PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation continued to ease the burden on households affected by the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic in St. Maarten by distributing 3,826 emergency food packages to vulnerable persons in the various communities from May 15 to May 30.
At the end of the exercise, a total of 3,050 families were assisted which translated into about 9,315 recipients benefiting. A total of 264 volunteers were involved in this massive distribution effort.
The emergency food packages distribution was possible in part thanks to the ninth container of Love Rice which arrived in St. Maarten from Tzu Chi’s head office Taiwan on May 13. The container contained 2,000 bags of 10kg bags of rice lovingly donated to Tzu Chi St. Maarten to help the community. Tzu Chi St. Maarten Commissioner Sandra Cheung said the container arrived at the right time to meet the needs of the community during the pandemic period.
At the beginning of the emergency food distribution, each recipient family received a bag of 10kg rice as well as cornmeal, oil, pasta, tomato paste, brown sugar, salt, canned vegetables, dried peas, Club Social biscuit, peanut butter, Chlorox, toilet paper, dishwashing liquid, detergent, baking powder, and flour.
Due to the lockdown, it was difficult for volunteers to handle large amounts of people and packages. The foundation had originally targeted 100 families for the initiative. However, the number of requests for assistance increased very fast and quadrupled to 400 families and then doubled to 800 families and grew, even more, portraying the great need for assistance in the community.
Due to the unexpected number of families in need, the quantity of items each package contained was reduced so that the foundation can assist more persons.
The major distribution effort was held at Tzu Chi’s former office opposite Cake House Supermarket on L.B. Scott Road from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm on designated days.
Tzu Chi St. Maarten Commissioner Sandra Cheung thanked the police officers who assisted the foundation during the distribution periods as there had been a large number of persons coming for assistance.
After the distribution ended at 4:00 pm, many volunteers continued to work to take food packages to vulnerable persons who were unable to pick up their packages in person.
Residents who received packages hailed from St. Peters, Cul De Sac, Marys Fancy, Bush Road, Cay Hill, Cay Bay, Cole Bay, Simpson Bay, Fort Willem, Sucker Garden including The Keys, Middle Region, and Dutch Quarter.
Many recipients said they had been encountering tough times and were very grateful to receive the packages.
Volunteers were also thankful for the opportunity to help instead of sitting at home worrying.
Representative of the Cole Bay and Cay Bay Community Council Sharon Cangieter expressed gratitude to the Tzu Chi Foundation, its St. Maarten commissioner Sandra Cheung and its founder Master Cheng Yen for the assistance provided to help residents. “We received donations of bread and now we got a donation of 50 bags of various goods and we are more than grateful. And as much as Tzu Chi is doing, we cannot reach everyone. There are so many persons who are in need now because of the pandemic. We would like to help our people, but we don’t have funds and means to do so, so we really appreciate what you are doing - a little goes a long way,” Cangieter said.
One volunteer involved in the initiative said he was more than happy to lend a helping hand. “I am happy for the opportunity to help those who are in need. It is really an honor to help and to show people that in life everything is not about money. In life, we need to show some love and be caring… I thank Tzu Chi Foundation for giving me an opportunity to volunteer,” the volunteer said.
Another volunteer Elvison Adamus of the Key to Freedom Foundation said he too is grateful to have been able to assist. “I am grateful to Tzu Chi for the great help that they have been giving out to the island of St. Maarten.… Everyone came together with love and compassion to help those who are in need even though, we ourselves are in need, but we look forward to helping others. This is just the beginning,” Adamus said. He thanked Tzu Chi Founder Master Cheng Yen for making it possible for the St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation to provide assistance by sending the container of rice. He said, however, that there is more need in the community, and St. Maarten would be grateful for more assistance.
“We are still in need. There are much more people who need help because there are many people who did not receive as yet,” he said adding that some persons would need monthly assistance as they will be in the same situation in months to come as they were in at the time of receiving the food packages.
Cheung thanked all the volunteers, whose joint commitment and working tediously in the sometimes very hot sun, helped get much-needed food items to vulnerable persons in the community. She also thanked recipients for graciously accepting the emergency packages and expressed hope that it helped to alleviate their burdens during the time of crisis in the country.
