ttutc • news • media • release • 27 June 2008
POS UTC CSC Team Presenting Basket of Love to one Family
Mr. Oswald Williams Secretary for Social Development in Tobago presenting UTC basket of love to Maria Diaz
25 Families to Get a “Little Ease” with their Grocery Bills Thanks to the UTC
Imagine getting a ‘little ease’ with your grocery bill. Twenty-five, 25 needy families across Trinidad and Tobago will be able to do just that for the rest of 2008 thanks to the staff of the Unit Trust Corporation.
In December 2007, the UTC opted to forego lavish Christmas Decorations to support this initiative embraced by the UTC staff. “The best gift you can give anyone is the gift of being able to support their family,” said Margaret White, Events Manager and programme proponent, “The “Baskets of Love initiative also allows us to partner with local supermarkets and the communities we serve to do something meaningful for some citizens facing difficult financial circumstances.”
The 25 families that will benefit for the UTC “Baskets of Love” programme were identified based on financial need, size of family and referrals by customers and staff of the UTC. One such referral came from Brenda Streek of Laventille who said: “When I walked into the Arima UTC (Customer Service Centre) in December and saw the big poster I thought – this is just the kind of thing big companies should be doing.” Her hand written letter led to a visit to the family by the UTC POS staff and their being selected as one of the families to receive support to purchase basic food items through the rest of 2008.
The first seven needy families received their “Baskets of Love” from the Port of Spain and Tobago UTC Customer Service Centres on June 12 and 13th 2008. Customer Service Centre Staff initiated contact with local supermarkets – Payless on Charlotte Street and Pennysavers in Tobago to ensure the families would have no trouble collecting their staples through the rest of 2008.
“We wanted to partner with local supermarkets to ensure the UTC Baskets of Love programme kept the ‘community feeling’” said Danielle A. Jones, UTC Assistant Vice President of Communications. “The programme does not end with the donation. The Customer Service Centre teams will check in with the families to see how they are progressing for the rest of the year.”
So what do the beneficiaries of the programme think? One “Basket of Love” recipient, a single parent whose 4 year old daughter was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy said: “This programme is a very good initiative by the Unit Trust, I am really happy, it will give me the little ‘ease’ I need.”
The “Baskets of Love” programme will continue at the seven other UTC Customer Service Centres, with each location providing assistance for 2 families from their communities.
- Ms. Danielle A. Jones
- Asst. Vice President - Communications
- (868) 624-8648 x 7042
- Ms. Lisa-Marie La Veau
- Advertising Manager
- (868) 624-8648 x 7025
- 27 June 2008