Our HISTORY
The 61 foundation Inc. began with a small group of alumni from Calabar High School in Jamaica, West Indies who saw the need to support our fellow alumni who were in need. Our focus shifted slightly when we decided to help a young student at the school who was battling Crohn’s disease. As our group of alumni eventually grew in numbers, our commitment to new projects related to our alma mater also grew, with one of those commitments being the renovation of the Boarding/Track House at Calabar. We registered and incorporated the 61 Foundation Inc. as an official entity in Nassau County in New York State, USA, with purposes that are exclusively charitable or educational. The Foundation does not contemplate pecuniary gain or profit, incidental or otherwise. The Foundation works through a communal mindset and a collective effort in which everyone is engaged, to provide opportunities and support for individuals, families, and communities in need, by pooling and consolidating our individual resources, skills, and experiences to solve problems and address issues that affect those that are disenfranchised.
One of our primary foci is to assist other organizations that are affiliated with Calabar High School in order to improve areas that are adversely affecting the school and its students.
Since our inception we have anchored our work on three (3) main principles:
1. Accountability - If funds are solicited from you for a particular project, you are entitled to know how much total funds were received overall and how the funds were/will be used to successfully complete said project.
2. Manageable Contributions – Funds can be raised without being burdensome to any single individual donor, if we require a smaller (more manageable) contribution from each donor and increase the number of donors.
3. Inclusive Decision Making - The group functions as a team where every individual voice counts, and where decisions and actions are based on the consensus from the group.
The 61 Foundation Inc. is in the process of registering as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which will afford charitable status and accountability to the US Government for all funds collected. The Foundation will have banking facilities in both the USA and Jamaica, thereby mitigating the challenges of moving resources to Jamaica to assist with any projects taking place there. We look forward to working with you, striving for “The Utmost for The Highest, "as we answer the call “Here Sir!’.