By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

A MOTHER who lost one of her children and saw her other children severely burned in a house fire on June 16 received a $15,000 donation from the Baha Mar Resort Foundation as part of its annual charitable disbursements.

Robert Sands, senior vice president of government and external affairs, said the foundation considered it imperative to offer immediate support in such tragic circumstances.

“We believe it is essential to give back to the community that supports us,” Mr Sands said. “This funding is meant to have a direct and measurable impact where it is most needed.”

The donation was one of several announced during a presentation ceremony at Baha Mar following the third annual Baha Mar Golf Invitational held at the Royal Blue Golf Course on June 14.

In total, the foundation distributed more than $275,000 to 15 non-profit and community organisations.

The foundation said the record-breaking proceeds were allocated across a range of causes aligned with its mission to support community development, cultural preservation, and environmental conservation.

Graeme Davis, president of Baha Mar, said the grants are intended to support organisations conducting “critical work in our communities”.

Among the recipients was the Royal Bahamas Police Force Sports, Welfare & Scholarship Fund, which received $30,000 to support educational scholarships and youth outreach. The Bahamas National Trust was also awarded $30,000 to aid biodiversity and environmental education at Bonefish Pond National Park.

Several other charities addressing physical and mental health, emergency response, food insecurity, and special education were supported.

These included $25,000 grants to the Bahamas Association for the Physically Disabled, BAARK (Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights and Kindness), the Bahamas Humane Society, the Bahamas Council for Alcoholism, the Salvation Army, the Bahamas Red Cross, and Hands for Hunger.

According to Mr Sands, BAARK will use the funds to expand its spay/neuter initiatives and to support the development of the Pirate Potcake Animal Sanctuary.

The Bahamas Down Syndrome Association, REACH Bahamas, and the Nassau Chapter of The Links, Inc. each received $20,000 to support children with special needs, autism services, and shelter for women affected by domestic violence, respectively.

Youth athletic development was also a focus, with $15,000 each awarded to the Bahamas Golf Federation Youth Program and the Bahamas Aquatics Federation to support training and international competition.

Christ the King Church and St Agnes Church also received $15,000 each for restoration efforts and outreach programs targeting senior citizens.

Mr Sands added that an additional $400,000 to $500,000 in charitable disbursements is expected within the next three weeks, marking the second phase of the foundation’s 2025 giving cycle.