By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Feeding Network is providing up to 100,000 meals a month, supporting more than 100 local feeding programmes.

The organisation got a welcome donation yesterday of 20,000 pounds of ham and chicken from Royal Caribbean International. The donation will help feed people who otherwise would not have a proper meal this holiday season.

Felix Stubbs, BFN chairman, said Royal Caribbean has been a supporter of the network for many years.

He added: “As they’ve done in the past, again this year, they’re making a significant contribution here at Christmas time to assist in the feeding of many Bahamians who ordinarily would not have had a proper meal this time of the year.

“Some of you may be aware, we’ve been in existence now for 13 years, we’ve been feeding individuals for more, so supporting a network of feeding programmes so that as many deserving Bahamians are fed a proper meal.”

He also said: “Currently, we are feeding up to 100,000 meals a month by supporting over 100 feeding programmes. Those are persons who come to us and use our resources to collect food or financing. So they’re able to go back into the communities, cook the food we give them or the (items) we give them and prepare meals for those people who are in need.”

Russell Benford, vice president of government relations for the Americas at the Royal Caribbean group, spoke of the deep relationship between the company and BFN.

“You know, we’ve been working with the feeding network for five years now and this is the third year we provided an extra gift during the time of the holidays of food to the network. I think, you know, for us as our relationship has grown over time, you know, we’ve gotten to know this organisation,” he said.

State Minister for Social Services and Urban Development Lisa Rahming expressed her gratitude for the donation. She acknowledged the work of BFN.

“We’re very grateful on behalf of the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development. We are extremely grateful and I always reiterated that the government cannot do it alone. So this here is an extension of that and, of course, our food network is that hub, that central arm that extends out to the other civic groups and individuals who took on the mandate to help those in need.”

“You know I don’t like to use the word poor, but those who are underprivileged, less fortunate among us. And so I am happy and I’m grateful because our stipend that we give to the civic groups could never be enough and so this is an extended arm from us,” she said.

Of the 100 outreach centres BFN works with, larger ones get food in bulk while the organisation prepares parcels for some of the smaller ones.

It is estimated that each parcel can feed a family of four eight meals each.

Norris Williams, of First Born Church Of the Living God, said the church feeds at least 30 to 40 people a week.

“The Bahamas Feeding Network helps us a whole lot and it goes a long way because there are a lot of people out there that are hurting. (Sometimes) people who are hurting, they don’t come out to the public and say ‘Hey, I’m hurting’, but they find the church and because the church is so discreet they come to the church and we assist them in any way we can,” Mr Williams said.

“There’s a whole lot of people that come. People that you have never seen before. They show up because you’ve given them something during Christmas. But we try to do it not only at Christmas, but we try to do it throughout the year. But especially during Christmas, we have a whole flock of people that come in.”