The One Happy Community project helps Aruba during COVID-19
Last Thursday, July 30th, the Aruba Wine and Dine Charity Foundation held a ‘thank you’ reception at MooMba Beach for its volunteers and sponsors who supported the COVID-response project by feeding the less fortunate during the crisis.
The One Happy Community project was initiated based on the needs caused by the COVID-19 crisis. The local food banks no longer had the capacity to feed all vulnerable people in Aruba, so with its aim to serve, the foundation filled this gap by providing daily warm meals to those in need.
Happy Community is a completely non-profit project of the Aruba Wine and Dine Charity Foundation. On the first day, the 14th of April 2020, they successfully delivered 57 meals to people in need with the help of just two volunteers and one food donor. Only two weeks later, with the help and support of many more volunteers, donors, and sponsors, they grew their capacity to 300 free meals deliveries per day. The main donor, Aruba Wine and Dine Hospitality Group, is committed to funding the initiative and has provided one of their restaurant’s kitchens as workspace. 
The AWD Charity Foundation provides support to Fundacion Pa Nos Cumunidad, Food Bank, Helping Hand Foundation and other non-profit organizations to ensure reaching the appropriate audience in the most efficient and effective way possible.
Our target audience includes those who have no source of income, no basic provisions, and no money to get basic resources. The foundation’s motto for this project is ‘No family should go through these difficult times alone’. “It is important to start a ripple effect in a positive way, touching hearts and to restore our island’s core value: One Happy Island”, says Paola Koeman from the foundation. “By reaching out to as many people, companies, and organizations as we possibly can, we have received donations mainly in the form of food products.”
Together with a team of cooking volunteers, these products are processed into home-cooked meals to be delivered by the charity’s voluntary delivery crew. Guided by the Food Bank’s list, they are distributing these meals to those in need, following the strict COVID-19’s safety guidelines.
They still need support:
- Any type of food items, cooked or uncooked, helps in supplying more meals
- Volunteers to help to prepare meals or delivery drivers.
- The equation is simple: more money = more meals! They need all funding possible to support even more people in need. A contribution can make a huge difference. For just 35 florins a family of two can have a daily warm meal for a whole week.
The Aruba Wine and Dine Charity Foundation would like to thank everyone involved and those who plan to support the project in any which way they possibly can. The foundation’s Aruba Bank account is #600 6210 190, by name of AWD Charity Foundation.
onehappycommunity@gmail.com
Cell: 594-8618
