Mustard Seed Communities Inc
Caring for the Most Vulnerable
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Inspired by the healing and caring Ministry of Jesus Christ, we aim through the positive interaction of caring, sharing and training, to uplift the most vulnerable members of society, especially disabled and abandoned children, and marginalized communities. There are very few, if any, resources in the developing world to provide adequate care for children and adults with disabilities. This is particularly true in marginalized communities. Mustard Seed Communities provides residential care for abandoned children and adults with disabilities who have nowhere else to go and no one to care for them. In addition, Mustard Seed provides jobs for individuals living in marginalized communities, giving them access to employment, skills training and hope for the future.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Caring for Children with Disabilities
Mustard Seed Communities has focused on abandoned children with disabilities primarily because these children are among the most vulnerable and defenseless in any society. Since 1978, MSC has provided care and shelter for children living with varying degrees of disabilities.
Children with disabilities are routinely abandoned in the countries where Mustard Seed Communities operates.
The children of MSC have disabilities that include cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism, epilepsy, blindness, developmental delays, scoliosis, microcephaly, and progeria. Our objective is to provide these children with a safe and healthy place to live where they receive care and therapy. MSC’s core purpose is to advance the well being of children with disabilities.
Therapy is a key component of caring for children with disabilities.
Our children with physical disabilities are assessed individually. MSC staff then devises a personal care plan with specific goals for each resident. A minimum of one half hour each day is spent in direct one-on-one contact with every resident. The rest of their time is spent on more passive activities such as correct positioning that does not require constant supervision.
Activities in the therapy department include Passive Range of Motion, Active Assisted Range of Motion and Active Range of Motion Exercises, stretching, massages, self-feeding, tactile stimulation, positioning, vestibular stimulation, assisted ambulation, cognitive therapy, coordination, and multisensory stimulation.
Caring for Adults with Disabilities
MSC strives to ensure that no person is ever abandoned twice. In Jamaica, there are no facilities - governmental or otherwise - available to take care of individuals with mental and physical disabilities after the age of 18. The vision for Jacob’s Ladder is to fill this void by providing 400 adults with mental and physical disabilities with a home where they can live in a safe and nurturing environment. Our apostolates that house adult residents aim to provide a place where they can learn skills and apply them directly in their daily lives. Our caregivers work with the residents and help them develop a sense of responsibility and dignity.
Where we work
External reviews

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Our Sustainable Development Goals
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Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Mustard Seed Communities focuses on caring for abandoned children and adults with disabilities and those who suffer from HIV/AIDS because they are the most defenseless in any community. The objective is to provide a safe and healthy place to live where they receive lifelong care and proper access to medical treatment and therapy. MSC’s purpose is to advance the spiritual, developmental, and physical well-being of these children and adults.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
MSC builds homes to accommodate children with disabilities and ensures that they will have a home for life. Mustard Seed continues to maintain and improve the health and well-being of the children and adults in our care and ensures that they receive the best therapies and education available to meet their changing needs.
Training is a critical strategic initiative of the organization. MSC staff members continually train in various therapies and caregiving techniques such as positioning, wheelchair seating and repairs, feeding techniques, prescription drugs and their contraindications, and behavioral modification through partnerships with volunteer professionals. Long distance training is conducted for caregivers in basic nursing care.
MSC regularly assesses the long-term needs of all residents through the Caring Resource Committee, a permanent committee which reviews every aspect of a resident’s well being and ensures that each resident is placed in a home that provides access to the services they require and where their peers encourage growth and development.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Mustard Seed’s model of care started in Jamaica and has been replicated in four other developing countries. MSC has expertise in providing homes and care that meet our residents needs and hiring and training caregivers that enable them to meet their full potential. More than 1,400 mission volunteers per year train caregivers, provide therapeutic intervention, complete work projects to improve the physical infrastructure of facilities, and develop friendships with residents, expanding the resident’s view of the world.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
MSC began in 1978 as a home for children with disabilities on the outskirts of Kingston, Jamaica, providing and has expanded to Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. More than 600 residents worldwide are living in a loving and caring environment that aids in their physical, mental, and spiritual development. There are plans to build new homes in the Caribbean and Africa to meet the need of providing homes for additional children with disabilities who have been abandoned.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Mustard Seed Communities Inc
Board of directorsas of 01/23/2023
Terry Newton
Jack Griffin
Daphne Mahoney
Anne Kelly
Gregory Ramkissoon
Traug Keller
William Ballaine
Glenn Creamer
Garvin Augustine
Patrick Polking
Totlyn Mason
James Dressman
Joseph Corbett
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? No -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
No data
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
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Sexual orientation
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Disability
No data