SRI makes in-kind donations to Hanover, St James institutions
Over the past few months, Sandals Resorts International (SRI) has made in-kind donations to several institutions in St James and the neighbouring parish of Hanover.
These include the West Haven Children’s Home in Copse, the Knockalva Polytechnic College in Ramble, both in Hanover, and the Coral Gardens Police Station and Criminal Records Office located at the Summit Police Station in St James.
The latest beneficiary was the West Haven Children’s Home.
The donation effort was spearheaded by Corporate Compliance Administrator Connie Chin in partnership with the resort’s philanthropic arm, the Sandals Foundation, and team members at the SRI head office in Montego Bay.
“I had visited the West Haven facility and seen that there was a growing need there, especially with the hardship brought on by the [novel coronavirus] pandemic. I knew that my fellow team members at SRI would be willing to help and I’m so happy I made the appeal,” said Chin.
Bolstered by donations from the Sandals Foundation and with some direct assistance from the company’s Chief Executive Officer Gebhard Rainer and Director of Government Affairs and Corporate Compliance, Jeremy Jones, the team was able to gather a truckload of items including toiletries, fixtures, cleaning supplies and non-perishable food items to donate to the facility in Copse, Hanover.
According to Rainer, the passion for giving that exists within the company is not something he takes lightly.
“I have been with this organisation for the past three plus years and I continue to be impressed by the culture of giving back and that is a major part of everything we do. It is an inspiring thing to be a part of, and I hope other companies see the need to make this a priority as well,” he argued.
“Our late founder and chairman, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, continuously emphasised the importance of giving back; it is one of the pillars of this company and that will never change. It is a part of our legacy and who we are. As a Caribbean-founded and Jamaica-based company, we remain committed to our communities.”
The team also made a donation of chairs to the Coral Gardens Police Station and the Criminal Records Office at the Summit Police Station in Montego Bay. Individuals waiting on police records at the Criminal Records Office are now sitting on much finer furniture as the entire waiting area has been outfitted with a different set of seats.
Detective Corporal Alton Lowry, sub-officer in charge of the criminal records section, remarked that the items are a welcome donation to the office.
“The wait time at our location can sometimes be extensive based on the volume, so we are happy that citizens can feel more comfortable as they wait. We really appreciate Sandals’ willingness to assist the local police with efforts such as these,” said Lowry.
Knockalva Polytechnic College, formerly the Knockalva Agricultural School, which is now making its transition into a more general technical and vocational training institution, had made a request to SRI for hotel furniture that could possibly be repurposed for use at the institution. Some of the items donated to the school include television sets, refrigerators, tables, chairs and patio sets.
Jones stressed that corporate social responsibility remains a mandate for the resort group.
“We have always supported the local communities and it is something we are proud to do. That is something the Caribbean can always count on from Sandals Resorts,” he emphasised.