THE Sandals Foundation is partnering with the PACE Foundation to hold a BINGO night and charity auction to help raise funds for the construction of an educational facility for teenage mothers.

The event will be held on May 25 from 7pm to 10pm at Police Headquarters on East Street.

The PACE Foundation is a group of concerned citizens who seek to compliment the efforts of the PACE Programme, which works with teenage mothers to prepare them for motherhood.

The programme advises them about sexually transmitted infections, birth control and parenting skills - but most of all assists with their return to mainstream school so they can complete their education.

The PACE programme has intervened in the lives of young women and their families for more than 40 years. In 2009 the organisation purchased a building on East Street through the assistance of the Bahamas Development Bank.

"We want to begin renovations this year. We rely heavily on support from the public and previous events we held have been very successful. This will be a family fun filled event in a safe environment. The public can meet some of the board members and ask questions about the programme if they wish," said Sonia Brown, president of the Pace Foundation.

Ms Brown said the foundation is grateful for the support of the Sandals Foundation and that the organisation was a welcome addition to the PACE family. "They have assisted us this year with a yard sale in which we were able to sell items donated from their Cable Beach property. This was a very popular event and persons are anxiously waiting for it to be repeated.

"They also provide a stipend for a part time worker who teaches the students hair braiding and other crafts. They have also committed to hosting a fundraising dinner later this year," she said.

The Sandals Foundation is a non-profit organisation created to continue and to expand upon the philanthropic work that Sandals Resorts International has undertaken. It is the culmination of three decades of dedication to playing a meaningful role in the lives of the communities where the company operates across the Caribbean.

The Sandals Foundation funds projects in three core areas: education, community and the environment. One hundred per cent of the funds contributed to the Sandals Foundation go directly to programmes benefiting the Caribbean community.

Heidi Clarke, Sandals Foundation director of programmes, said that the foundation recognises the need to support the education of young people especially those that do not have access to formal education due to their circumstances.

"The PACE foundation has given so many young women a second chance and an opportunity for a better life. Their success stories are many. In giving these young women a chance we also give their children a fighting chance in life. We want to do all we can to assist PACE in being able to continue their worthy mission, making futures as bright as possible for more young women," Ms Clarke said.

This is the third year the Commissioner of Police has allowed the organisation to host the event at Police Headquarters. "We work very closely with the National Crime Prevention Office as we both agree that anything we do to relieve suffering helps reduce crime. The Rotary Club of Nassau Sunrise is assisting us once again and we very much appreciate their support. We have received donations thus far from Caribbean Bottling, McDonalds and Atlantis as well," Ms Brown said.