Through a partnership between Rotary Old Fort and Super Value along with a monetary donation from the Bahamas Feeding Network (BFN), Hands for Hunger received food vouchers for distribution to 100 families during a presentation at Super Value’s Head Office.

The funds were raised through an in-store Super Value stamp drive launched by the Rotary Club of Old Fort which encouraged patrons to donate their stamps at the end of a grocery store visit at the Super Value Mackey Street, Westridge and Winton locations and Quality Supermarkets Cable Beach. For each stamp donated, Super Value matched it doubling its dollar value.

Speaking to the partnerships that made the donation possible was Rotary Old Fort president. “I am happy to say that during the month of January, we were able to collect over $4,700 worth of stamps including the match from Super Value,” said Odette Carey. “Obviously with today’s contribution of $2,000 from the Bahamas Feeding Network, this is going to allow us to support even more persons. In fact we’re going to sponsor 100 families in this initiative just in this first month. We hope to keep the momentum going and to even push it further in the continuing months.”

From one member of the National Food Distribution Task Force to another, BFN’s decision to donate to Hands for Hunger was crystal clear.

“Our involvement in this initiative began with a $100,000 donation from Super Value in December of last year,” said Philip Smith, executive director of Bahamas Feeding Network. “This jumpstarted an in-store campaign where persons were asked to donate funds at the register. Through the end of 2020, $12,000 was raised with an additional $2,000 raised in January which we decided to give to this initiative that Rotary Club of Old Fort was spearheading.”

Rupert Roberts, Super Value’s Chairman and a serving Rotarian for the past 50 years added, “Super Value is happy to support this campaign led by the Rotary Club of Old Fort. We truly believe it our duty to assist wherever we can to provide aide to those among us who are facing food insecurity. They’ve got our support in matching stamps for as long as the need is there.”

“We are very grateful for these partnerships that allow us to extend and expand our reach,” said Precious Fortune Thompson, volunteer and community events coordinator at Hands for Hunger. “Within the past year, a lot has changed for a lot of families financially so any support we get, when it comes to food assistance goes a very long way. This will make a huge difference because the majority of the families who will receive the food vouchers are not on the National Food Distribution Task Force feeding program so any sort of help they can get, which eases their mind and allows them to focus on other bills, will go a long way.”

Persons are still able to donate stamps in-store as the program is ongoing.

The Department of Agriculture of the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources received a donation of fertilizer from the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco, on behalf of the Bahamas Government, said Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources Joel Lewis.

Mr. Lewis said this is the second donation of fertilizer to The Bahamas by the Kingdom of Morocco, and the government has decided to continue to use it as an incentive for registered farmers to keep their farms going.

The Department of Agriculture distributed the fertilizer to registered Bahamian farmers on Friday, August 28, 2020 at the department’s Feed Mill Unit, Gladstone Road.

Acting Director of Agriculture Charmaine Price headed the distribution to farmers and said this is one of the many concessions for farmers that the government has in place.

By Stirling Strachan

The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources has distributed nearly 1,000 gardening kits as a part of the National Food Emergency Plan. The 1,000 kits are a portion of the initial distribution of starter kits. In phase 1 of the plan, 10,000 kits will be made available to the public.

The initiative seeks to help Bahamian families and community groups focus on growing vegetables and other produce in their own backyards and community farms.

Boxes were distributed to four constituencies - Garden Hills, Englerston, Carmichael and Nassau Village, this past weekend, with the donation taking place at the at the Bahamas Agricultural Industrial Centre (BAIC), Soldier Road Industrial Park. The kits will be distributed to members of the community as well as form the basis of community farm projects.

The programme is expected to continue as communities in Grand Bahama, Abaco and the nation’s Family Islands are set to receive kits shortly.

Pictured from left are James Jacques from the Englerston Constituency, Jennifer Cleare (Carmichael), Stephen Turnquest, Chairman of BAMSI, Cheryl Bowe-Moss, Director of Cooperative development, Rocky Nesbitt, General Manager of BAIC and D’Angelo Ferguson of the Garden Hills Constituency. Helping Mr. Jacques load the kits onto the back of his truck is Dwight Rigby (BAIC).

In his COVID-19 Response Communication in the House of Assembly, April 27, 2020 Minister of Education the Hon. Jeffrey Lloyd announced that each student on the Ministry of Education's Virtual Learning Platform will receive a tablet that will be HOTSPOT ready.

He also stated that National School Lunch Programme food vouchers may be collected from the schools that the students attend, and redeemed at grocery stores (rather than restaurants or food vendors). (BIS Photo/Yontalay Bowe)