Hurricane Ike Relief

• About the Relief Effort
• The sponsors who made it all happen
• A collection of photos from the relief effort

 

About

The Graceway Hurricane Aid Programme was established to ensure that sufficient emergency food was available to people in need in the immediate aftermath of the destruction caused by Hanna and Ike. It owes its existence to the collective support of the Graceway IGA group, the suppliers, friends and volunteers credited on this web site.

Before the end of the week immediately following Ike, the Graceway Hurricane Aid Programme had fed many Grand Turk, South Caicos and Salt Cay residents by preparing and delivering around 1,000 ready to eat meals, over 200 family four day packs (filled with food and other supplies for a family of 4) and setting up a food kitchen in South Caicos complete with cooking supplies and food. In addition, a 20’ container of more food and supplies was dispatched, with assistance from Tropical Shipping, to South Caicos and one to Grand Turk. Our hurricane food relief programme was one of the first to start delivering to our neighboring islands. It helped fill in the gap while major organisations, including the government, were putting in place long term measures for food distribution and the rebuilding programme.

Various IGA suppliers have generously provided additional supplies of food to cater to those in need in our neighboring islands, including a 20’ container of fresh fruit and vegetables from Sun Produce and a 40’ container of ready to cook food items from Don Greene. To distribute these supplies, and those already sent over, on the 18th of September a team of 30 volunteers from Provo worked side by side with volunteers from Grand Turk drawn mostly from the churches. The volunteers went door to door in Grand Turk’s most affected areas to delivering fresh fruit parcels. The committee of volunteers was led by Pastor Vernon Malcolm and volunteer co-ordinator Kristi Vestal, who ensured that all supplies were reaching the most vulnerable families and individuals in Grand Turk.

Recognising that many families were having difficulties in cooking food, Graceway Hurricane Aid Programme approached Provo restaurants for help. Over a 4 day period Sharkbite, Simba, Hemmingway’s, Tiki Hut and Aqua, in conjunction with the IGA Wholesale Department, prepared, transported and distributed over 10,000 meals for Grand Turk and Salt Cay. This staggering achievement was a huge tribute to the co-ordination of a number of businesses, individuals and sponsors and also the availability of the wonderful DC3 airlift service provided and piloted by Missionary Flight International.

Salt Cay also received substantial emergency food supplies from the Graceway Hurricane Aid Programme and was continuously supported with further food and supplies upon a request basis. The aid programme also helped those in need in Providenciales by providing food for the Youth Centre and family food packs for residents of Five Cays.

In total the aid programme distributed over 10 tons of rice, 3,000 lbs of salted meat/fish, over 10,000 liters of water, not including more than 15,000 ready prepared meals, cooking equipment to South Caicos and much more.

A grand total of $120,000 was raised within a few short weeks from Graceway IGA suppliers, supporting Providenciales businesses and individuals donating their money at IGA cash registers through the “$5 for $5 or $10 for $10 programme” (where IGA matched all customer contributions). The speed and organisation that the aid program was able to respond to the emergency situation in the Turks & Caicos Islands was due to the generosity, solidarity and concern of many individual people, businesses and volunteers. The Hurricanes may have weakened and destroyed many homes and structures on our islands but it has also made us aware of and strengthened the bonds between us all. The Turks and Caicos can now dedicate itself to rebuilding its damaged country and fostering the human values of its community. The Turks and Caicos Islands will emerge from this disaster even better than before in every way!

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Graceway Hurricane Aid Sponsors

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Gallery

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