Companies chip in to clear FSN’s rent
This is the result of an appeal made by the Tortola Ladies Club for help to pay the FSN’s monthly rent of $800. As a result of the appeal, six generous donors stepped forward to date and chipped in to pay FSN’s rent owed from January to June 2015.
The Club is making further appeals for donors to help with the rent for July and onwards.
The six entities that donated one month’s rent each are Appleby Global, Nagico Insurances, Rawlinson and Hunter, Sabal’s Law, Tovel Investment and an individual Mr Roger Harris.
At a handing over ceremony held in an area near the FSN’s Office yesterday June 12, 2015, a few of the donors sent representatives to make the cheque presentations.
FSN struggling to keep its head above waters
Speaking at the handing over, President of FSN Judith M. Charles said the entity barely has money to pay its staff and not to the level that they should be paid. She said counsellor Dr Sylvia M. Simmonds and an advocate and intake person are the paid staff and the rest of the work is done by a team of what she called serious volunteers.
“I have heard the criticism that our budget is $110,000 for 2014 and 60 percent of that is to pay salaries. We have two staff and we have to pay them and we have to pay all the relevant Government taxes. We are an NGO but we don’t get away with everything for free,” she stressed. The Government provides a grant to FSN of $40,000 a year but this clearly does not cover the costs and services of the organisation.
In 2014, FSN fed 242 families and held 410 counselling sessions for men, women, couples and children. They also run anger management sessions as requested by the courts. With all of the additional work, the FSN expects its 2015 budget to be $150,000.
According to Charles, when the economy got bad a few years ago the food pantry became really important to ensuring that some families got a little something to take them through the days.
“And we don’t give people chicken and steak and such…they get what is in that pantry and that is the hurricane type of staples,” she said.
Charles said that the organisation is much more than just the food and clothes given to persons when they come for help. She said the counselling that is provided comes at a cost. She said that because there is now court mandated counselling this puts more pressure on the staff to provide such services. They also help people in abusive situation with protection orders.
Charles expressed thanks to the donors for their contribution towards keeping the doors of FSN open.
Secretary of the Tortola Ladies Club, Susan Keeley said they are looking forward to anyone who wants to donate towards FSN’s work, adding that even if they can’t provide cash they can purchase some extra tins of items in the supermarket to drop off or provide used clothes and such like.
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