can’t read becomes an adult who struggles in society.” In the schools that partner with Great Shape, the illiteracy rate sits at 60%. However, after working with past Great Shape projects, many schools showed an improvement in test scores. It’s working! Thank you volunteers, Jamaica, and Ministry of Education. Volunteer Virginia Silbowitz says, “It’s great, the kids appreciate every minute you’re in the classroom… I respect Great Shape tremendously because I see every little bit of it goes back into the program.” Plus, Sandals Resorts International provides all the accommodations (room, food, entertainment) for the volunteers. Now that’s luxury!1000 Smiles: Reached 20,000 people in schools and clinicsAlso in the fall of 2008, Great Shape facilitated the sixth annual 1000 Smiles dental project. About 150 volunteers traveled to Jamaica from across the U.S. and Canada, to serve in temporary dental clinics and schools. 1000 Smiles recruits dental professionals and civilians alike. Great Shape teams provide cleanings, extractions, sealants and dental hygiene education. The dental professionals handle all the dental care, while the civilians assist, manage patient flow and education. Great Shape Executive Director Joe Wright (Papa Joe) says, “Our volunteers are helping to generate an entire generation of healthy gums and teeth.” That means health, employment, and beautiful smiles! We're so blessed to team up with the Jamaican Ministry of Health, International Smile Power, and Sandals. BIG-UP FOR SANDALS RESORTS INTERNATIONAL!
Sandals Resorts International is Great Shape’s number one sponsor, hosting all the volunteers for free. From this base of comfort, volunteers serve in areas surrounding Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Negril. Brian Roper, General Manager of Ocho Rios Grande says, “If you can satisfy one child, you’ve made me so happy it’s not funny… And with partners like Great Shape, let’s just hope it gets bigger and bigger and bigger.”
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