Musical artist Nolan has joined Irie Jam Radio’s annual Christmas Toy Drive, which will this year benefit the children of the Maxfield Park Children’s Home in Jamaica.
The artist recently visited the headquarters of Irie Jam in Jamaica Queens, where he presented a check to General Manager Amber Clarke to assist in purchasing toys, books, school bags, and other supplies for the young residents of the home in time for the holiday season.
Irie Jam began its annual toy drive several years ago in New York and has donated thousands of dollars worth of toys and gifts to children in Queens, thanks to donations from its staff, listeners, and well-wishers. This year the decision was taken to extend the drive beyond American borders to Jamaica for the first time by making Maxfield Park the beneficiary.
Founded in 1918, the Maxfield Park Children’s Home is the oldest and largest childcare facility in Jamaica, housing nearly 100 youth between infancy and age 18 who the state has deemed to need special care.
According to Clarke, Irie Jam believes that the time has come to have those in Jamaica benefit from the love and support of the many individuals and entities who have made the drive successful in New York.
“It is always our goal at Irie Jam to act as a conduit for the diaspora to give back to Jamaica whenever and however we can,” she says. “And taking the toy drive to the Maxfield Park Children’s Home is yet another example of doing exactly this. None of this would be possible without the incredible generosity of our staff and many listeners whose donations of cash and gifts have formed the backbone of our toy drive from day one. When we spoke with the home, they were gracious and receptive to working with us to make Christmas a bit merrier for the children this year. They asked that we focus on school supplies, especially for the older children, to honor their wishes.”
In thanking Nolan, she indicated that his contribution would be precious when put to use once she arrived in Jamaica several days later, where a significant amount of the supplies would be purchased.
In his remarks, Nolan responded that his passion for both children and the people of Jamaica made his decision to join the drive straightforward.
“Growing up as a Jewish kid in the Brooklyn projects, Christmas held a special fascination for me,” he says. “We didn’t celebrate the season or put up a tree as many others did due to our faith. And so I’d go to one of my best friend’s houses to get a taste of Christmas and help his family with their tree whenever I could. So anything I can do to make the season brighter for a child anywhere, I’m happy to do. And as I continue along my musical journey, embracing reggae as my chosen genre of expression, I feel closer to Jamaica’s people. So wherever I can help make a small difference, I absolutely will.”
Nolan’s first reggae single and music video, Truth B‘ Told, on which he collaborated with the mostly Jamaican, all-female reggae band International Women in Reggae, has racked up thousands of likes and views on YouTube and other social media platforms since its official release in October of this year.
He has several new singles in the works, which will be released in 2023.
Truth B‘ Told continues to be available on most streaming platforms.
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