- employees volunteer time, food & clothing for those most in need
Philipsburg, St. Maarten – November 23rd , 2020: With the local tourism sector reeling from the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic, leading telecom operator UTS recently supported those hardest hit as part of activities to mark the company’s annual Mission Week in St. Maarten.
Over a two week period, UTS staffers brought in their own surplus items or bought extra items to donate. This effort was then supplemented with a further contribution of foodstuff by the company.
The team of employee volunteers then got to work compiling care packages with basic household staples to assist families impacted by loss of income and a total of 50 packages were put together to assist households registered for support with the Freegan Foundation Additional bulk donations were also made to other local NGOs such as the Senior Citizens Recreational Center and the New Start Foster home.
Michael Coakley, VP Communications, Liberty Latin America, said, “Our communities are so much more than locations for our business. It’s where we live, where our families grow, where we celebrate and connect. With our company-wide volunteering initiative, Mission Week, over 1,000 employees are coming together to make a positive impact in the areas of learning, environment, access, and disaster relief. When our communities thrive, we all win.”
UTS’s Country Manager for the Eastern Caribbean, Charlesworth Sydney: “This initiative is an excellent way to get our UTS colleagues involved in lending support to the most vulnerable in our community. We all know a family or a person impacted by loss of income, so we are acutely aware that our community needs our help. I am proud of the volunteers from our local team and commend them for the difference their efforts make in the lives of others.”
Aside from the clothing & food drive, the company’s volunteers also came together for an early-morning beach clean-up at Mullet Bay beach. The team collectively gathered over 10 oversized bags of garbage, ensuring that the beach remains safe and clean for families, friends and visitors to enjoy.
