250 Families to Receive Annual Bowen & Bowen Jingle Boxes
For the last fifteen years, Bowen and Bowen’s Jingle Box program has brought joy to hundreds of families in Belize. This year, two hundred and fifty families will receive boxes filled with rice, canned goods, and gift certificates for meats like ham, chicken, and turkey. To make sure these boxes reach those who need them most, Bowen and Bowen works with local non-profits to find and help the recipients. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more on this heartwarming story.
Britney Gordon, Reporting
A holiday just isn’t the same without a big, delicious meal, but not every family can afford one. That’s why, for the past fifteen years, the team at Bowen and Bowen Limited has been on a mission to bring joy to hundreds of families with their annual Jingle Box donations.
Rosanna Villanueva, Corporate Relations Manager, Bowen & Bowen
“Our jingle boxes are funded largely from contributions from our employees. We also, the company matches what employees contribute. And then we have been very lucky over the past couple of years to get extra funds from the Coca-Cola company. So that has allowed us to increase the number of boxes to two hundred and fifty. And we’ve also been able to increase the value of the items in the boxes. So we’re very happy because we know that these boxes are much needed across the country. And along with our partner NGOs, they’re going to go to families who really need it. So we’re very happy about that.”
The Jingle Box is all about giving families the groceries they need to make a Christmas meal. Each box includes essentials like rice, beans, mayonnaise, and gift certificates for Quality Poultry products. And of course, Bowen and Bowen’s drinks and snacks are a must-have! These boxes are handed out by partner NGOs, who figure out which families need them the most. Monica Heredia from the Belize Red Cross Society shared where this year’s boxes will go.
Monica Heredia, Belize Red Cross Society
“So this year, with the fifteen boxes that we are receiving, we are going to support the families that were affected by flooding. As you know, the villages in the Coyote District and some parts of the Belize River Valley, they were affected by the recent flooding. And so our Volunteers and staff are currently out in the Belize River Valley area doing assessments and through those assessments we will identify the 15 most in need to support them with these boxes.”
The boxes were funded by Bowen and Bowen, Coca-Cola, and the Bowen and Bowen staff. This year, the employees made their biggest donation yet. Yareli Pariente from the Society of St. Vincent de Paul says these boxes are a huge help in their mission to support those in need.
Yareli Pariente, Society of St. Vincent de Paul
“Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an organization, which is a nonprofit. Basically we join the world in a social network of charity to help those in our parish community that are struggling, maybe the shut-ins, those with disabilities. These jingle boxes will help us to carry out that mission a little more.”
Several organizations, including the Belmopan branch of the Belize Cancer Society, are still conducting assessments for the recipients of the boxes but are eager to make the season brighter for families who need it the most.
Sonia Burn, Belize Cancer Society, Belmopan Branch
“We are more than happy to receive these boxes to help the real needy. And at the moment, presently, with the help of the members, we’re gathering the names of the people who really need and in Belmopan, we did have a little flooding too, to the people at the Maya Mopan area, the Silver Pan, the J&W establishments. Presently, we are gathering the names to send out the jingle boxes to the people that really need it.”
Bowen and Bowen hopes that by next year, they will be able to increase the number of Jingle Boxes for the benefit of more Belizeans. Britney Gordon for News Five.
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