Unicomer Donates 10k to Red Cross for COVID Relief

A number of corporate citizens are stepping up to the plate to assist organizations at this difficult time when COVID-19 has triggered long lines of unemployed persons. The Belize Red Cross was today the recipient of ten thousand dollars to enhance its feeding programmes. It came from the folks at Unicomer Belize. Here is Isani Cayetano with a report.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Belize’s COVID-19 relief effort is an all hands on deck initiative which includes the participation of the public and private sectors in providing humanitarian assistance to those most affected by the economic shutdown.  Government continues to do its part, leading the charge in ensuring that the health and economic wellbeing of those persons remain top priorities.  Earlier today, as part of its corporate social responsibility, Unicomer Belize, the parent company of Courts, donated a check for ten thousand dollars to the Belize Red Cross to use in its food programme.

Javier Ponce

Javier Ponce, Managing Director, Unicomer

“Unicomer, throughout the region, not only here in Belize, acknowledges the difficulties that many of our fellow citizens are living right now, so we are, you know, just trying to help in as best way we can with this donation that hopefully, you know, gets to the most needy people.  So yes, we’re happy to be here.  We’re happy to be donating to Red Cross and I hope it won’t be the only thing we give.”

Accepting the donation on behalf of the Belize Red Cross was Lily Bowman.  The Director General says that the monies will go towards its feeding program which commenced in earnest today.

Lily Bowman

Lily Bowman, Director General, Belize Red Cross

“We are so grateful to Unicomer, under the banner of Courts Belize, for this donation today.  It will help us to expand our feeding programme which is starting today actually, our first distribution starting today and it will allow us to reach more of the target population that we are assisting.  As you know, the Belize Red Cross supports the national response plan in any disaster or emergency.  So what we are doing is just our contribution towards that national plan and we know that the government is doing their feeding programmes.  But of course it’s impossible to reach everybody and so we are looking to reach those pockets of people that are not normally reached or don’t normally qualify for the government assistance.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.