Team Members of Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino answered the call to volunteer and donated many hours of time at the island’s food bank during the month of November, 2020, working side by side with resort team members.
FPNC has been relying on volunteer hours since March, as the food bank started preparing care packages for families in need.
The not-for-profit FPNC, Fundacion Pa Nos Comunidad, has been operating on the island since 2009. Following Gandhi’s view that poverty is the worst form of violence, the food bank was created, with a clothing bank and a furniture bank built-in, designed to alleviate some needs of our community’s less fortunate members.
The food bank has been feeding some 5,000 families on island, perhaps 15% of the island’s population, and the Hilton team, both resort and casino, has been making a serious impact in this effort, with around 15 people helping over two daily shifts, who work every day, six days a week. It is an impressive operation where boxes are filled with food and other essentials: Each family gets one of these per month.
The funds for the operation were donated by the Netherlands and by local companies, and the assistance proved life-saving for people whose bread-winners lost their jobs and are not getting the wage subsidy; or for families whose who lost income, get the wage subsidy, but are still in great need.
Volunteering at the food bank makes a strong impact on our community, says casino manager Marc Charley, it is a humbling experience for us and the team.
This year, FPNC went from supporting 250 families a month, to an immense undertaking. They solicit bids, get purchases approved, buy huge quantities of everything including basic staples, dry and fresh goods, receive the merchandise, repack it with great care and then distribute to grateful families.
The work is overwhelming and FPNC is always happy to welcome volunteers from local businesses.
Options to donate:
Donate your time at Club Kibrahacha. Strong arms needed to move boxes and a sweet smile to greet clients.
Make a monetary contribution:
Bank Information Aruba Bank 1000; Banco di Caribe 100 000 500 001 800 01; Caribbean Mercantile Bank 60001000; RBC Royal Bank 77000 000 44195025.
For aid, visit the website [email protected], or call 588 0002 and 562 4205.
Pictured here, Hilton team in action at the food bank.
