From left: VSA Ministry Senior Project Manager Jason Peterson, Freegan Foundation representative Lydia van der Sangen and Minister Emil Lee.
PHILIPSBURG--The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour VSA Department of Community Development, Family and Humanitarian Affairs (CDFHA) has been giving out boxes of emergency food kits (EFKs) to various foundations and churches on the island, to be turned over to persons in need in the community.
The emergency kits were donated to the Government of Sint Maarten by Global Medic, in Canada. The total amount adds up to 123,336 meals. The donation was made to Government as preparation for distribution in the event of a major storm during the 2018 hurricane season. Government received a donation of 20,556 EFKs from Global Medic.
“Luckily, we were spared from the 2018 hurricane season and did not have to make use of the Emergency Food Kits after a major storm. In 2017, after Irma, Global Medic donated water filters to St. Maarten, which were distributed directly with the assistance of the Tzu Chi Foundation,” VSA Minister Emil Lee said.
Global Medic is a registered Canadian charity with a mandate is to save lives by providing short-term rapid response in the wake of disasters and crisis, both in Canada and abroad. Each emergency food kit includes six meals consisting of long grain rice, dehydrated soy flour, a dehydrated vegetable blend, and vitamin fortified powder.
To ensure that the donation does not go unused, the food kits that cannot be used for the 2019 hurricane season are being distributed via the VSA Ministry to those most in need within the community.
Lee thanked Global Medic for its generous donation and the community partners who are assisting the VSA Ministry with the distributions. “Together [we are – Ed.] ensuring that residents who need these food kits the most receive them.”
