Giving to the Red Cross has just become much easier with the launch of the ‘Payroll Donation Fund’. This new initiative was launched on the 24th February at their offices at the old Cottage Hospital in The Valley.
It enables employees to support the Anguilla Red Cross with small, regular donations taken directly from their salary on a monthly/weekly basis. The amounts to be donated start as low as US$ 1.00/EC$ 3.00. Ricky Rouphine, Branch Coordinator, made history by being the first to sign up for the ‘Payroll Donation Fund’. He believes in leading by example.
He acknowledged that Anguillians give as the need arises but this programme makes it easier, and more convenient to do so, and provides an opportunity for more persons to be involved by virtue of the small amounts that can be given. The key is small but regular.
This regularity of giving will allow the Anguilla Red Cross to support their increased services and programmes, and budget and plan ahead more effectively. To quote Mr. Rouphine: “It is a way to help ourselves in the event of an emergency or crisis … Donor agencies will always ask, what are you doing to help raise funds locally …
“One of the ways we will use the funds is to build on the US$ 8000.00 given to us by the British Red Cross to start our emergency fund. 40% of the money raised will go to this fund to help in the event of a natural disaster, house fire or mass casualty. 10% will be for administrative support and the remaining 50% to support the Branch’s programmes and services.
One of the service users, who gets transported to medical appointments in the wheelchair bus, was happy to know that more people would be able to give at such a reasonable rate and that she would continue to give.
The Red Cross plans to promote the Payroll Donation Fund across the public sector, the private sector – the hotel industry and every small and large business in Anguilla.
According to Ricky Rouphine, “Every single person who makes a regular gift through Payroll Giving, helps us to make a difference in peoples’ lives.”
