Local hardware store Drakes Traders Limited continued their seasonal Christmas tradition this year donating $10,000 to the Family Support Network (FSN).
The cheque was handed over to the FSN at Drakes Traders hardware store in Fish Bay, Tortola recently.
Mr. Christian Esser, Managing Director of Drakes Traders said his company is aware of the areas of need in the territory and continues its long-term commitment to support the efforts of the FSN.
“The Esser family and, by extension, the Drakes Traders family, believes in compassion and action, especially in situations where the suffering is not of their own doing, be it health or domestic strife,” Esser stated.
He added, “While we make our annual donations, we are in regular contact with FSN to ask where we can offer assistance. Our guiding principles are based on a responsibility towards those who genuinely are not in a position to help themselves and who need a helping hand to get back on track.”
The $10,000 donation equals the annual seasonal donation made by the community hardware store to the FSN in 2022.
Mrs. Prudence Charles-Phillip, Interim Executive Director of FSN thanked Mr. Esser for the donation as she said it will ease the financial burden of the charitable organization.
“This generous amount of money that we receive from you always allows us to breathe a sigh of relief,” said Charles-Phillip.
“The cash outlays needed to meet the needs of our clients along with our monthly overheads, are hard to manage as the demands are always fluctuating based on the areas of support needed in any one month,” she added.
Mrs. Charles-Phillip explained that, besides the community pantry stocked by donations, the FSN’s supporting role extends from providing emergency shelter and food for individuals and families to counselling services and job placement support services.
“The needs for each client coming to us seeking support in escaping a domestic abuse situation varies,” said Mrs. Charles-Phillip.
“We have arrangements in place to accommodate those that need shelter, but the cost, which includes 3 basic meals per day per person, is not a constant or something we can adequately budget for based on our assured annual income. The same goes for professional counselling that is essential to help people break away from the cycle of abuse and rebuild their self-confidence to start building a sustainable new life away from their abuser,” she explained.
Charles-Phillips said the FSN’s aim is to provide a medium-to-long-term solution for people in abusive situations.