The Bahamas Feeding Network received over $12,000 in donations from two corporate donations this week, funds that Executive Director Lester Ferguson said will be instrumental in helping the organization continue its efforts to provide meals to Bahamians. 

And CFAL’s donation of $5,000 was part of an effort to give back to the community on its 25th anniversary. The company split $25,000 between five Bahamian non-profit organizations.  

Ferguson said that while the Bahamas Feeding Network has seen a decline from the dramatic surge in demand for meals seen in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need is still great. 

He said the organization continues to provide between 60,000 and 70,000 meals every month, at a cost of roughly $120,000. 

“As a non-profit, we rely solely on public and corporate support to meet our operations,” Ferguson said. 

“We provide between 60,000 and 70,000 meals every month and we do that mainly through our feeding network partners. So, there are about 97 or so feeding programs, community pantries, soup kitchens that we provide food resources to.  

“So, the donations from both companies will certainly go a long way in helping us to meet our goals, our targets, particularly during this time when our economy is still trying to rebound.” 

The Bahamas Feeding Network was founded in December 2013, when 13 organizations decided to combine their longstanding efforts to tackle hunger in The Bahamas. Located in the Fox Hill community of Nassau, the non-profit is run by a tireless team of volunteers, a few of whom receive a small stipend for their work, but all of whom have been giving the organization their time and support for years. 

“There are so many who, even though they are working, they are the working poor, people who struggle to make ends meet,” he said. 

“Everything, the cost of living, has gone up but their salaries haven’t. And so, if we’re able to provide food parcels or grocery vouchers to assist in hard times or help families get over a bump during a particular month, then we would feel satisfied that we would have helped with some very serious food security issues that we are faced with.”