For many children Christmas time is filled with writing lists to Santa and dreams of receiving the latest toys, gadgets and electronics. This year, rather than being on the receiving end, the grade 5 classes at the Lyford Cay International School collected canned goods and non-perishable items in observation of the Reverse Advent calendar and presented them to members of the Bahamas Feeding Network (BFN) during their Christmas party held at the school.

“Instead of receiving gifts this Christmas, grade 5 decided that we would give gifts,” said Mrs. Katina Seymour, one of two grade 5 teachers at Lyford Cay International School. “It was agreed that for 15 days beginning December 1, every child would bring in a non-perishable item to be donated to the Bahamas Feeding Network. We are so pleased with the response from our students and parents who have given so graciously.”

Accepting the donation on behalf of the Network were Philip Smith, executive director and Sean Moree, BFN board member and attorney at McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes.

“This is a perfectly timed donation and we are so grateful that these children, under the guidance of their teachers, are mindful enough and understand the concept of giving,” said Smith. “They are making a meaningful impact on the lives of so many others.”.

“One in seven people go to bed hungry every night in The Bahamas and many of them are kids,” said Moree. “What our organization has done, and what you’re helping to do through this donation, is helping to feed a lot of those people. The food items are distributed to the nearly 130 soup kitchens and churches that make up the Network who either cook the food or share the goods directly with those in need.”

As a token of appreciation for the donation, Smith and Moree presented each student with a t-shirt that read “I helped feed 5,000 families.”

“The public can continue what these children have started and help us feed more families this Christmas through the Feed 5,000 campaign spearheaded by AML Foods,” Smith urged. “Persons can either purchase a holiday food package for $40 or donate non-perishable food items at any of the Solomon’s location in New Providence and Grand Bahama.”

The Bahamas National Feeding Network is a non-profit organisation launched in December 2013 that acts as a hub ­for distributing food and food resources to feeding centers throughout The Bahamas. In the nearly three years since BFN has been distributing food and funding to feeding centres in The Bahamas, the programme has donated more than $350,000to its 130 partners with the aid of contributions.

“What today represents is the efforts of children who understand the importance of bringing Christmas joy and cheer and putting smiles on the faces of less fortunate children,” said Seymour.

Grade 5 students at Lyford Cay International School donate non-perishable food items to the Bahamas Feeding Network (BFN) in observation of Reverse Advent. Adults pictured l-r: Bernadette Fox, grade 5 teacher Lyford Cay International School; Sean Moree, BFN board member and attorney at McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes; Philip Smith, BFN executive director and Katina Seymour grade 5 teacher Lyford Cay International School. (Photo by Cay Focus Photography for DPA.)