The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

SEVERAL local charities received a combined $150,443 yesterday from Heather and David Kosoy at a ceremony at Hurricane Hole, with recipient organisations outlining plans to expand food security, youth development, and residential care programmes.

The funds were raised from the 2025 production of Comedy for a Cause, Real Estate, produced by and starring Mrs Kosoy. Beneficiaries included Lend a Hand Bahamas, the Bahamas National Trust, the Bahamas Feeding Network and Ranfurly Homes for Children.

Representatives from Lend a Hand Bahamas said the donation comes amid heightened demand and will help complete a culinary arts and food security building that predates the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The need is growing and so the capacity to serve grows,” the organisation said. “We were working towards having the main structure of the building completed by the end of January or February, and we are pressing on to secure items to put inside so we can actually open the facility.

“We want to get our young children cooking more nutritional meals and teaching them how to budget, how to go to the shop and purchase the items necessary to cook a healthy meal. We used to test them on ten dollars for a family of five but that is no longer possible so in the new year we will be experimenting with fifteen dollars and the idea is a one pot nutritional meal.”

The organisation said a 20-foot hydroponics unit attached to the building will serve seniors and children while producing income.

Ranfurly Homes for Children president Joey Fremont said the home currently cares for 26 children, including 16 teenage boys, and would use its share of funds to tighten property security.

“We are extremely happy to be a part of this again this year,” Mr Fremont said. “What we plan to do with the funds that have been raised is to enhance our security at Ranfurly to encompass the whole property with a really robust security system that connects our security personnel as well as the staff inside the building with the children. We have staff at the home with the children on a 24 hour basis seven days a week, every single day, so it is very important to continue their safety.”

He acknowledged financial pressure faced by nonprofits, particularly heading into the holiday season.

The Bahamas Feeding Network delivered an emotional message of thanks. Distribution manager Recina Ferguson Scully said the donation comes at a crucial time for families.

“If you only know what you are doing for us, everyone in your heart should really be full of thanksgiving during this time for this gift,” Ms Scully said. “When you think about the persons on streets and persons in houses who cannot afford rent or cannot afford food to put a meal on the table for their children, it causes mothers to do things that they ought not to do. Giving to children meals, hot meals or dry meals, is important. You have a heart of gold and if nobody else is grateful and thankful, I can truly say I am grateful for the things that you are doing.”

During the ceremony, David Kosoy announced a new initiative that will allow beneficiary organisations to raise funds directly from future Comedy for a Cause ticket sales. He said he and his wife will personally underwrite up to $50,000 next year.

“If you sell two hundred tickets, multiply that by two fifty and that charity will get the two fifty at the end of the day. There is a fifty thousand dollar pocket that we will personally underwrite which will encourage you and your kids or whoever is involved to sell the tickets,” he said.

Organisers also announced the next Comedy for a Cause production, Smarty Pants, will run from February 12 to 21 at Atlantis Theatre. The show was written by Canadian playwright Steven Sparks and produced by Mrs Kosoy.

Mr Kosoy, executive chairman & founder of Sterling Global Financial, has provided both economic and philanthropic contributions to The Bahamas, including the full redevelopment of Hurricane Hole Marina on Paradise Island, investing in renovations of numerous areas in New Providence, including Ocean Terraces, and Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Nassau. After falling in love with The Bahamas almost two decades ago, his companies have directly invested over $1 billion into the country, with numerous donations to multiple charities throughout his years as an expatriate.