FirstCaribbean’s Managing Director, Retail and Business Banking and trustee of the bank’s ComTrust Foundation Mark St. Hill (left) presenting Divisional Commander of the Salvation Army for Barbados and St Lucia, Major Darrell Wilkinson, with the bank’s 2019 donation to the Christmas Kettle Appeal.
Salvation Army’s Christmas Kettle Appeal gets $20 000 boost
The Salvation Army made a large stride towards reaching this year’s Christmas Kettle Appeal target when they received a $20 000 cheque from CIBC FirstCaribbean recently.
During the presentation, which took place at the bank’s Sheraton Centre, Christ Church branch, the Salvation Army’s Divisional Commander for Barbados and St Lucia, Major Darrell Wilkinson, said the money would be reinvested in the lives of people in society.
He explained that money donated during this year’s appeal will go towards supporting the Salvation Army’s programme of charitable initiatives for 2019 and 2020, which include feeding, day-care, mentorship, back-to-school and after-school programmes as well as the Sole to Soul initiative that focuses on the foot care for people suffering with diabetes.
“We don’t just feed people … we strive to transform their lives through our counselling programme and efforts that positively impact their emotional and spiritual lives,” he added.
The Major thanked the FirstCaribbean International ComTrust Foundation, the charitable arm of the bank, for embracing the Kettle Appeal. He noted that over the past ten years the bank has been supportive of the Salvation Army’s outreach projects. Such support, he added, is very important especially since the people who access the Salvation Army’s programmes are the most needy and vulnerable.
CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Managing Director, Retail and Business Banking, Mark St. Hill, who is also a trustee of the ComTrust Foundation, said the bank is always happy to support causes that contribute to the improvement of people in the society. He said the ComTrust Foundation therefore appreciates the opportunity to make a donation to the Salvation’s Army Christmas Kettle Appeal, which is geared toward the worthy causes outlined by Major Wilkinson.
The FirstCaribbean International ComTrust Foundation is the bank’s corporate social responsibility arm, through which the bank gives over USD$1 million annually to various causes in the countries served by the bank through community projects that positively contribute to the social health and wealth of the people. Through its Adopt-a-Cause Programme, in addition to monetary help, bank employees volunteer their time to work with people in the community on projects dear to the hearts of employees.