Our Biography
VincyCares, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization born out of a simple but powerful encounter. One morning in Kingstown, St. Vincent, Mrs. Dahlia-Ann Howard-Lewis met an eleven-year-old girl selling sorrel. Deeply moved by the girl’s situation, Mrs. Howard-Lewis shared the story with Mr. Kenley “Shortmus” John, sparking a conversation on Facebook that eventually led to the founding of VincyCares in November 2009.
Today, under the leadership of President Gillian Arthur, VincyCares is operated by a dedicated team of Vincentians in the United States and supported by a facilitation group in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, led by Mrs. Howard-Lewis. The organization works to create opportunities for children and families through education and humanitarian aid.
Education & Scholarships
Education has always been at the heart of VincyCares. Since its founding, all 59 primary schools in St. Vincent and the Grenadines have benefited from school supply drives held in New York City. In 2011, the organization awarded its first full five-year secondary school scholarship to Victoria Sutherland, the young girl whose story inspired the formation of VincyCares. Despite challenges, Victoria pursued her passion for Food, Nutrition, and Home Management, and proudly graduated from the Georgetown Technical Institute in 2016.
Since then, VincyCares has partnered with donors to provide over 50 scholarships at both secondary and tertiary levels. Scholarship recipients have excelled academically, becoming valedictorians, award winners, and proud graduates of schools such as St. Vincent Girls’ High School, St. Vincent Grammar School, Union Island Secondary School, Sandy Bay Secondary School, and the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College.
In the 2024/2025 school year, we proudly welcomed three new secondary school students into the VincyCares family. One scholarship was made possible through a partnership with the St. Martin’s Secondary School Past Students Association (SAMPASA), in memory of beloved alumnus Ainsworth “Ainsy” Andrews. This partnership ensures that a St. Martin’s student will receive vital financial support for five years. The other two scholarships were donated directly by VincyCares to students attending St. Martin’s Secondary School and Bishop’s College, in memory of cherished Board Members Franklyn “SupaDex” Richards and Denise Craigg.
As of the 2025/2026 academic year, VincyCares is providing financial support to19 students across St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Many scholarships are donated in memory of loved ones or awarded to students attending the donor’s alma mater, creating lasting legacies while transforming young lives.
Humanitarian Relief
Beyond education, VincyCares has consistently responded to regional crises. The organization shipped barrels of supplies to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, and in the same year, supported children displaced by Hurricane Tomas in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In 2014, school supplies were redirected to areas affected by December 2013 floods in St. Vincent. VincyCares also provided aid to Dominica following Tropical Storm Erika (2015) and Hurricane Maria (2017), and in 2019, raised funds for hurricane relief in the Bahamas.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, VincyCares donated 120 touchless thermometers to the Ministry of Education in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Following the 2021 La Soufrière volcanic eruption, the organization partnered with the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Relief Committee in New York to provide emergency supplies. In addition, VincyCares sent school supplies to schools most affected by the eruption, distributed in May 2022. Most recently, in 2024, school supplies were donated to children in the southern Grenadines affected by Hurricane Beryl.
Our Commitment
For more than 14 years, VincyCares has served as a bridge between the Vincentian diaspora and the needs of communities at home. With the ongoing support of generous donors—many of whom sponsor scholarships year after year—we remain committed to ensuring that every child, regardless of financial circumstance, has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Together, we are shaping brighter futures for the youth of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Together We Can!
If interested in donating a scholarship, please feel free to contact any VincyCares member, or send an email to vincycares@gmail.com.
