Jaylon Craig Charity Organization fundraises to help youth
By Neil Armstrong
Sonia Craig admits that her son, Jaylon Craig, 17, did not like being the centre of attention, but his drowning in the Chippewa River in 2021 has galvanized his community of Niagara Falls to put him in the spotlight by remembering his kindness and willingness to help others.
The City of Niagara Falls planted a tree, unveiled a memorial plaque, and installed a bench in his honour.
Sonia, founder and executive director of the Jaylon Craig Charity Organization, says they are looking for a building to house the charity. It will help youth in Niagara Falls where she lives and where Jaylon’s acts of kindness — many of which people told her after he passed away — impacted lives.
Jaylon died on June 27, 2021, two days before his mother’s birthday, and what was supposed to be his 18th birthday celebration became his funeral service on July 8 with many in attendance at the time of pandemic precautions.
“Since Jaylon was about eight years old, he was always giving back. He would give away his lunch, snacks, unknowing to me,” said Sonia, who only found out when she attended a parents-teachers meeting at his school and his teacher told her.
She said Jaylon would always come home from school without his lunch containers and despite threatening to replace them with bags instead, he never disclosed his acts of kindness. If she had known, she would have packed an extra sandwich for another student.
The loving mother taught her children to give back because her parents did the same in Grenada where she is from.
“My mom used to feed the children and the village on banana leaves twice a year; that was her giving back. I did it on a small scale, so now is my opportunity to give back because Jaylon started that.”
Having retired on June 30, a day after her 60th birthday, after 40 years of working with the government, Sonia said he intends to put all her efforts in the mission of the charity.
On Sunday, July 19, the organization will hold its first fundraising brunch at the Jamaican Canadian Centre in Toronto where bursaries for some students and community awards will be presented.
Sonia said over the last four years the Jaylon Craig Charity Organization hosted parties to raise funds, but this year decided to do something bigger, and in keeping in the same vein of Jaylon’s spirit of giving they want to raise funds for kids in the Niagara Region.
“We want a place where the kids can come in the mornings because Niagara Region has one of the highest rates of underprivileged kids. That’s the reason I want to have a building so that the kids have a safe place, have breakfast, go to school in the morning, and come and have a late lunch,” she said, noting it would close at 6:00 p.m. and re-open 6:00 a.m. daily.
She is grateful for the support the City of Niagara Falls has given to all of the charity’s events, including a barbecue, clothing drive, a celebration of mothers, and other activities.
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