Foster families and foster homes are receiving food items, toiletries and cleaning supplies, all made possible through the kindness of the community.
PHILIPSBURG--Foundation Judicial Institutes St. Maarten SJIS announced on Tuesday that it has established the Foster Care Foodbank. This foodbank will be managed by the foundation and aims to contribute to a more long-term solution to challenges foster families are facing.
During the month of May, SJIS staff and volunteers, among them K1 Britannia, asked shoppers entering Carrefour, Cost U Less, Sunny Food and Market Garden to add a few items from the Foster Care shopping list to their shopping carts as they did their own grocery shopping. “It took little persuasion for the community to respond positively to this request,” project coordinator Meredith Concincion said, “but the result is that the first 10 loaded containers of items are on their way to the foster homes and families.”
The efforts will not come to a halt after the month of May, Concincion explained. “The increasing cost of food that is not accompanied with increased funding has led to further growing challenges for foster families and foster homes. It is difficult for them to provide sufficient nutritious meals for the children throughout the year. SJIS has therefore established a foodbank, which will be managed by the foundation, and aims to contribute to a more long-term solution.”
The business community is asked to participate with structural contributions of food items, toiletries and feminine products, and cleaning supplies are also appreciated. The foodbank will solely cater to the needs of the foster homes and the children being cared for by foster families.
For more information about the “Foodbank” programme or enquiries about other ways to contribute, contact SJIS.
