Countdown Begins To Team Jamaica Bickle

Team Jamaica Bickle, a Diaspora Organization, turns 22 this April.

By NAN Contributor

News Americas, PHILADELPHIA, PA, Fri. March 18, 2016: The countdown has begun to the 2016 “running” of Team Jamaica Bickle (TJB) with a celebration of Caribbean and Latin-inspired cuisine in Philadelphia next month.

The 12th Annual Caribbean Cuisine Week (CCW) is set for April 13 -15, 2016 featuring top chefs throughout Center City and Greater Philadelphia who create special dishes to help bring over 700 economically disadvantaged Caribbean high school athletes here to compete in the Penn Relays as part of TJB.

The Penn Relays is the largest track and field event in the United States, drawing over 115,000 people to Philadelphia each Spring. CCW assists student-athletes from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Bahamas, with ground transportation, three hot meals a day, emergency medical, and other hospitality services. Many of these students aspire to be like the famed Jamaican Olympian Usain Bolt – “the fastest man in the world” – who benefited from CCW and TJB while in high school.

To support the initiative, guests can simply dine at a participating restaurant during CCW. The restaurants will then donate a portion of the proceeds from the three-day period to the Young Caribbean Professional Network (YCPN), the local non-profit sponsoring the initiative.

Rob DeAbreu, owner of Sabriná’s Cafe, hails from St. Kitts and is proud to be CCW’s lead sponsor. All five of his restaurants are participating.

“Philadelphia is a global city and was recently named the first U.S. World Heritage Site,” he said. “This event is an opportunity for our great chefs to draw on the international flavors that influence their creativity, and to give back to the community.”

Participating restaurants include Sabrinás Cafe – Italian Market, well as Sabriná’s Cafe – Art Museum, Sabriná’s Cafe-University City, Sabriná’s Cafe-Wynnewood, Sabriná’s Cafe – Collingswood, Zavino University City, 48th Street Grille, Reef Restaurant & Lounge, Mixto, among others. There is still time to join CCW’s roster of restaurants. Interested restaurants should contact Kathryn.Roberson@aecpartners.net, 215.315.4399, x 701. For more information, visit www.caribbeancuisineweek.com .

The Young Caribbean Professional Network (YCPN) aspires to create access to education and economic opportunities for students and young professionals in the global marketplace. YCPN encourages young professionals from the African, Latino, Asian, Haitian, African/American and European communities to join and build a strong Young Global Network in the New York/Philadelphia region.

Team Jamaica Bickle, now in its 22nd year, is presented annually under the banner: “Our Athletes, Our Ambassadors!” The first fundraiser for 2016 kicked off on March 11th at the Flowers Rehabilitation Center in Queens, NY. The official kick off reception is set for Jamaica Pegasus in Kingston on April 6th. The annual Penn Relays is set for April 28-30th.

To donate to TJB log on to https://teamjamaicabickle.org/