Caption: Americans deliver over five tons of humanitarian cargo to students and families in St. Kitts and Nevis. Pictured: Etsu Bradshaw-Caines (Garden of Rebirth), Devon Edmeade (Hobson Enterprises), John Robert Williams (United States Air Force), Connie Jaynes and Scott Jaynes (ATime4Us Foundation
On Saturday, July 25, the United States government and U.S. non-profit, Source Relief, delivered 10,665lbs of humanitarian aid to charities in St. Kitts and Nevis. The delivery was made possible with the help of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Air Force, which provided an airlift to transport the private U.S. charity donations.
“This initiative represents the best of the United States – individual citizens, the private sector, and the U.S. government and military all coming together to support a friend and neighbor – St. Kitts and Nevis,” said U.S. Ambassador Linda Taglialatela. The shipment included 900 backpacks and emergency supplies for primary and secondary students in St. Kitts and Nevis. The local initiative, Operation School Bell, is working with the Ministry of Social Services, Community Development and Gender Affairs, and other community groups in distributing the supplies.
The airlift also brought beds, mattresses, and storage units to support the Garden of Rebirth domestic violence shelter for women and children. “It was an emotional day for all of us who were involved. It was a dream come true,” wrote Garden of Rebirth Founder Etsu Bradshaw-Caines. “It was an awesome experience not just because it involved a big and really cool plane carrying stuff to help folks, but what the day represented overall—people coming together to help people,” said ATime4Us Foundation Board Member Connie Jaynes, who coordinated with USAID for receipt of the humanitarian donation. Some of the donations are a part of Operation Band-Aid, a local St. Kitts and Nevis initiative assisting households critically impacted by the economic fallout of COVID-19.
American private businesses, non-profit groups, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, and individuals have now provided more than $4.6 billion in donations and assistance globally for the COVID-19 response. This assistance to St. Kitts and Nevis also supports the U.S.-Caribbean Resilience Partnership, a collaborative effort to build regional capacity to confront disaster response and promote strong communities.
By U.S. Embassy Bridgetown | 30 July, 2020