Published On:Friday, July 30, 2010

Tribune Staff Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

IN AN ambitious effort to assist the communities where their customers live,  a food and consumer products conglomerate has pledged to raise $50,000 in just one month.

During August, AML Foods Limited’s “Gifts for Good” programme will encourage customers to donate $1 in support of 20 charities in Nassau and Grand Bahama.

Greg Watchorn, president and CEO of AML Foods Limited, said: “We have decided to invite our many loyal customers to participate by asking them to donate $1.

“It is our goal to collect $25,000 and AML Foods will match up to this amount in gift cards, for the total contribution of $50,000.”

The programme will be offered through its brands Cost Right, Solomon’s and Domino’s.

Donations

The charitable organisations were chosen by company employees and each will receive $2,500 in donations.

The participating charities include: the Ranfurly Home for Children and the Special Olympics in New Providence, and the Cancer Association and the Red Cross in Grand Bahama.

Several charities expressed their gratitude at a press conference to announce the fundraiser, all citing their increased dependence on corporate donations in a strained economy.

Basil Christie, chairman of the Bahamas Special Olympics, said: “We have a budget if $200,000 per year, funding for this comes solely from the community and corporate donations like this. A principal source of funding is partnership, we have partnered with AML for three years now and they have always supported us.”

The company’s philanthropic efforts won’t end in August.

This year, AML has committed to donating a minimum of one per cent of it’s net profits to charity.