WITH OVER 300 people to feed each month, manager of the HIV Food Bank and nutrionist Donna Barker is appealing to corporate Barbados and concerned individuals to support the HIV Food Bank drive.
Her call came during the donation of over eight boxes of dry goods and toiletries by the management and staff of Treasure Beach Hotel to the Food Bank recently.
In thanking them for their efforts, Barker disclosed that some days the bank was so low that not all persons seeking food items could be given assistance.
“Outside of Christmas, people tend to forget about making donations. People need assistance all year round. This contribution is a nice surprise to us, and comes in handy especially during the Easter season, when there is a long weekend,” she said.
Coordinator of the fund-raising drive, reservations manager Debbie Odderson, said the decision to invest in the HIV Food Bank, which supports individuals with HIV/AIDS who can no longer work, came during a casual conversation among two staff members. She added that management and staff soon bought into the idea.
“We were discussing the current economic conditions and realised that even though times are hard, we are still able to eat and pay our bills, while other persons are finding it difficult to do so,” she said.
She noted that within two weeks, and during a time when the hotel was cutting back on employees’ work hours because of a drop in guest arrivals, staff and management cheerfully sacrificed to put the many items together.
Odderson added that the Treasure Beach team “understand the importance of HIV Food Bank to the community”, and the lifelong challenge of living with HIV/AIDS.
General manager of Treasure Beach, Jason Patterson, thanked his staff for their contribution and noted: “We are fully passionate about helping people in need. Giving is part of us here at Treasure Beach, and we are happy to extend a helping hand.
“We hope to make similar contributions in the future and hope that more hotels will follow suit and make donations as well.”
The HIV Food Bank was started over ten years ago. (CH)