BELLE GLADE — Grammy-nominated songwriter Ali Tamposi, one of the most celebrated pop songwriters in America today, will be attending the First Haitian Baptist Church’s Children’s Christmas Gift Giveaway and the unveiling of its new Enrichment Center in Belle Glade. The event takes place at the church, located at 200 S.W. Avenue B, Belle Glade, on Sunday, Dec. 20, at 10 a.m.

The event will be held outside in a COVID-safe environment and celebrate the upcoming groundbreaking of the long-awaited First Haitian Baptist Church’s Children’s Enrichment Center scheduled for February 2021. The new 4,500-square-foot Enrichment Center replaces the old 1940s building that has housed the after-school program for children, ages kindergarten to eighth grade, for the last 25 years.

Ali Tamposi’s Creative Waves Foundation is contributing $50,000 to fund the Music Room at the new Enrichment Center, which includes 50 guitars and microphones already received. Furthermore, Tamposi’s foundation has created a program called Song Start, part of Creative Waves, which will provide an online music education platform and curriculum led by A-list artists and industry professionals.

A native of Palm Beach, who is now based in Malibu, Calif., Tamposi is best known for co-writing Kelly Clarkson’s four times multi-platinum selling single “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” which topped 15 Billboard charts and earned nominations for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.

The unveiling of the rendering of the Enrichment Center will be enhanced by the First Haitian Baptist Church’s Annual Gift Giveaway. Children will receive essentials, such as shoes and socks donated by the In Jacob’s Shoes Foundation; toys for the younger kids and gift cards for the older children donated by the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem Knights Hospitaller of the Palm Beaches (SOSJPB.) Each year, the children line up assembly-style to receive their gifts; however, this year they also will be socially distanced.

SOSJPB and the church have raised $600,000 to fund the new Enrichment Center with the church. This includes donations from notable Palm Beach charitable organizations and individuals such as the Kirkwood Foundation, Cathleen McFarlane Foundation (Denis Coleman), Solomon Brothers co-founder Richard J. Schmeelk, and the Palmer Foundation. However, approximately $600,000 more is needed to complete the new center.

When completed, the Enrichment Center will contain six classrooms, an office, an entry area, a music room, a covered patio, an adjacent kitchen, a playground, green space, and a parking area that will include a basketball court. Children will receive help with homework, a hot meal, career training, music, coding, and teacher training. They are picked up from school and taken home afterward. More importantly, they will be safe. A great deal of expense has been included for fencing/gates, impact-proof windows, lighting, security cameras, and other protection.

The church is asking the community to help by donating what they can to SOSJPB.org/donate. All funds are restricted to go directly to the Belle Glade project. For more information, contact Elaine Meier at 561-602-6160.