With the recent Value-Added Tax hike, cost of living increases and a 25 per cent cut to government's school uniform assistance programme, Bahamas Striping Group of Companies is urging Corporate Bahamas to do its part to help more students from disadvantaged homes prepare for the opening of a new school year that’s now just days away.

The nation's appetite for corporate benefactors is at an all-time high, leading Bahamas Striping to ask "what gives with giving," or a lack thereof to be more accurate.

"With the start of a new school year less than a week away, we can do better," said BSGC President, Atario Mitchell. "We must do better. Time is running out."

Other companies might have tightened their belt, cutting back on donations to nonprofit organizations, but Bahamas Striping is bucking the trend, putting its money where its mouth is.

Through its annual back-to-school initiative the operation, which has only been in business for eight years, is supplying backpacks, notebooks, pens, pencils, sharpeners and rulers for 10,000 students across The Bahamas.

"It did not make sense for us to reinvent the wheel and host our own back-to-school school event which would cost money that could be put to better use purchasing school supplies for those in need," said Dominic Sturrup, BSGC's senior vice president of business development.

"To boost efficiency we thought it best to partner with active civic and charitable organizations to distribute our back to school supplies. These organizations are plugged into the communities, schools and families most in need here in New Providence, but equally as important, on the Family Islands."

Bahamas Striping brought strategic partners onboard to help defray cost without negatively impacting quality.

"Betty K, one of the largest shippers in The Bahamas, and the fast-growing Island Maritime Customs Brokerage graciously agreed to partner with us in importing the school supplies," explain Dr Allen Albury BSGC's managing director.

"Then, we turned to our civic partners to bring in their enthusiastic team of volunteers to pack and distribute bags."

Bahamas Striping’s giveaway has more than tripled in size since its inception in 2013, when the company and its subsidiary, Airport Maintenance Services Ltd., donated 3,000 bags to the Urban Renewal Commission.

In 2017, the initiative expanded to include notebooks. This year pens, pencils, sharpeners and rulers were added to the list.

Recently, Bahamas Striping executives travelled to Eleuthera to present the island’s Rotary Club with 620 school bags.

“This is the most significant partnership we’ve had to date with any single corporation,” said Sandra Ingraham, president of the Rotary Club of Eleuthera.

This week she’ll be distributing those bags to five primary and one high school in the southern part of the island.

“The donation helps alleviate the financial burden a lot of parents and guardians have this time of year, having to get several children back-to-school ready. It shows the commitment of Bahamas Striping to the community. It was an awesome gesture.”

In the nation’s second city BSGC sent 100 bags to a local Rotary Club.

“Bahamas Striping was the first company from New Providence to reach out to me to assist. I personally want to thank them for their contributions and for remembering the economic status of Grand Bahama,” said Billy Jane Ferguson, community service director for the Rotary Club of Lucaya.

“The school bags along with textbooks will be distributed to primary school students. I’m giving 25 of those bags to the Kiwanis Club of Eight Mile Roach to assist with their back to school health and medical screening event. I think it will assist in alleviating the pressure for those persons who are less fortunate. I must add, many of the children still have the same bags they gave to us last year because it’s of such good quality.”

BSGC has contributed stuffed backpacks to more than 10 constituencies back-to-school events and dozens of civic and charitable organizations.

One of the fastest growing enterprise, BSGC encompasses Airport Maintenance Services, Caribbean Pavement Solutions, Bahamas Themed Photography, Abaco Caribbean Holdings Limited and Bahamas Striping from which the Group takes its name. 

Bahamas Striping Group of Companies led by president Atario Mitchell presented president of the Rotary Club of Eleuthera, Sandra Ingraham and her team with 620 school bags for distribution at four of the island's primary school and one high school. 

Volunteers stuff BSGC's backpacks with school supplies.