The Coca-Cola Company and Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC) Bahamas donated $25,000 to The Sandals Foundation in support of the Providing Access to Continued Education (P.A.C.E.) Program. P.A.C.E., which has assisted over 3,000 adolescent mothers in The Bahamas, is seeking funding for its most recent project, the refurbishment of a building on East Street.

After being Presenting Sponsor of “Vibes on the Island”, a benefit concert for P.A.C.E. that took place at the Private Island at Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island this past Saturday evening, The Coca-Cola Company and CBC Bahamas presented the Sandals Foundation with an additional donation for P.A.C.E. To help with the hand over of the big check were Carlos Zeledon Zamora, Senior Customer Development Manager – The Coca-Cola Company and Jennifer Basden, Director of Marketing – Caribbean Bottling Company Bahamas along with Heidi Clarke, Director of Programs for the Sandals Foundation, Adam Stewart, CEO of Sandals Resorts International and President of the Sandals Foundation, Grammy Award Winning Reggae Artist Shaggy and Sonia Brown, President of the P.A.C.E. Foundation.

“Lending our support to the P.A.C.E. Program is not only an expression of our interest to inspire people, but it’s also the perfect way to demonstrate how to embed a corporate social responsibility initiative into a community effort that promotes better opportunities for women” said Jennifer Basden, Director of Marketing for Caribbean Bottling Company - Bahamas. “We are proud to be involved in this initiative which shows a true committment to our business system and to the local community where we can help play a part in positively impacting the lives of many young girls living here in The Bahamas”.

“The involvement of The Coca-Cola Company and their local bottler CBC bolsters a strong partnership towards making a positive difference within the communities where we operate,” said Adam Stewart, President of the Sandals Foundation and CEO of Sandals Resorts International. “Tonight’s sponsorship of the concert and the additional donation of funds will certainly help to ensure that young mothers have access to a vital resource that will serve their administrative, health care, nursery and academic services needs.”

The Coca-Cola Company, Sandals Resorts and The Sandals Foundation have a long-term commitment towards working together to develop initiatives and social programmes that fall within support the sustainability of the communities they serve. The Coca-Cola Company’s 5x20 program is such an alliance - a global committment to enable the economic empowerment of 5 million women entrepreneurs across the company’s value chain by 2020. Through this initiative women are offered access to business skills training courses, financial services and connections with peers and mentors – along with the success that comes with building a successful business.

Proceeds raised from the “Vibes on the Island” benefit concert held at Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island on Saturday, November 2nd will go to support P.A.C.E. and the building of a state-of-the art centre to ensure that young teens have access to a site that will accommodate learning facilities, administrative services and nursery facilities.