Grace Jerk Hosts Holiday Treat For Students in New Jersey

Jamaica’s largest food exporter to the United States Grace Jerk, brought holiday cheer to 50 high school students and their parents recently in East Orange, NJ. The joy for the children took the form of a holiday treat at a historic building, the Omega Learning Center in East Orange that was previously owned by the prominent Vanderbilt family. The holiday treat was in keeping with the company policy of giving back to communities where it does business.

“Over the past eighteen months, some families have been going through great stress to make ends meet”, Shelton Rose, national business development manager at Grace Foods USA said.

“Grace Jerk always brings the flavor to the family table and it was our honor to share some of that flavor with some of the well deserving students in East Orange” said Sabrina Watson, Assistant Global Category Manager- Seasonings Sauces and Spices, GraceKennedy Foods.

“Set those ambitious goals and understand that dreaming without work will not get you what you want,” principal of the Johnnie L Cochran Academy, Dr. Tabina Adam reiterated.

Mr. Abdul R. Saleem Hasan, superintendent of schools for the East Orange School District who was also in attendance, thanked Grace Jerk for their support.

“I am excited to thank the Grace Jerk initiative, for donating prizes to our amazing students. You have been a great contributor to our school district and we thank you so much” he shared

The participating middle and high school students were from the Dionne Warwick Institute, the Whitney Houston Academy, the Cecily Tyson Elementary, the Gordon Parks Academy as well as from other area schools. The students and one parent were treated to a delicious meal of signature Jamaican dishes prepared by area chefs. Grace Jerk also provided Amazon gift certificates and Grace gift baskets for five outstanding high achievers among the schools.

A number of performing arts students riveted the audience with their hart-warming performances of traditional and new Christmas Carols.

The Grace Jerk Festive Feasting Christmas treat followed on a television feature that was broadcast earlier on PIX 11 in the New York tri-state region where Grace and Bellyful Restaurant, a Jamaican eatery in Brooklyn tantalized New Yorkers with a dazzling array of Jamaican dishes.