The Tribune

A NEW partnership between Kiwanis New Providence and Commonwealth Brewery Ltd seeks to combat hunger by increasing access to breakfast for over 600 students.

Research has shown that access to breakfast for school-age children can significantly improve their ability to concentrate throughout the school day and positively impact their academic performance.

Recently, The Kiwanis Club of New Providence relaunched its Healthy Breakfast Programme to provide complimentary breakfast to more than 600 students across five primary and secondary schools throughout Nassau.

Club president Pamela White-Gaitor said: “The programme has been running for nine years; where initially, we assisted the students attached to the welfare programmes within two of our sponsored youth schools bi-weekly. However, we saw there was a greater need and decided to host all our Kiwanis Kids (K-Kids) schools, increasing our numbers from 50 students per school to one hundred and 150 students per school. Through this programme, each student will be able to receive a hot meal of tuna or sausage with grits, a fruit and a beverage of choice.”

This partnership comes as Commonwealth Brewery made strides to refocus its philanthropic commitment to the local community and actively engage staff through volunteerism.

Kendria Ferguson, corporate relations and sustainability manager, said: “For Commonwealth Brewery, we understand the private sector’s role in assisting organisations like Kiwanis address some of our most pressing social issues. The Bahamas has had a tough last three years. The rise in food prices is compounding the challenges from Dorian and the ongoing health pandemic. So, we were delighted to offer a food donation to Kiwanis and lend our support to this worthy cause.”

To date, an estimated 300 students from First Step Academy and Cleveland Eneas Primary have been fed, with three more breakfast giveaways forthcoming.

“The need is great, and I must commend Kiwanis for all their work, but more must be done. At Commonwealth Brewery, we are constantly looking at our community to identify the needs and where we can help - not only in Nassau but also throughout the Family Islands,” said Ms Ferguson.

In addition to Kiwanis Healthy Breakfast Programme, the Kiwanis Club of New Providence also hosts many other projects that benefit the children, elderly and needy of various communities. Some of these projects include their annual Reading Fair that promotes the importance of literacy, soup kitchens that provide a hot meal to those in need and baby item drives that allow Kiwanis to assist expectant mothers at Andrea Archer school for girls (formally known as PACE).

They also host the Builder’s Club and Key Club for high school students at Aquinas College, LW Young, CH Reeves, LN Coakley and Doris Johnson, fostering students’ leadership skills and involving them in acts of service.