As one charity-based organisation to another, the Anguilla Rotary Club of Anguilla made a generous donation to the Anguilla Cares Food Bank, located at the Hope Centre in East End, just in time for Christmas. The presentation was in the form of a cheque of US$500, which was donated to Rotary by the Anguilla Lottery, and ceremoniously handed over to Anguilla Cares on December, 22nd.
The Anguilla Cares Food Bank is managed by a group of community volunteers headed by Mrs. Blondelle Rodgiers. Its purpose is to provide food items to underprivileged families on a regular basis. It does so through the support of individuals, charitable supermarkets and other businesses which have the interest and wellbeing of local needy families at heart.
In making its Christmas presentation, the President of the Anguilla Rotary Club, Shameica Hodge, commented: “Once COVID-19 emerged, and we saw the impact on the world, the Rotary Club of Anguilla sprang to action and set out to help vulnerable members of the community in this difficult time. It was our desire to set up a food bank. However, our past President, Mrs. Jackie Ruan, in her thoughtful consideration, reached out to Mrs. Blondelle Rodgiers of the Anguilla Cares Food Bank. Together, we thought that instead of ‘re-inventing the wheel’ it would be a great idea for Rotary to partner with the Anguilla Cares Food Bank.”
The Rotary President mentioned that once they met with Anguilla Cares, they found that it was well organised and effective in distributing food packages to dependent residents. She said that the organization showed a discrete track record, being established in 2011, and it had assisted families all across the island, particularly following the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in 2017. “We found Anguilla Cares to be very active in reaching out to society’s most vulnerable families, even today,” she said, “delivering food items to those who are affected by COVID-19.”
The President pledged Rotary’s ongoing support to Anguilla Cares in continuing the work of the food bank within the community. She noted that the Anguilla Lottery had willingly linked with the Anguilla Rotary Club for this purpose. The Anguilla Lottery has been the first entity to contribute to Anguilla Cares through this Rotary project and, according to the Rotary’s President, the Lottery will generously contribute to the Anguilla Cares Food Bank as it partners with the Rotary Club in the future.
President Hodge also mentioned that any business or individual who is willing to donate to the ongoing Rotary project can contact the Rotary Club of Anguilla, or purchase food items at Proctor’s, Lake’s, or Ashley’s supermarkets and deposit them in the designated Anguilla Cares food barrels there.
In accepting the donation, Director of the Anguilla Cares Food Bank, Mrs. Blondell Rodgiers, remarked: “On behalf of the Anguilla Cares Food Bank, I would like to thank you, the Rotary Club, for this generous contribution. We are happy to know that you are on board with us. I would also like to thank the Anguilla Lottery. In addition, I would like to give due recognition to the Food Bank’s founders, Ms. Claudette Bryan and Charlotte Bergland. These were the two who established the Anguilla Cares Food Bank in 2011. So thanks again to Rotary Club and the Anguilla National Lottery.”
Mrs. Rodgiers mentioned that, throughout the years, the Anguilla Cares Food Bank has delivered food baskets to an average of 120 families across the island every month. She noted that currently the charity serves an updated list of 110 families. She explained that while as many households have found employment, other families have been registered since the inception of the delivery programme. “Most of the families we serve,” she said, “are single mothers with children.”
– Staff Reporter, James R. Harrigan
