Hurricane Dorian Relief Updates

Overview

Sandals Resort International is very fortunate that our hotels in The Bahamas (Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort in Nassau, Sandals Emerald Bay in the Exuma’s and Fowl Cay Resort in the Exuma’s) were hundreds of miles away from the path of the Hurricane and spared any damage. 
This places us in a unique position to be the executing arm to galvanize relief support to reach our neighbors in Northern Bahamas. 
The Sandals Foundation is working with both International and local Bahamian ground partners including National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Bahamas Hotel Tourism Association, HeadKnowles Foundation, Odyssey Aviation Bahamas, Ministry of Tourism in Bahamas, Red Cross, Food for the Poor and Sandals Royal Bahamian. 
100% of every dollar donated to our relief efforts goes directly to help our Bahamian neighbors. No donation is too small and so we invite everyone to give what they can so together we can help restore and rebuild to make Bahamas Strong.

Update # 6 – Friday October 4, 2019

You have indeed helped!

We are grateful for the strong community of support that answered the call to respond to the Relief Effort needs in Northern Bahamas following the passage of Hurricane Dorian.

• In partnership with Food for the Poor & Head Knowles Foundation, & the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), we have supplied victims with a wide range of first response items  such as hygiene kits, diapers, flashlights, tarpaulins, gloves, garbage bags, tin food;
• We have provided meals and drinking water to hundreds of people both on the islands of Abaco & Freeport, and in Shelters in Nassau with the support and volunteer team at Sandals Royal Bahamian;
• Working alongside Team Rubicon UK, NEMA and UN we have facilitated rescue missions in the most remote areas of the Northern Bahamas;
• With the help of the Sandals Royal Bahamian Team we have aided medical response with the delivery of key linens to medical personnel and bedding to shelters;
• In partnership with the Bahamas Tourist Board, NEMA and Odyssey Aviation we have provided funding for fuel for emergency transportation of evacuees and aid workers;
• In partnership with Mahindra Automotive North America, 5 heavy-duty ROXOR off-road vehicles have been donated to NEMA to assist recovery and resettlement efforts;
• To help our young children who have been displaced by the storm, we have distributed much needed school supplies to children relocated to Exuma; and
• With the assistance of the team at Sandals Emerald Bay, the Exuma Foundation and Bahamas Social Services, we have started rehabilitation of the Rolleville Emergency Shelter in Exuma.

We are united in our humanity and love for our Caribbean community. Thank you for the support as we collaborate to make #BahamasStrong.

Update # 5 – Wednesday, September 11, 2019

• The Foundation has met with the leading agencies and NGOs in Bahamas who are involved in relief efforts on the ground.
• The situation, as you would imagine, evolves every hour but there is strong coordination between government officials and NGOs.
• Through the help of our local, regional and international partners, the Sandals Foundation has been able to provide meals and drinking water to hundreds of people at shelters, supply first response items such as hygiene kits, 2 burner stoves, diapers, flashlights, tarpaulins, gloves, garbage bags, and canned food. We have facilitated rescue missions in the most remote areas of the Northern Bahamas and aid medical response with the delivery of key linens to medical personal and bedding to shelters.
• The Sandals Foundation is conducting its assessments to see how best we can direct our relief efforts for best impact.
• First response items continue to be the most urgent need of those affected by the hurricane.
• This is only the beginning of the restoration process for Northern Bahamas and so we continue to welcome donations through our website www.sandalsfoundation.org. 

Update # 4 – Monday, September 9, 2019

• The Foundation will be meeting with our partners and teams on the ground in Bahamas September 9 -11, 2019. This will help us see first-hand what the needs are and how we may direct our relief efforts for best impact.
• The Hurricane Disaster Relief Dollar for Dollar donation campaign was executed September 5-6 and raised USD $145,000. The figures, when matched by Sandals Resorts International resulted in USD $290,000 being made available to go towards response efforts.
• Team Rubicon UK arrived in Nassau, Bahamas over the weekend to commence assessments for search and rescue missions in the most remote areas of Northern Bahamas impacted by Hurricane Dorian. Team Rubicon UK will work alongside NEMA, CDEMA and the United Nations to bring aid to areas that are hard to reach.
• On Sunday, September 8, members of the Sandals Royal Bahamian prepared and delivered 200 meals to Foxhill Community Centre which is currently housing evacuees.
• On Saturday September 7, members of the Sandals Royal Bahamian also prepared and delivered meals to some 350 persons evacuated mostly from Abaco Island. The evacuees are being housed at Tent City which was created by Odyssey Airport in Nassau. The meal delivery was done in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism.
• United Way Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), an affiliate of the global United Way organization galvanized efforts to bring hurricane relief at Beaches Turks and Caicos Resorts Villages & Spa to the Bahamas. An estimated USD$5,000 worth of clothing and first aid items were received and donated to the United Way TCI on Friday, September 6, 2019. Items include canned goods, perishable items and clothing. These will be shipped to the Bahamas sometime this week (Sept. 8-14). On property, Managers’ donations raised another USD $1,294.
• Through the Sandals Foundation’s partnership with Food for the Poor, the first air shipment of over 400 personal hygiene kits, 400 disaster blankets and over 1500 instant pre-packaged meals, and 100 two burner stoves are presently being air freighted to Nassau for distribution to the Northern Bahamian islands.
• A first container with contents valued at US$50,000 with first response items donated by the South Florida community was shipped to Nassau on Friday, September 6.

Update #3 – Friday, September 6, 2019

• To double down on the donations received, a Dollar for Dollar  campaign is currently being executed where all donations received yesterday, September 5 – International Day of Charity, and ending today Friday Septrmber 6 at 6pm EST, will be matched by Sandals Resorts International.
• The Sandals Foundation in partnership with the Bahamas Hotel Tourism Association, HeadKnowles and Odyssey Aviation Bahamas delivered more than 30,000 bottles of drinking water on Tuesday September 3 to the first responders Medical Evacuation team.
• Bath towels, bed spreads and other linens valued at over US$54,000 have been donated to doctors and nurses who will be travelling by boat to Northern Bahamas between today and tomorrow (September 5-6).
  Through the Sandals Foundation’s partnership with Food for the Poor, the first air shipment of over 400 personal hygiene kits, 400 disaster blankets and over 1500 instant pre-packaged meals, and 100 two burner stoves are presently being air freighted to Nassau for distribution to the Northern Bahamian islands. 
• A first container with contents valued at US$50,000 has been packed with first response items donated by the South Florida community. The shipment will head to Nassau tomorrow, Friday, September 6.
• A second container of in-kind donations from ByoPlanet International and PGT Innovations is currently being packed for shipment from Miami to Nassau. Its contents comprise first response items such as chain saws, generators, flash lights, tarpaulins, water coolers, energy sports drinks and cleaning supplies and are valued at US $125,000.
• The Sandals Foundation is funding relief food items, another bulk of water and fuel for verified hurricane relief planes today (September 5).
• Guests at all Resorts are being engaged and encouraged to participate in the response effort. The Sandals Royal Bahamian is also accepting in-kind donations.

Update #2 – Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Hurricane Dorian has officially moved out of the Islands of The Bahamas and the destination has issued an all clear so relief teams can deploy to The Abaco and Grand Bahama Islands. 

• The Sandals Foundation has launched a fundraising campaign for our neighbors in Northern Bahamas. The campaign is being executed across all our properties in the Caribbean as well as on all our social media platforms.
• We have appealed to the travel industry and our corporate partners internationally and have been receiving a positive response in both monetary and in-kind contributions.

International Network

• Internationally, we are working with the Food for the Poor to gather much needed first response supplies in Miami, Florida to be shipped to the Bahamas. Essential items are canned goods such as (canned meats, canned fish and canned milk, both evaporated and condensed) as well as disposable diapers. 
• We know that many persons would want to provide in-kind donations, however due to logistics and the timeframe to get the items to beneficiaries, we will ONLY be taking in- kind donations in Miami and Nassau.
• We are also in dialogue with our partners Team Rubicon out of the United Kingdom that provide search and rescue response.  As soon as they receive request from the Bahamian Government to come in, we will work to house and facilitate the team on the ground.

In Bahamas

• On the ground in Bahamas, Sandals Foundation has partnered with the Headknowles Foundation, the Rotary Club and the Bahamian emergency organization – NEMA which stands for the National Emergency Management Agency. Together we will get in-kind supplies to Kiwanis who have boots on the ground in Abaco. Our first major distribution of water will be deployed today (Tuesday September 3).
• We also have access to warehouses in Nassau to store supplies.

Update #1 – Monday September 2, 2019

Statement from Adam Stewart, Board President of the Sandals Foundation concerning Hurricane Dorian Relief Efforts in the Northern Bahamas Region   

Our hearts and prayers are with our Caribbean neighbors in Northern Bahamas affected by Hurricane Dorian. We are fortunate that our resorts were hundreds of miles away from the path and unaffected by the storm. Our efforts are now directed to galvanizing support, rolling up our sleeves and helping with the first relief and long-term recovery of those affected by this natural disaster.

While the Bahamian Government and first responders commence their assessment of damage and needs of Abaco Island and Grand Bahama Island, initial images, videos and reports indicate significant destruction and the lives of residents uprooted. 

The Sandals Foundation alongside its parent company, Sandals Resorts International stand ready to assist. Interested stakeholders can make donations to the Sandals Foundation at www.sandalsfoundation.org. 

100% of proceeds will go directly to the recovery process and the purchasing of water, non-perishable food, baby supplies such as diapers, formula, bottles, blankets and vaseline, medicine, bug spray and first aid resources, small radios, flashlights, batteries, non-kerosene lanterns, tents and tarpaulin.