Bowen & Bowen Continues Jingle Box Tradition
It’s been a decade-long tradition of the Bowen and Bowen Group to assist families with a complete Christmas meal through its Jingle Box program. With another COVID Christmas, many families are struggling to meet day-to-day needs. So the donation, in the spirit of the season, is especially important. Bowen and Bowen once again has partnered with several organizations to reach those families most in need from across the country. Today, the handing over ceremony was held at B&B’s Headquarters in Belize City.
Duane Moody, Reporting
The Bowen and Bowen family is keeping the tradition alive and bringing Christmas cheer to over two hundred families across the country. It comes in the form of a box with all the trappings for a Christmas dinner.
John Palacio
John Palacio, Media Specialist, Bowen & Bowen
“It is a B&B employee initiative. As a matter of fact, we refer to them as B&B members, it is a members’ initiative. Everybody coming together, there is a donation that is being made. The P and C Department comes around asks you what are you able to give. And once we’ve done all that giving, then B&B Company matches that. Following the matching of that, we set out on the journey of getting these products and this is an initiative to provide much needed families with a Christmas meal, a warm Christmas meal.”
So who will be getting a Jingle Box? B&B is collaborating with non-profit organizations such as the Saint Vincent De Paul Society, World Paediatric Project, Belize Cancer Society, Saint Martin’s Parish, the Women’s Department, Hand in Hand Ministries, Help Age and others to help identify and distribute the boxes.
Fay Madrid
Fay Madrid, Office Assistant, World Paediatric Project
“We deal with patients who are in need of surgical care so most of these families who we handpicked our patients who are really in need of these boxes. I know it is a hard time especially with COVID-19 and you know surgical care is something that most patients and their families don’t really have money for. So these patients will really be happy, their families will be really enthusiastic of receiving these boxes because it is a hard time for them and from your generous donation, we can make their Christmas a little bit better.”
Joshua Gillett
Joshua Gillett, Positive Youths Organizations
“We deal with children with disability and special needs and single parents. This year we are catering for three hundred children with special needs. We are doing PG; we are doing Crooked Tree, Majestic Alley and Victoria Street. So we are just trying to let everyone feel Christmas because mostly people don’t have the finance. So with Miss Shelly Bowen, I am really glad for the donation and the entire Bowen and Bowen staff always keeping me in mind.”
Nadia Armstrong
Nadia Armstrong, Director of Outreach Program, Hand in Hand Ministry
“We have three programs that we work with. We have the building for change program that has built over four hundred houses for underprivileged families. We have the outreach program that works with children who are infected with HIV and AIDS and we have a scholarship program. And so these food boxes will be shared amongst all our clients. I’m sure whatever it is we have in those boxes will make their Christmas better and they will be appreciative of the assistance that Bowen and Bowen has offered to them over the years. We have remained on the list and we are grateful to you for all the assistance that you have provided to Hand in Hand Ministries.”
Each jingle box is valued at about one hundred dollars. Duane Moody for News Five.
