Toys, Food and Holiday Cheer Flown into The Bahamas for Hurricane Dorian Victims
NASSAU, The Bahamas (December 22, 2019) – Planeloads of rebuilding materials, food and holiday cheer were delivered to the hurricane-shattered islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco by the Paradise Fund as part of a “Christmas in Paradise” program supported by the Moore Bahamas Foundation.
Eight flights landed in Freeport and Abaco on Thursday and Friday, ferrying 10,000 lbs. of toys, Christmas decorations, food and more basic relief supplies to families and communities still recovering from the devastating blow of Hurricane Dorian, which in September demolished huge swaths of The Bahamas.
Deputy Prime Minister K Peter Turnquest thanked the Paradise Fund and Moore Bahamas for bringing “Christmas cheer” to the children of Grand Bahama.
“So many of these kids, because of the circumstances, their families are not going to be able to afford toys, they are not going to be able to afford the turkey and the ham and all of the things that go along with a traditional Bahamian Christmas, and these folks have come along to bring some of that cheer to these kids and to these families,” Turnquest said while handing out presents at a party.
“Moore Bahamas, Louis Bacon, we are so grateful for all the support,” he added.
“The holiday fly-ins orchestrated by the Paradise Fund brought welcome merriment to Dorian-impacted families,” said Louis Bacon, chairman of The Moore Charitable Foundation and Moore Bahamas, its local affiliate.
“With deliveries of food and toys – as well as supplies like building materials to repair fishing boats – they spread joy and hope to resilient families.”
Support for the Paradise Fund was part of $300,000 in new grants recently announced by Moore Bahamas to help address continuing humanitarian needs and accelerate the recovery of The Bahamas’ spectacular ecosystems and its economy. Mr. Bacon has made a $1 million commitment to environmental and economic recovery from the devastation wrought by Dorian.
“These programs will help us get our lives back in order, help bring our communities back together and let us start to restore a little bit of peace and comfort to the people of these islands,” Deputy Prime Minister Turnquest said.
In addition to the Paradise Fund, Moore Bahamas is providing the Ranfurly Home—which is working with children displaced by Dorian—with emergency staffing support. Moore Bahamas is also helping The Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF) to replenish the supplies of several schools badly damaged by the hurricane.
Support by Moore Bahamas is allowing the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) to conduct ecosystem damage assessments of the maritime and mangrove habitats of Grand Bahama and Abaco. Partnerships with Waves for Water and Waterkeeper Bahamas will focus on providing clean and safe drinking water in Grand Bahama. Funding will also support Waterkeeper Bahamas to monitor and assess the extent of a massive Dorian-related oil spill at a storage facility on Grand Bahama Island.
“This is a wonderful display of generosity, humanity and concern for the environment at what is a most challenging time for our small nation,” said Kay Forbes Smith, managing director of the Bahamas Disaster Reconstruction
“Through the steadfast resilience of the Bahamian people, and the with the continued support of our valued friends like Moore Bahamas and Louis Bacon, I have no doubt that the Bahamas will pull through, persevere and prosper once again.”
Moore Bahamas grantees include: Bahamas National Trust (BNT); Bahamas Reef Environmental Education Foundation (BREEF); Friends of the Environment in Abaco (Friends); GiveDirectly; Grand Bahama Disaster Relief Foundation (GBDRF); International Medical Corps (IMC); Paradise Fund; Ranfurly Home for Children; Waterkeepers Bahamas; and Waves For Water (W4W).
