A former track star and a businessman will be the honorees at the American Friends of Jamaica’s (AFJ) 2019 Hummingbird Gala later this year.
Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, who won eight Olympic gold medals as a sprinter, breaking several world records, and Dr. Glenford Christian, founder and chairman of Cari-Med Group of Companies, will be awarded the International Humanitarian Award at the gala, to be held Oct. 25 in New York City.
The honorees were nominated by the AFJ Board of Directors to highlight their impact in philanthropy, successes and significant contributions to economic development in Jamaica. The gala is expected to showcase the AFJ’s work in Jamaica and celebrate the achievements of the two philanthropists.
Bolt, who retired from track in 2017, still holds the world records in the 100meters (9.58 seconds) and 200meters(19.19). He has also been part of the Jamaican 4x100metersrelay team which has broken the world record.
In 2011 he founded The Usain Bolt Foundation in with the goal of enhancing the character of children through educational and cultural development. It supports the Jamaica Special Olympics, hosts an annual Christmas treat in Bolt’s hometown and has funded The Walkers Place of Safety and other projects.
IMPACT
In 1986, Christian started his own pharmaceutical distribution company, CariMed Limited with three employees. Today the Cari-Med Group is a major player in the Jamaican pharmaceutical and consumer goods industries, hiring over 800 employees. The group is involved in manufacturing of consumer goods and over-the-counter drugs.
Christian established the Cari-Med Foundation with a mandate to positively impact early childhood education, health care and community building. The foundation has supported several initiatives at hospitals across Jamaica. Its major educational initiatives include construction of the Evelyn Mitchell Infant School and Centre of Excellence, designated the first early childhood centre of excellence by the Ministry of Education in Jamaica.
For more information about the gala, visit https://theafj.org/all-event-list/2019-hummingbird-gala/.
