KINGSTON, Jamaica — One of Jamaica’s most prominent anti-poverty charitable organizations, Food For The Poor (FFTP) Jamaica, has announced a key leadership transition: veteran international non-profit executive Denise Cagley-Jefferson will step into the role of executive director, with her tenure set to begin on April 1, 2026.
With more than 20 years of hands-on experience working across the global non-profit ecosystem, Cagley-Jefferson has already carved out a well-respected legacy in three core operational areas: building and nurturing donor relationships, leading impact-driven community programs, and steering large non-profit organizations through adaptive growth. Throughout her decades-long career, her work has remained centered on a singular core mission: empowering local communities and advancing inclusive, sustainable development that prioritizes the needs of the people it serves.
Cagley-Jefferson is no stranger to Jamaica or the work of FFTP Jamaica. She has deep, long-standing roots in the island’s development space, founding the community-focused Blue Mountain Project back in 2004 and continuing to serve as an active board member for the initiative ever since. This decades-long sustained engagement has allowed her to build trusted, long-term relationships with local government, community groups, and non-profit stakeholders, while also gaining an intimate, nuanced understanding of the most pressing social development priorities across Jamaica.
Colleagues and peers describe Cagley-Jefferson as a collaborative leader who prioritizes practical, solution-focused problem-solving. She is widely recognized for her forward-looking strategic thinking, unwavering commitment to organizational accountability, and hands-on leadership style that prioritizes on-the-ground engagement with communities. Her professional experience working across a wide range of diverse cultural contexts has also equipped her to lead with cultural sensitivity, deep respect for local knowledge, and a persistent commitment to centering local partnerships in all organizational work.
In an official statement released to the public this Monday, FFTP Jamaica’s leadership expressed full confidence in the new appointment. The organization noted that Cagley-Jefferson’s leadership will strengthen FFTP Jamaica’s overall operational excellence, deepen already existing connections with donors and local partners, and accelerate the expansion of mission-aligned sustainable programs that directly support vulnerable communities across every region of the island.
Founded to address systemic poverty across Jamaica, FFTP Jamaica remains the country’s leading charitable organization focused on lifting up vulnerable individuals and families. It delivers a broad portfolio of community programs spanning affordable housing development, educational access initiatives, public health support, and emergency disaster relief, working hand-in-hand with local communities and cross-sector stakeholders to reduce poverty and drive long-term equitable development.