This organization supports Caribbean athletes at the Penn Relays

Talk to organizers and volunteers with Team Jamaica Bickle, and many of them cite the same motivation: We do it to give back.

Team Jamaica Bickle is an organization that, between its Philly and New York City chapters, for nearly 30 years has been sponsoring an average of 700 athletes from the Caribbean to compete in the Penn Relays, which are being held Thursday to Saturday.

Many of the organization members and volunteers are from the Caribbean themselves, or more specifically, Jamaica — and helping the young athletes as they compete abroad is their way of giving back to their community and their country.

“It’s all about, I live here, I got the opportunity, now it’s my time to give back.”

“It’s not a situation where we left Jamaica because we don’t love Jamaica,” said co-chair Michelle Tulloch-Neil, adding that there are more Jamaicans in the diaspora than there are in Jamaica. “We came to the U.S. for a better life. It’s all about, I live here, I got the opportunity, now it’s my time to give back. [The children] are our future.”

Established in 1994, Team Jamaica Bickle supports underprivileged athletes between the ages of 13 and 18 to compete in the prestigious Penn Relays. The hope, Tulloch-Neil said, is that athletes will leave the competition having impressed a scout enough to secure a scholarship to college in the U.S. Meanwhile, Team Jamaica Bickle does what it can to support the athletes so they can achieve their best performance.

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The organization fundraises to help subsidize the athletes’ flights and hotels, cover their transportation to and from the airport, and feed the athletes during their stay. They’re particularly intentional about the food they serve the athletes, making sure to keep the meals similar to what they would be eating back home, to ensure the best performance (and no upset stomachs).

They also have nurses and mentors readily available on the scene, in case the athletes need physical or mental health attention.

“Sometimes, children just need somebody to talk to and to share. So we have to [make sure] what we are designing is holistic,” said Tulloch-Neil. “It’s all about the idea of raising the standard of what volunteer means.”

It’s no small endeavor: The chapters usually try to raise at least $35,000 each to cover the costs of supporting the athletes, and they rely on donations and volunteers, as well.

“They give you such a warm smile, and a warm thank you.”

Marsha Merry is one such volunteer, who joined Team Jamaica Bickle about five years ago after hearing about the organization at church. When she found out she could help the organization’s work, she was filled with excitement.

“Giving back to my country, number one,” Merry said, explaining why she was so excited. “It never dawned on me that I could have done something, but once I realized I could do that, I felt like I was doing something right because I’m giving back.”

The volunteers, who Tulloch-Neil estimated to be more than 80 between the two chapters, work long hours during competition days, whether they’re cooking or serving food or cleaning up. But when they see the children performing well, or enjoying their experience in the U.S., the volunteers believe that their work is worth it.

“They give you such a warm smile, and a warm thank you,” said volunteer Juanita Washington. “For those who did not have the luxury of knowing someone who could make these preparations for them, there was nothing [before Team Jamaica Bickle].”