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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
The staff of CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Finance Department, Treasury, Client Solution Group, and Bay Street Branch present a wealth of essential items to the Hostel such as cleaning supplies, groceries, school supplies, and books.
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Nassau, Bahamas - When the Children’s Emergency Hostel (CEH) put out a desperate cry earlier this year for assistance with operational costs, CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Finance Department, Treasury Department, Client Solutions Group, and Bay Street Branch all jumped at the opportunity to assist. The four teams came together to host a fun day for the children at the Hostel and to present the home with a variety of essential items.
“The kids are so excited to see CIBC FirstCaribbean and the donations are a huge help to us,” said Marita Ferguson, Administrator at the Children’s Emergency Hostel. “The great number of expenses adds up and it is really tough on the Hostel…it is great when corporate organizations like CIBC FirstCaribbean come in to assist with school supplies and other essential items. We thank them so much for their donation and their time.”
The bank’s employees treated the 28 children to a “grill-out” lunch, cotton candy, popcorn, snow cones, and a bouncing castle. They also organized games and scavenger hunts, giving the children the chance to win sports equipment, candy, arts and crafts supplies, and toys. After the fun and games, the group carried boxes of cleaning supplies, toiletries, groceries, school supplies, and text books into the home.
Financial Controller Stacia Williamson stated that the Finance and Treasury Departments, whose staff have been ongoing supporters of the Hostel, were eager to help.
“As a part of our company’s “Adopt-A-Cause” program, we adopted the Children’s Emergency Hostel last year. When we heard them on the radio this year we called and asked them what they needed most. We provided as many of the items on their wish list as we could – especially textbooks. No child should have to go to school without textbooks. We teamed up with other branches and units to host a fun day to make this experience more exciting for the kids.”
“This year, we also plan to volunteer our time to help with other needs like doing homework and offering mentorship. The home has a lot of boys at the moment so we definitely want to get as much male participation from our staff as possible here.”
Lorraine Johnson, Manager of CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Bay Street Branch, stated that the team at her branch was keen to assist as they feel strongly about youth issues.
“The contribution that the Bahamas Emergency Hostel makes is crucial. They take in children from infancy to age thirteen, a critical stage in development. My branch is a young branch; most of us are under forty and are very active within the community and conscious of youth issues so these are issues that strike us. We see this as a time for us to come together and give back; the youth are the future, after all.”
The day was planned and organized by the units as a part of the bank’s regional Adopt-A-Cause staff volunteerism program, which encourages employee involvement in community projects. Through this initiative, employees can identify projects to support that will help to improve their communities. Thanks to these efforts, CIBC FirstCaribbean supports just under 100 causes throughout the Caribbean. This year, branches and other units in the Bahamas have assisted the Mary Ingraham Intergenerational Center, The Nazareth Home for Children, The Elizabeth Estates Children’s Home, and Sybil Strachan Primary, among other groups and organizations.
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