Embedded in their bloodline, brothers Stephen and Luke Josephs are the latest torchbearers of a family deeply rooted in service to the vulnerable. Through the newly established Crisis Support Charity and Burn Foundation, the brothers are carrying on a powerful legacy.

Launched on Saturday, June 1, at the AC Hotel in Kingston, the foundation aims to provide critical support to underserved groups, with a special focus on burn victims and individuals facing severe hardship.

In an interview with The Gleaner, Stephen, the older of the brothers, described their commitment to service as a way of life, inspired by their upbringing.

“We live a life of service. We are a family of service,” said Stephen. “We grew up in a system where we saw our parents doing service. One day, I saw my dad took a homeless lady in and fed her and we actually had to help. Mommy would go to the hospital to visit the sick and shut-ins,” he recalled.

According to Luke, the Crisis Support Charity and Burn Foundation is urgently trying to raise US$7,500 to ship a medical container from the United States to Jamaica.

“The container is filled with beds and wheelchairs for hospitals such as Kingston Public Hospital, Spanish Town, [Bustamante] Children’s Hospital, and the National Hope Institute. If people are interested in coming on board with us to help, that would be great,” said Luke.

“We don’t mind serving our nation’s children and our people that are in need. It is a part of our bloodline. The greater support is our healthcare system (that we hope) to provide with equipment,” added Luke, who noted that they are in dialogue with the National Hope Institute about cancer research.