Carnival Cruise Line renovated the Pediatric Ward Learning Centre of St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital in St. Ann, Jamaica, dedicating volunteer time and donating needed items as part of the hospital’s Labour Day Volunteer Project. A group of 20 Carnival Horizon crew members spent the day cleaning up, painting and making repairs in the Learning Centre. They also read to children being treated in the Pediatric Ward, helping brighten the day for those young patients.

“We are proud to have been bringing visitors to Jamaica for more than 50 years, and care deeply about the health and well-being of the community,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “It was our pleasure to make enhancements to St. Ann’s Learning Centre and we hope it will make a lasting difference for all the children treated there.”

Built in 1929, St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital serves a population of approximately 360,000 in the parishes of Portland, St. Mary and St. Ann. The Learning Centre offers children staying in the pediatric ward the opportunity to read and participate in other educational activities, providing respite from their treatment and continuing their learning while they’re away from school.

“We are so grateful for Carnival’s participation in our Labour Day Volunteer Project,” said Dennis Morgan, CEO of St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital. “Carnival’s improvements will ensure that we can continue to provide critical educational and psychological support for our young patients while they recover at a newly-renovated Learning Centre.”

To amplify its involvement in the Learning Centre Volunteer Project, Carnival partnered with American Friends of Jamaica, the cruise line’s foundation partner for charitable initiatives in Jamaica. Longtime nature adventure tour operator Chukka Caribbean Adventures also assisted, donating supplies and providing on-the-ground support for the project.

“It was our pleasure to partner with Carnival Cruise Line and American Friends of Jamaica to give back to the communities that we work within,” said Marc Melville, CEO of Chukka Adventures. “We thoroughly enjoyed working with the team at St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital on their pediatric ward. The children are our future, and any initiative that contributes to the enhancement of their quality of life is undoubtedly worth it.”

“When businesses unite to help communities, it is a win-win for everyone,” said Wendy Hart, president of American Friends of Jamaica. “We thank Carnival and Chukka for their participation in this Labour Day Volunteer Project, investing their time and resources to help improve the lives of Jamaicans.”

Carnival visits three ports in Jamaica: Falmouth, Montego Bay, and Ocho Rios. The cruise line will make about 100 calls to Jamaica and will bring more than 300,000 guests to the island in 2023.