For over 10 years, the Sandals Foundation has been a way for Sandals and Beaches to give back to the community through initiatives that support, uplift, and improve the lives of the Caribbean people. That’s a decade of facing the Caribbean and fostering positive change through community, educational, and environmental projects.
The Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International. It is the culmination of 3 decades of dedication to playing a meaningful role in the lives of the communities where Sandals operates across the Caribbean.
This year is especially meaningful as it marks the 10-year anniversary of the Sandals Foundation. Over the past decade, the Foundation has worked tirelessly to positively impact the lives of over 840,000 people across the Caribbean. With a focus on Education, Community and the Environment, the Foundation is committed to investments that create a positive and sustainable impact on the Caribbean islands. When a monetary, service, or in-kind donation is received by the Foundation, 100% of that contribution goes directly to support programs and initiatives.
To the Sandals and Beaches organization, family includes more than just its colleagues across the 4 brands and corporate offices – it’s the communities where those team comes from. Sandals understands that its plans, hard work, skills, and innovations have led them to tremendous success that with it comes a responsibility. By contributing through community outreach programs in the Caribbean, the Sandals Foundation hopes to make its corporate social responsibilities reflect the responsibilities to family.
The Sandals Foundation is how Sandals and Beaches takes on more of what needs to be done in the islands where it operates by making the Caribbean the best it can be. Sandals understands that it is not just about gathering and spending money. Through the Foundation, it also harnesses the passion, energy, skills, and brand power of the organization to tackle issues under three broad headings: Community, Education, and Environment.
COMMUNITY
The Sandals Foundation creates and endorses initiatives that engage and inspire people through skills training and by tackling complex social issues head-on to strengthen communities. The Foundation has seen that when it invests in one person, it is empowering an entire network of people – their families, friends, communities, and nations – who are all set to benefit from their contributions.
384,626 Community Members have been impacted through contributions from the Sandals Foundation including 243,127 Great Shape! Inc. Dental + iCARE Patients. There have been 248,714 people positively impacted through health initiatives, 102,150 toys donated, 24,215 community volunteers, 397 pre-term babies who received a fighting chance, and 4,218 cats and dogs who have been spayed and neutered.
EDUCATION
The Foundation provides both children and adults with essential tools such as scholarships, supplies, technology, literacy programs, mentorship, and teacher training to help them reach their full potential. Buildings, classrooms, access to technology, and educational resources are key elements of holistic learning environments and are of crucial importance to creating well-rounded students. Literacy is one of the most important skills when it comes to the personal and educational development of children, and through in-school programs like Project Sprout and partnership with SuperKids, the Foundation is working to provide teachers and students with the tools and framework to maximize their potential.
“The Sandals Foundation inspires hope. They have always followed through on their commitments, and they have helped to instill in me the idea that as long as there is a chance, hard work can turn dreams into reality,” said Chevelle Blackburn, “Care for Kids” Scholarship Recipient.
Sandals Foundation has donated 59,036 pounds of supplies and impacted 578 schools with 2056 computers donated, 274,517 books donated, 169,079 students impacted, 2,455 teachers trained, and 180 scholarships awarded.
ENVIRONMENT
It is the promise of Sandals Foundation to raise environmental awareness, develop effective conservation practices, and teach future generations how to care for their communities and preserve their surroundings. The Foundation believes that tomorrow is influenced by what we do today, so it is important that we cultivate a local culture that is conscious of their collective and individual impact on the world.
Through the Foundation, 6 marine sanctuaries are supported, 6,000 coral fragments have been planted, 83,304 turtles have safely hatched, 37,092 pounds of garbage have been collected, 12,565 trees planted, and 43,871 touched by environmental awareness reach.
GOING FORWARD
The Sandals Foundation will continue to seek to help fulfill the promise of the Caribbean community through investment in sustainable projects in the environment, education, and the community. Together with the community it works and lives in, Sandals will carry on its work to improve people’s lives and preserve the natural surroundings of the beautiful Caribbean.
