FREEPORT, Grand Bahama, May 16, 2020 – Together with its valued partners, the Grand Bahama Disaster Relief Foundation (GBDRF) — the charitable arm of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) — delivered food to 200 families in communities on Grand Bahama on Wednesday, May 13.
For this venture, the GBDRF partnered with Urban Renewal Grand Bahama, whose mission is to provide information, training resources, and programmes that will restore, revitalize and redevelop our communities, and with Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, who works to enhance the quality of life for women and their families through community service, civil and social action. Together, the three partners sourced, provided, packaged and delivered much-needed food to Grand Bahama families.
“Under the umbrella of the GBPA, the Foundation’s purpose is to provide for post-hurricane relief efforts,” said Rupert Hayward, Director at GBDRF. “Families in many storm-stricken communities continue to recover from Hurricane Dorian’s massive impacts. The current global COVID-19 pandemic is challenging these families once again, and the need for food is now greater than ever. We are pleased to partner with Urban Renewal and Sigma Gamma Rho to lend much needed support to our Island.”
The GBDRF sourced and provided the food, while the team at Sigma Gamma Rho sorted and packed the goods, and put them in the hands of Urban Renewal for distribution to communities in need across the island.
Afrika Karamo-Miller, President of Sigma Gamma Rho, was pleased to support the effort. “Families are the backbone of our communities, and there is nothing more important than their health and well-being,” Karamo-Miller said. “The residents of Grand Bahama have shown such resilience and strength, and we are glad for the opportunity to partner with GBDRF and Urban Renewal to do our part to support families across this beautiful island.”
“At Urban Renewal, we are committed to Grand Bahama’s communities from West End to East End and all points in between,” said Senator Jasmine Darius, Deputy Director at Urban Renewal. “We’re very grateful to the Grand Bahama Disaster Relief Foundation for their initiative, and Sigma Gamma Rho for their kind assistance. We delivered 200 boxes of healthy food to communities to help feed families still struggling to recover and rebuild following Dorian. We’re happy to be a part of this effort.”
Karla McIntosh, General Counsel at the GBPA and Director of GBDRF, coordinated the effort in the warehouse and, this week alone, arranged for donation of food boxes and hygiene kits to the AIDS Foundation, the Council for the Disabled, and to Seniors Homes in Freeport, namely Burrows Home for the Aged, Mervie Knowles Home Away from Home, and Raybertha’s Home.
“As the saying goes, it takes a community,” McIntosh said. “This is definitely a community effort involving GBDRF, its generous donors and compassionate civil organizations, and it warms our hearts to know that many families on Grand Bahama will benefit from the initiative.”
