The travel community and Canadians in general are invited to help Caribbean and Mexican kids in need return to school this fall by donating gently used books and school bags through Sunwing’s “Flying Start” program. The back-to-school initiative includes luggage retailer Bentley, which will provide drop-off boxes at stores in Ontario and Quebec.
The initiative focuses on supporting children in destinations across the Caribbean and Mexico that have seen a decline in tourism as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and is the latest initiative of the Sunwing Foundation program, which aims to provide students in the destinations that Sunwing serves with essential tools and building blocks for a successful education. Flying Start has previously supported communities across Jamaica, Tobago, Antigua, and the Dominican Republic.
Participants can drop off donations at collection boxes set up in select Bentley stores through Aug. 15. As an added incentive, those who donate will receive a $5 Bentley coupon, which can be used towards purchases of $20 or more in store, along with a $50 promotional code that can be applied towards a future Sunwing vacation.
“It’s been a trying 16 months for local communities across the Caribbean and Mexico that depend heavily on the tourism industry for support and employment,” says Sunwing chief marketing officer Samantha Taylor. “As we resume operations, we are excited to restart initiatives that support local communities. We’re grateful to Bentley for partnering with us on this important cause and look forward to helping support local children and schools with these donated resources.”
Participating Bentley store locations include:
GTA: Dufferin Mall, Toronto Eaton Centre, Bramalea City Centre, Scarborough Town Centre, Square One Shopping Centre, Dixie Outlet Mall, Vaughan Mills, and Cookstown Manufacturer’s Outlet Mall.
Other Ontario locations: Limeridge Mall, Hamilton; White Oaks Mall, London; Bayshore Shopping Centre, Nepean; Hawkesbury Centre Outlet, Hawkesbury; Northgate Shopping Centre, North Bay
Quebec: Carrefour Laval, Les Promenades Gatineau in Gatineau, Premium Outlets Montreal in Mirabel, Quebec
More information can be found at https://www.sunwing.ca/en/bentley