by Howard Campbell
NEW YORK – When Lowell Hawthorne started Golden Krust Restaurant in The Bronx, New York 35 years ago, his wife Lorna was by his side. She saw it transform from a small family business to one of the most successful Caribbean-owned businesses in the United States.
Lowell Hawthorne, who died in 2017 at age 57, was more than patties, jerked chicken and hardough bread. He was passionate about education, especially for students of color in the United States and Caribbean.
To honor his legacy, Lorna Hawthorne founded the Lowell F. Hawthorne Foundation in 2018. It has staged an annual gala to raise funds to assist struggling students pay their fees.
The latest event took place on November 14 at Glen Island Harbour Club in New Rochelle, New York. Mrs. Hawthorne did not say how much money was raised or how many students will benefit. However, she did share that the galas have raised over $200,000 for students.
“Education was something Lowell believed in deeply, and he often said that ‘if we fail to educate our people, we run the risk of depriving our communities of social, political, and economic empowerment’. Keeping his legacy alive through the Foundation’s work is my way of honouring his passion for uplifting our communities,” she said.
At the Lowell F. Hawthorne Foundation gala, patrons participated in raffles and an auction for exclusive items. Proceeds go to the Foundation’s scholarship programs.
Four persons were honored at the event
- Melvin I Douglass, recipient of the Educator Leadership Award, for “unwavering dedication to education and the Cave Whiteman Scholarship Programme”, which mentors and empowers at-risk students.
- Velma Hawthorne, received the Philanthropic Impact Award, for commitment to community service and her role in advancing the LFHF’s mission.
- Reginald E Manning, recipient of the Community Leadership Award, for innovative contributions to healthcare and education, including co-founding the Borough of Brooklyn Center for Arts & Technology to address chronic unemployment.
- Christopher Williams, honored with the Business Leadership Award, for his “transformative influence on the Caribbean financial sector”, including leadership roles at NCB Capital Markets and co-founding the PROVEN Group.
Lowell F. Hawthorne, who was from St. Andrew parish in Jamaica, started Golden Krust with financial support from his family. It currently has over 100 restaurants in nine states.
