Founded in 1880 and administered since 1890 by the Religious Sisters of Mercy, Alpha Boy’s Institute currently supports 100 children between the ages of 8 and 18. The school offers vocational training in agriculture, music, tailoring, woodworking, and screen printing. Of these, music has been its most prolific and widely celebrated programme.

Established in 1981 by Father Richard Ho Lung and a group of Brothers, Missionaries of the Poor began their work in a government-run home for the homeless, destitute, and aged. Their efforts expanded awareness of the struggles of Jamaica’s poor and extended to working with prisoners, highlighting the importance of rehabilitation over isolation.

Since 2006, the Open Arms Development Centre has worked to help eradicate homelessness by caring for adults in a compassionate environment. The centre provides daytime services for men and women, along with basic living facilities for up to 90 men. Daily outreach includes meals, baths, haircuts, and training in farming, hairdressing, and office skills to help participants build new opportunities.

This shelter provides refuge for more than 100 men and women each night. Many of Kingston’s homeless are not mentally ill but are individuals who have lost housing due to financial hardship, deportation, or natural disasters such as fires and hurricanes. The Marie Atkins Shelter offers them safety, care, and dignity.