The Project

This initiative provided a range of impactful services, each designed to address the needs of elderly citizens while fostering community connections and sustainability. Accompanied by videos, testimonials, and photos, we showcase its outcomes and hope to inspire further action.

This project exemplifies the power of community-driven initiatives in improving lives, fostering sustainability, and building meaningful connections across generations.

Farm Produce Delivery

In collaboration with the Pathfinders from the Jennings Seventh-day Adventist Church, fresh produce was harvested from a local farm in Antigua and delivered to elderly citizens in the Jennings community. This initiative enhanced food security and strengthened the bond between local farmers and community members in need. Participating Pathfinders received honours for their contributions.

Elderly Home Visits

The Antiguan Delegates and Pathfinders from the Clare Hall Seventh-day Adventist Church in Antigua visited elderly homes to conduct worship sessions, assist with cleaning, donate self-care products, and engage residents in meaningful activities such as word search puzzles. The participating Pathfinders also received honours for their contributions.

In Trinidad, club members extended their efforts by visiting a care home, facilitating craft sessions with recycled materials, and donating over 200 fresh seedlings (110 okra, 110 pimento peppers, and 20 tomato plants)!

'My Buddy' Program

Young volunteers from the Jennings SDA Church were paired with elderly residents to provide ongoing support and companionship. These volunteers conducted regular check-ins and offered assistance where needed, fostering meaningful intergenerational relationships while ensuring seniors had access to necessary support.

Donate to Fill the Barrel

Clare Hall SDA Church members committed to donating essential food items to fill a barrel each month for elderly individuals in need. At the end of each month, the collected items are packaged and distributed to community members. The Community Service Department now manages this initiative, ensuring its sustainability over time.

Sharing the Impact

To amplify the project’s reach, this website was developed to showcase its outcomes. Using the website, educational sessions were conducted on Google Meet with schools across 5 Caribbean countries - Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, St.Vincent, and Trinidad.

The sessions aimed to give an overview of the project and inspire students to create their own sustainability initiatives. The website has since been shared to promote awareness and engagement on a regional scale, allowing teachers to utilize it as an educational tool.

Innovation in Action

The HEARTSS project is innovative because it goes beyond traditional elderly care by integrating sustainability, social entrepreneurship, and intergenerational collaboration into a holistic support system:

A Sustainable Model for Elderly Support

Unlike conventional charity-based elderly assistance programs, HEARTSS leverages local resources and partnerships to create a self-sustaining ecosystem.

By collaborating with farmers, schools, churches, and volunteers; and through the donation of hundreds of okra, pepper, and tomato seedlings, the project ensures that support services are continuously replenished and available long-term rather than dependent on one-time donations.

Community-Driven Social Entrepreneurship
Instead of relying solely on external funding, HEARTSS fosters community entrepreneurship by:
✔ Linking farmers and elderly citizens through farm-to-table deliveries, promoting local agriculture and food security.
✔ Encouraging students and youth groups to take active roles in elderly care, developing leadership and social responsibility skills.
✔ Transforming waste into resources through upcycled crafts and creative sustainability challenges, reducing environmental impact while engaging seniors in meaningful activities.

Intergenerational Innovation
HEARTSS redefines how young people connect with and support the elderly by pairing students and youth volunteers with seniors through initiatives like the "My Buddy" program.
This structured yet personal approach ensures:

✔ Regular companionship and mental stimulation for elderly residents.
✔ Meaningful skill-sharing between generations.
✔ A lasting culture of care, fostering relationships that extend beyond structured visits.

A Digital Platform to Amplify Impact

The creation of our website is a game-changer, making HEARTSS:

✔ Scalable: Other Caribbean territories can replicate and adapt the model in their own communities.

✔ Educational: Students and stakeholders can access case studies, videos, discussion forums, and testimonials to learn about sustainability in action.

✔ Engaging: The platform is used as a tool for awareness and advocacy, inspiring future leaders to design similar solutions.

A Scalable and Replicable Caribbean Model

HEARTSS is not just a local initiative—it’s a blueprint for sustainable elderly care across the Caribbean. By embedding entrepreneurial innovation, sustainability, and social responsibility into its framework, it aligns perfectly with the Portraits of Excellence theme: "Entrepreneurial Innovations: An Imperative for Sustainability in the Caribbean."

This project proves that sustainability is not just about the environment—it’s about creating lasting systems of care, connection, and empowerment.