American Caribbean Experience Inc

Programs: Education: ace operated several programs to meet the needs of our children such as the child sponsorship program and teacher-to-teacher program. Funding from child sponsorship provided for the physical and educational needs of students. Students received uniforms, shoes, school materials, garden boxes and taxi fare as needed, as well as physical education and tutoring. In addition, students participated in specialized events such as educational field trips, birthday and christmas celebrations, and quiz bowl competitions. During the summer, selected students attended summer school, which included a meal program. Last year, ace sponsored 222 students and employed four jamaican staff members to coordinate the sponsorship program, as well as one stateside staff to oversee correspondence and organization of the program.

healthcare: ace partnered with medical groups from the us, holding quarterly medical/ dental clinics throughout the parish. In working with the jamaican ministry of health, our teams were able to make regular visits to the government clinics ace has been dedicated to for the past 10 years, enabling these communities to receive the care and treatment they so desperately needed. By holding these clinics regularly, the health problems of the communities were treated preventively and any illnesses were caught in early stages. Ace conducted 22 clinics hosted at 7 clinic sites. The medical clinics treated 1,333 patients for varying reasons (diabetes, high blood pressure, infections, and pain). The dental clinics saw 144 patients and extracted 241 teeth. Ace also partnered with the port maria infirmary in assisting with the elderly and handicapped that have no place to live. Ace provided the infirmary with 6,000 depends and bed pads. The residents also received three meals a week, social events and outings, and regular visits from the staff and volunteer teams.

micro-enterprise: the micro-business program provided an opportunity for business- men, women and students to sponsor an approved jamaican entrepreneur, which in turn benefitted our local jamaican community. Ultimately, the goal of this program was to help our jamaican friends operate a self-sustaining business, teaching their children that a future is possible in a family business. The largest micro-enterprise is galina breeze hotel, which employed 25 employees. Other ace's micro-business are the farms that grow food for the hotel and export such as peppers. This provides jamaican adults with work as well as teaches them about growing their own food for their families.

spiritual growth: in partnership with acts church, church on the rock, and kirk church locally, ace facilitated several programs to meet the spiritual needs of our community. These included home visits where nationals are prayed for and encouraged. The after-school program for homework and social-skill development helped those who are at risk and physically challenged. Ace also hosted the annual three-day men and women's conference, where over 100 community members attended. In the summer months, ace mentored young leaders through the ace iquest program. College students were challenged physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Ace helped develop leadership skills in these young adults as they returned in august to face the world, hopefully with a deeper strength and belief in christ. After two months of service, their understanding of serving in a developing country was broadened, and the interns returned home with a global perspective in their everyday lives, preparing them for future volunteer experiences. Ace mentored four interns during the 2017 summer.