#NASSAU, The Bahamas – May 11, 2020 – Employees from the ten Urban Renewal Centres in New Providence implemented curbside delivery over the May 1-3 weekend to distribute care packages to senior citizens in those communities in which Urban Centres are located.
The care packages consisted of food items the seniors would
need to ensure they had a well-balanced, nutritious meal during the mandatory “lockdown
period.”
The curbside delivery of care packages to the seniors was
part of the Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development’s overall plan to
provide the greatest amount of social assistance to persons in the face of the
COVID-19 Pandemic, by maximizing the reach of its human and
other resources.
Similar deliveries will be replicated in Grand Bahama, Abaco and the Family Islands in order to be consistent with
Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, the Hon. Frankie A. Campbell’s
mandate “of not being just New Providence-centric.”
As Essential Service workers, the teams
were allowed to perform that essential service to the senior citizens.
The teams collected, packaged and distributed food to senior citizens in the Fort Charlotte, Bain Town, Flamingo Gardens, Fox
Hill, Free Town, Englerston, Pinewood, Centreville, Nassau Village and St.
Barnabas urban communities, all the while strictly following all of the
safeguards and protocols set out by the Ministry of Health in the fight to
contain the spread of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and in order to ensure the safety
of team members and the general public they serve.
“We were mandated by Minister
of Social Service and Urban Development, the Hon. Frankie A. Campbell, to
ensure that food is not an issue for persons in need of food assistance,
particularly those in the inner-city communities, during the mandatory lockdown
period,” Mr. Kellen Russell, Director, Urban Renewal said.
“During this distribution we
targeted the senior citizens of the inner city to ensure that the precious
pearls were lacking nothing.”
Director Russell said the
implementation of curbside delivery service and other services, is part of
Urban Renewal’s mandate to transform lives using “innovative measures.”
“Urban Renewal is all about
being that beacon of light to those in need in the inner-city. While we are
unable to host our seniors and our children at our ten centres throughout New
Providence because of the pandemic, we are working to make our presence felt
among them through innovative ways — virtually and now through feeding.
“No matter what happens,
Urban will stay on the ground working to carry out our mandate which is to
transform lives one community at a time,” Director Russell added.
Residents can contact the Commission Office at 502-4450 for any concerns or issues within the communities.