200 Families to Benefit from B&B’s Annual Jingle Box Program
For most Belizeans, Christmas is not Christmas without rice and beans, potato salad, cranberry, stuffing and a protein – be that ham, turkey or even chicken. The folks over at Bowen and Bowen understand that and so for the past thirteen years, they have been successfully carrying out their Jingle Box program that sees hundreds of families get the provisions needed to have that warm meal on Christmas day. Valued at about eighty to a hundred dollars, these boxes will be donated to the neediest at this time, through partnerships with well known non-profit organizations. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Boxes filled with complete Christmas meals are being stocked into trucks and distributed across the country to hundreds of families. It’s Bowen and Bowen’s annual Jingle Box program, which is celebrating its thirteenth year.
John Palacio, Media Specialist, Bowen & Bowen
John Palacio
“Our staff members recognise the fact that in this country, we do have people who are really in need. This is a very important time of the year where people foresee family, people have got great memories and our members of B&B decided, hey why not try to help other families, provide them with a warm Christmas meal. And the initiative went like wildfire that so much so that the monies raised by staff is actually matched by the company and therefore we are able to purchase the necessary ingredients for a warm Christmas meal.”
For many families, 2022 has been a challenge and the recent hurricane has not made things any better. Once again, the Bowen and Bowen Group is partnering with several charitable organizations that work with vulnerable populations. After a symbolic handing over, representatives from these organizations shared words of gratitude and spoke about the beneficiaries of the Jingle Boxes.
Monica Heredia
Monica Heredia, Volunteer & Youth Development Manager, Red Cross
“We have been doing a lot of work in the communities, giving out food packages, cleaning kits and the need is great and we don’t have enough supplies, so this will go a long way with what we are doing and our efforts.”
Ivorine Bulwer, Executive Director, HelpAge Belize
Ivorine Bulwer
“Across the country, we have over thirty-eight thousand older persons and so we are cognizant of those who are in need – the needy and the most needy – and we will identify those that are deserving of the hampers.”
Khandice Tillett
Khandice Tillett, Office Manager, World Paediatric Project
“We recognize that apart from providing surgical intervention and helping in the healthcare arena, families do have needs and a lot of our families are less fortunate. This is a perfect opportunity for us to help on all levels. We provide the healthcare, you guys are providing this treat for them.”
Marilea Canul, Member, St. Vincent De Paul Society
Marilea Canul
“Our primary focus is the feeding program at the Saint Joseph RC School and so during this program we have families, we help provide lunches for the children that go to the school. And so these boxes will be going to those families to help provide them some comfort and some stability with the food.”
Fr. David Kiblinger
Fr. David Kiblinger, Saint Martin’s Parish
“For the past month and a half, since the hurricane, we’ve done at lot of work at the parish in identifying families both at the grade school and in the parish and in the neighbourhood that need help. And so we are organizing a pretty big distribution at Christmas of, of course, food, but clothing and other items. So we rely on generous donations from different companies around the city and this will definitely play a part in our ability to help more people.”
The annual holiday tradition by Bowen and Bowen is aimed at providing joy to those dealing with uncertain times. Duane Moody for News Five.
