The light fades early these days and comes later in the morning. The shortest day of the year was yesterday, and now they get longer. Thank you to everyone who reads this blog. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Hope Gardens Zoo has a brand new park, which we visited over the weekend. It is one of the few shaded green spaces for children where there are play structures. Unfortunately, it won’t be widely accessible as there is an entry fee, but at least it is an option for some families. We need more green spaces like this…

A walk up Mountain Spring this morning before the sun rises…

We went to the zoo, with our binoculars.

This is my latest for IPS News, an online news outlet focusing on development issues in the global South.

Jamaica’s Child Protection and Family Services Agency has a program this year to support young women who live in state care facilities. The list is here. The way it works is you determine your region, select a child and the gift she wants and then let the CPFSA know. You can call them at the number listed, then drop off the gift. Note the deadline of Dec. 21.

One girl wants to go back to school, another desires help with her homework and to help the homeless…Please share this with your social media networks…Below is another program to help girls in shelters by providing personal care packages…

Jamaica’s Child Protection and Family Services Agency has a program this year to support young women who live in state care facilities. The list is here. The way it works is you determine your region, select a child and the gift she wants and then let the CPFSA know. You can call them at the number listed, then drop off the gift. Note the deadline of Dec. 21.

One girl wants to go back to school, another desires help with her homework and to help the homeless…Please share this with your social media networks…Below is another program to help girls in shelters by providing personal care packages…

My latest for Thomson Reuters Foundation