Delivering hope, holiday cheer, and hearty meals in Jamaica and Puerto Rico
OUR FOUNDATION
Hope, holiday cheer, and
hearty meals
All may not have been calm in 2020, but the holidays are still bright for thousands of families in Jamaica and Puerto Rico, thanks in part to donations from our New Fortress Energy Foundation.
Setting the table for the
happiest of holidays
When families come together for their holiday meals, they shouldn’t have to worry about having enough food to feed the loved ones gathered around the table. That’s why our New Fortress Energy Foundation partnered with local non-government organization Food for the Poor in Jamaica to donate Christmas food hampers to 600 families on the government’s Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) initiative for the country’s most vulnerable residents.
The baskets were packed full of food supplies including a chicken, a Christmas cake, cooking oil, canned foods, rice, flour, cornmeal, peas, and milk products, plus personal care items including toothpaste, bath soap, toilet paper, and rubbing alcohol, and topped with a Christmas card wishing the families a happy holiday. The recipients live in and around our Jamaican LNG communities where we have facilities, such as Old Harbour Bay, the Port and Refinery Council in Hayes, and St. James. Nearly 60 percent of low-income Jamaicans in areas such as these have reported that they or someone in their household have experienced a job loss since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Jamaica in March, according to a recent Inter-American Development Bank survey.
“This holiday will be unlike anything any of us have experienced,” said Kivette Silvera, Executive Director at Food for the Poor. “We are very happy to be partnering with New Fortress Energy to bring the spirit of the season to these families.”
We were so grateful to be able to help make the holidays brighter.
“I feel so good and thankful for this wonderful package and many, many thanks,” said Sherpon Baker from Refinery Council, Clarendon. “Now I can feed my family throughout the holiday.”
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
We also donated toys for more than 2,500 children across three Jamaican parishes, including those living in the Blossom Gardens, Robin’s Nest, and SOS Children’s Village homes in St. James.
“We are excited about this donation of toys to the children; we know it will help them to have a wonderful Christmas and feel special and loved,” said Kimona Todd-Johnson of the Blossom Gardens Childcare Facility.
Looking forward to
‘a brighter new year’
¡Feliz Navidad! The Puerto Rican holiday wouldn’t be complete without slow-roasted pork legs known locally as pernils, and our New Fortress Energy Foundation wanted to help keep that tradition alive for the next generation. That’s why we partnered with the local Boys & Girls Clubs to provide 495 pernil picnics to the country’s 11 clubs.
Our New Fortress Energy Foundation also teamed up with a local nonprofit to provide Christmas cheer to the residents of Caño Martín Peña in San Juan. Given the pandemic, the traditional Christmas festivities took on a new shape, with a caravan featuring a DJ and a Three Kings group delivering 500 educational, sports-centered, and music-centered gifts and candies to children within this region and our LNG community.
“Giving back to our communities and helping those mostly in need are at the heart of who we are at New Fortress Energy,” said Verona Carter, Vice President, New Fortress Energy. “Especially during this holiday season of celebration and hope, we are proud to make a meaningful and impactful contribution to these most vulnerable families that will help bring joy and peace of mind for the holidays as we all look toward a brighter new year.”
And that’s what we at NFE wish for everyone in our communities – a holiday season filled with positive energy, and a brighter new year for all.
