The Tribune

COST Right partnered with the Grand Bahama Food Taskforce to distribute more than 300 bags of groceries over the weekend on Grand Bahama.

The distribution was held on Saturday at Cost Right, where 350 bags were given out to those in need.

Minister of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson commended AML Foods for its continued support of the task force.

He said the government is committed to continuing the food programme to assist as many families as it can.

Mr Thompson said there is still a great need in Grand Bahama.

“Today, we are very pleased to be continuing the partnership with AML Foods. They have been a great partner for us in Grand Bahama,” he said.

“We started the Grand Bahama food programme as a result of COVID-19. The prime minister mandated that we do all we can to ensure we feed as many as we can in Grand Bahama. But the model of the food programme was to also partner with other persons who provide food, other NGOs, and businesses. And this really is the culmination of that initiative and being able to partner with AML Foods,” said Mr Thompson.

“We are very pleased and we understand that there is still a great need in Grand Bahama and there is still need for the food programme to continue. And the government is committed to continuing the food programme at least until we can.”

He indicated that to date in the last eight months, the food programme has issued over 80,000 vouchers on the island.

“We are going to continue so the numbers will continue to rise,” he said.

Melissa Major, senior business development manager at AML Foods, said they are pleased to continue its partnership with food taskforce.

The bags contained dry goods, canned goods, fresh bread, water, as well as essential items such as toothpaste, deodorant, and soap.

“The bags basically are enough to feed a family, and there are also essential items in there because we realise it was very necessary,” Mrs Major said.

“We had originally partnered with them when we did our Feed 5,000 programme and we understand that the COVID pandemic is still very real and a lot of people are affected, and we wanted to give back to the community of Grand Bahama,” she said.

Ms Major said the Rotary and Rotaract Clubs have also assisted them in the distribution.

Othniel Pinder, president of Rotary Club of Freeport, said the group was happy to help.

“It is always awesome to be able to give back to the community. The one thing about Rotary is ‘service above self’ and when we got the call from Cost Right to assist in their initiative we were on board right away,” he said.