A $300,000 cushion - Westmoreland’s business community provides care packages to needy residents

Western Bureau:

Several needy residents in Savanna-la-Mar and adjoining communities in Westmoreland, earlier this week received much-needed care packages valued at $300,000 from the local business community, which undertook the initiative to help cushion the economic fall-out created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We realise that there are many people around who are in need of a little assistance, and so the chamber decided to engage its members and, together, we managed to put these packages together,” said Moses Chybar, president of the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “The hope is that it will help to form a little bridge for people to carry them through the rough days ahead.”

Chybar said the chamber recognised the challenges that persons are facing, largely because of the onset of the much-feared virus, especially persons who would have lost their jobs, got laid off are just feeling the effects of the slowing down of the economy.

The care packages, which included rice, sugar, flour, corned beef, assorted spices, pepper sauce, tinned mackerel, sardines, cooking oil and toiletries, were delivered to the Savanna-la-Mar Salvation Army Church and the Rotary Club of Savanna-la-Mar, who are coordinating the distributions.

Multi-agency partnership

“Rather than going to the people directly, because we don’t really know all of them, we sought the assistance of agencies like the Salvation Army and the Rotary Club, who would have had a better idea of the people who are most in need of assistance. So, we decided to partner with them to hand out these care packages because, without them, it would have been difficult,” said Chybar.

The Chamber boss commended the generosity of entities such as Grace Hot Pepper Sauce, Tents and Events, Easispice, Seasoning and Spices, K-Ban Hardware, Negril Tactical Shooting Range and SKD Wholesale.

“We want to continue to provide care packages for our residents as long as it necessary so that our people can recognise that they are not alone,” noted Chybar.

Major Robert Ewart, pastor of the Salvation Army Church in Savanna-la-Mar, said the church welcomed the partnership with the business community and the Rotary Club of Savanna-la-Mar, for coming together for such a worthy cause.

“As salvationists, we are always in the community, even though, at times, we work behind the scenes in tending to the needs of the people,” said Ewart. “Therefore, the Salvation Army is always ready to serve whenever the needs arise.”

“It is not hard for us to embark on initiatives to identify people who are vulnerable and those who are in need. We are always in possession of a list of persons who are within that category,” added Ewart.