We Are United in Our Dedication to Children’s HEALTH

The Children’s Health Organization for Relief and Educational Services (CHORES) is a not-for-profit, non-sectarian health organization based in Jacksonville, Florida. Founded in 1987 after a conversation between Dr. Beverly Nelson, a Grenadian pediatrician and Dr. Douglas Campbell, an ER physician in Jacksonville, Florida. CHORES provides care to the Grenadian pediatric population based on the current needs of the pediatric department, Ministry of Health via physicians (pediatric subspecialists), physical, speech, and occupational therapists, audiologist, ultra-sonographers, ENT surgeons, bio medical engineers and Tele medicine. These healthcare providers are recruited from the USA and agree to willingly donate their time and expertise, gratis, to the Grenadian community.

Although volunteers come from throughout the United States, most CHORES members are drawn from Florida’s pediatric community. CHORES, established its current and ongoing relationship with Grenada in 1988. The organizationagreed to listen and work closely with Grenada’s health care professionals and provide consultatory services, educational programs, and medical equipment to assist with pediatric care in the country. The CHORES team visited Grenada for the first time in August 1989 and continued providing health care thrice annually. In September 2019, they completed their 60th project, providing an estimated USD 70 million worth of care and supplies to the pediatric population and department in Grenada. This commitment to continuity of care has been one of the main pillars of this project.

In early 1993, a support group for CHORES was formed in Grenada to raise funds and support the CHORES projects within Grenada. Its twelve members were selected from a broad spectrum of the Grenadian community. Its primary responsibility is to support the continued presence of CHORES in Grenada by fundraising for airline tickets, accommodation and internal transport, drawing attention to the cause and ensuring the availability of resources for the visiting medical professionals.

Throughout the years, the mandate has been followed, with CHORES USA also agreeing to transfer children to the USA for treatment or surgery. To date, the organization has transferred over eighty children, and young adults to the USA, all served gratis because of our relationship with Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida

The CHORES project aims to continue the volunteer services by supporting the CHORES visits to Grenada. Over the years, tremendous support has been provided by Ministries of Health, Education & Human Resource Development, Finance and Tourism, the corporate community, the Grenada Hotel Association, Car Rental companies, Restaurants, and American Airlines. CHORES is mindful of the fact that our population size prohibits the survival of pediatric subspecialists. Therefore, there is a need for these visiting specialists/teams. The structure of the project also allows for continuity of care.