Our History

Immanuel Cares

History

Shanique Francis and Kelli-Ann Francis are the co-founders of Immanuel’s Children, a faith-based arts and entertainment company, spreading God’s love and light through media and the arts. They come from a legacy of helping those who are in need and offering aid to others has always been their family duty. Their family’s matriarch, Linsea Newton, has for years modelled the importance of helping others and instilled in them her favorite phrase “you must always help if you can”. Linsea, a woman of faith, often offered a place in her tiny two-bedroom house where she lived with her four children to strangers who had nowhere to go or had no family to assist them. At one time, in her 850 square feet house, Linsea had 13 adults and children living with her and her family. She is often deemed everyone’s unofficial mother as she goes on to form an instant connection with everyone she meets, having many children and grandchildren all over the world. Linsea’s generosity and care for others continues to live on through the establishment of Immanuel Cares.

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Year 2010

Migrating from Jamaica to the United States

After migrating from Jamaica to the United States in 2010, Shanique and Kelli-Ann, Immanuel Cares Global cofounders, recognized the disparity in social and mental health services and the extent to which well-needed care was not accessible to vulnerable populations in their home country or in the United States. Their passion for bridging this gap encouraged them to volunteer at numerous initiatives geared at empowering youths and their families. For seven years they volunteered as Creative Directors of Children of Valor, a mentorship program geared towards educating and uplifting youths through faith, creative expression, and education.

Their time at Children of Valor showed firsthand the disparity of care in impoverished communities and the long-term effects of this on youths and their families. They also found that the mentorship program was not always effective as it only attended to one layer of the youth’s life, neglecting to address the lack of access to services these youths and their families needed, which was not a priority in these communities. These families did not know where to turn or who to ask for help when their child or family needed more support.

Year 2020

During the pandemic of 2020

During the pandemic of 2020, this disparity and need skyrocketed leaving impoverished youths and their families without enough resources or services in place to close the widening gap. In 2021, Shanique and Kelli-Ann Francis prayerfully decided to start Immanuel Cares to provide a bridge to those who are often forgotten by society and have nowhere to turn. To bring relief and access to mental health, health, and social services directly to those who are in need. Taking a more hands on approach and a wholistic view on service delivery through empowerment and education. We have not only set our sights on reaching those in the United States but have established a mission to reach those in our home country of Jamaica and worldwide!