Restaurants of Jamaica backs Labour Day school upgrades in west and St Catherine

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Restaurants of Jamaica (ROJ), the company that runs KFC and Pizza Hut locally, used Labour Day 2026 to support school improvement work in western Jamaica and St Catherine through staff volunteers, project supplies and meal assistance.

In a press release issued Thursday, ROJ said the effort was organised around community projects linked to employees across its operations. The company said that approach made it possible for workers from several restaurant branches and internal teams to assist schools in areas they are familiar with and serve.

The schools named in the programme were Cornwall College, Howard Cooke Primary, Edward Basic, Granville Primary and Infant, Bridgeport Basic, Priory Primary, St Peter’s Early Childhood Institution and Bogue Hill Primary and Infant School.

ROJ contributed items needed for the projects, among them paint, brushes, rollers, paint pans and trees for planting. Volunteers at the various locations also received KFC and Pizza Hut meals, along with refreshments, to help sustain the work during the day.

The company said the activities were aimed at making the campuses cleaner, brighter and more inviting for children and staff. It highlighted the work at St Peter’s Early Childhood Institution in Falmouth and Bogue Hill Primary and Infant School in Montego Bay as examples of the wider Labour Day push.

At the sites, ROJ employees joined principals, parents, teachers and other volunteers in carrying out work across the school grounds. Walls and artwork were repainted in bold colours, trees were planted, and children also found ways to take part in the activities.

In Falmouth, the Labour Day support extended to repairing the roof of a classroom at St Peter’s Early Childhood Institution that had suffered damage from Hurricane Melissa.

Michael Black, restaurant general manager at Pizza Hut Whitter Village and project lead for the St Peter’s activity, said the work reflected how ROJ’s Labour Day plans were driven by employees in communities.

“This was about seeing a need in the community and bringing the right support around it,” shared Black. “St Peter’s means a lot to the area, and after the impact of Hurricane Melissa, we knew the work would make a difference. What stood out for me was the way team members from different locations and departments came out ready to work. Everybody understood why we were there.”

ROJ marketing officer Levene Sheriff said the company was able to assist projects that were practical and closely connected to its staff.

“Across our brands, our team members are part of communities all over Jamaica, and many of them are already connected to efforts that matter on the ground,” said Sheriff. “Labour Day gave us an opportunity to put company support behind that spirit of service, whether through supplies, meals, refreshments or volunteer support. For us, the goal was to help strengthen the work already happening in these school communities.”

Gillian Brissett, principal of St Peter’s Early Childhood Institution, said the assistance gave the school an important boost after the difficulties linked to Hurricane Melissa.

“We are truly grateful for the support given to St Peter’s,” said Brissett. “The team came in ready to work, and it was encouraging to see parents, teachers and even the children getting involved. The school looks brighter, and after everything we experienced with Hurricane Melissa means a lot to us. Support like this reminds us that the wider community still cares.”

The Labour Day initiative brought ROJ staff, school administrators, parents, teachers, students and volunteers together to improve learning spaces in ways the company said could be felt immediately by children and educators.

ROJ said using its staff network to identify and back the projects helped it reach several schools while keeping the work direct, practical and focused on service.