RUBIS recently played their part in spreading good cheer when they supported the work of three community-based organisations with donations of groceries to a total value of $9,500.
Now in its fourth year, the RUBIS annual hamper drive assisted the less fortunate across the island during the Christmas season. Benefiting from the donation were the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), the Cerebral Palsy Association (CPA) and Villa St Joseph Home of the Elderly located in the community of Dennery. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, TeamRUBIS was unable to distribute the hampers directly into the community which lead to the partnership with the NCPD and CPA to reach those persons affected by the pandemic, including the elderly and the differently able. Villa St Joseph Home of the Elderly, located near to the Rubis terminal in Castries, is one of the organizations that Team Rubis supports each year and they were pleased to be able to do so again in 2020.
Chriselda Norbal, RUBIS Assistant Accounts Executive, explained, “Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Team Rubis was unable to conduct the Christmas hamper drive throughout as many communities as was done in the past. We were extremely happy to continue the drive this year to these two charities and senior citizens’ home, which represent some of the most vulnerable communities in St. Lucia. We decided to increase our budget this time to be able to help more persons.”
Alisha St Martin, Field Officer at the NCPD thanked RUBIS in her address: “We are most thrilled to receive this extremely generous donation from RUBIS St Lucia. Thank you so much RUBIS for working with the NCPD for the advancement of persons with disabilities here in St Lucia.”
The CPA thanked RUBIS on behalf of the families and members of the organization, stating that the groceries will be used to assist families in need, as many of the parents are unemployed and have to provide full time care for their children who suffer from cerebral palsy.
RUBIS, in 2020, provided support to the health and education sectors in St. Lucia, with donations of PPE to essential workers and laptops and tablets to students. In addition, fuel was provided to the emergency services early during the pandemic.