By LETRE SWEETING
MORE than 2,000 people were fed through a food drive organised by The Island Luck Cares Foundation yesterday at Windsor Park.
The Need to Feed drive was one of about 20 Island Luck Foundation initiatives held this year. About 2,000 hot plates of chicken, rice, macaroni, other side dishes and refreshments were served. The drive commenced at noon and around that time about 400 people were seen waiting to be served at the gates of the park. This drive is an annual event in which the goal is to feed a large number of people consistently, said CEO of Island Luck Sebas Bastian.
“What $200 could have gotten you a year ago, it no longer can get you. You know people wake up in the morning, not knowing where the next meal is coming from. That is some persons’ reality,” Mr Bastian said.
“We’re looking to make an impact based on our consistency and then to a large magnitude. So normally, when we set up shop, we typically come in to cater to thousands of persons. Not a handful. If you add that type of magnitude with the frequency, impact is being felt on the ground,” he said.
Mr Bastian said seeing so many people positively affected by initiatives like this is why he continues to offer help.
“Seeing the lines and the hundreds of people that have already gathered here, it just basically confirms for us, what we’ve already known, the importance of these types of initiatives and highlights that the need that we suspected is there. If that was not the case, you would not have just 20 minutes after setting up, hundreds of people already gathered in this park.”
The event was meant to positively benefit not only those residents of the inner city, but all Bahamians, Mr Bastian said.
“The inner city, historically has been the area which has always been impacted and by extension has the greatest need, so this is kind of the area that we feel is important for us to focus on,” he said.
“This is not for any particular group. It goes to show that the financial challenges that we see in the country today are not limited to a certain group of people. Anyone can hit financial hard times. Our efforts are geared toward anyone that’s in need, because we’re all Bahamians. No special requirements, if you want it you just come and you get it.”
An unemployed resident of the area, who is a mother of four children and has six grandchildren for whom she also provides, said the food drive has helped her and her family get through a tough situation.
She explained how tough things have been recently.
“I’m a mother of four and I have six grandchildren and I am believing in God actually, for a house. It’s kind of rough when you have to pay rent. I also sold, I won’t say how much I sold, but I sold (a lot of things) for a house,” she said.
She said that women should not be prideful in seeking assistance, especially when providing for their family.
“Being a Christian is not easy, this past week I was praying about something. I was in church just prostrating myself on this prayer board and when I got up and looked on my phone, I saw it on my phone and saw it (a discount for food at Super Value, which is across the street from the park).”
Ezra Rahming, a resident of the Bain Town area, said there are many people in his area who are in need.
“I think it’s great, because a lot of people really need this help. One of the reasons why I am here is I am getting something for somebody who is more needier than me, a two-year-old child and her mom. I am making that my top priority. I believe Island Luck is doing a really good job. I am satisfied with the experience I am having at the food drive,” he said.
This was Mr Rahming’s first time at a food drive and he felt very encouraged by the assistance that was offered freely, he said.
Last year, the annual Need to Feed Programme, which had been held at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium, fed over 4,000 people with boxes and packages of food.
Comments
SP 1 year, 8 months ago
So what will they eat tonight and tomorrow?
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 8 months ago
Sad to say but you only need to buy someone once.
trueBahamian 1 year, 8 months ago
Sounds so philanthropic! Some of those probably need to.be fed because they lost all their money gambling (feeding their addiction) at Island Luck.
How about minimizing the destruction of families by gambling. That may more useful a plate of food.
ohdrap4 1 year, 8 months ago
Praise St. Rupert of the holy macaroni.
Porcupine 1 year, 8 months ago
A scheme that impoverishes thousands for a lifetime, and then gives them back a meal is worthy of nothing. The effects of the web shops on The Bahamas are clear to any honest, thinking person. A web shop owner should have no voice in a supposedly Christian country. While our utterly failed educational system has cost our country dearly, it has also benefited those charlatans who sell their snake oil to the uneducated. We don't need to pray to God for fairness and justice. We need to elect honest and intelligent leaders to make this a more equal country, in the eyes of God. This seems beyond even imagining because most every politician we have is selfish and there for the pension and position of power, and is on the take. A sweeping generalization, which hits home too closely? And, the Tribune goes right along with this scheme of elevating criminals to the front page of their paper, just because they have money. All mob bosses made sure that those around them were well enough greased to keep them in a safe orbit. The same way the Tribune promotes those who likely spend a lot of advertising money with their paper. If the Tribune lacks the ethics, and decency, to inform their readers of what exactly is threatening the fabric of this country, who is left to do so? It appears to me that all media is now "owned". Sad, but show me the exception.
carltonr61 1 year, 8 months ago
According to the American Association of Psychiatry gambling is rated DSM-5 in that it does as much damage as cocaine. Also WHO, UN, PAHO, UNESCO use the mire flexible method explaining that According to one's national culture Gambling is rated according to ICD 10 a behavior that destroys person, family, society, community, culture and brings catastrophic destruction. There us our Sandilands that uses theroputic councilling similarly used for cocaine Addiction. Then there is Self Management Cognitive understanding if addictions that can assist those driven to poverty by the Gaming houses scavengers that prey the lure of riches to drive poverty bringing pressure upon our Social Services and pensioners. Even across from the food establishment frequented by families the lure flashes in their faces to forget an honest living and turn better profits through gambling. Not even The Gaming Board seeks to educate our populations against this Satan called gambling. Addictions to gambling is the major cause of suffering around the world but only on the The Bahamas is it lawless and does not conform to no international standards on education as a balance of choice. Because of this legal gambling in The Bahamas is carried out by scavengers that eat your soul, then destroy a million times more than that which they assist.
temptedbythefruitofanother 1 year, 8 months ago
Giving people back .000001% of their own money that they blow each week gambling, in the form of food even! If that isn't "caring" I don't know what is!
Flyingfish 1 year, 8 months ago
Not even paying of healthcare or building parks. But a food donation. When gambling was legalized against the peoples consent interestingly the National Gambling scheme was dropped despite getting reject as well. The Gambling business lord moved to get their money as soon as possible.
There needs to be a proper Gambling Charity Regulations which force companies to give to proper charities rather than this poor handout.
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