Nearly 40 employees across Sunwing Vacations Group and Sunwing Airlines recently joined GlobalMedic for a humanitarian aid packing party to support the local communities in Jamaica that were greatly impacted by the devastating effects of Hurricane Beryl in July. The activity was reflective of the travel company’s longstanding commitment to support the communities and destinations it services with hurricane relief and disaster recovery.
The Sunwing volunteers spent a day in GlobalMedic’s Toronto, helping wrap 990 filters and assembling 240 full family emergency kits, the latter including essential items like basic hygiene items, a solar light and a ceramic water purification unit which can provide clean drinking water for a family for up to 12 months. Additionally, 240 boxes were built for GlobalMedic to fill and ship in the future.
For more than 20 years, GlobalMedic has worked as a registered Canadian charity running capacity building programs and providing crisis relief services to large-scale catastrophes around the world. Their goal has been to revolutionize aid delivery to have the greatest impact and most efficiency.
It’s not the first time Sunwing and GlobalMedic have partnered to support communities in southern destinations. In 2018, Sunwing and GlobalMedic packed reading books, backpacks and other essential school materials to be transported to Barbuda, ensuring the local school children have access to the necessary supplies for a successful and fulfilling education.
Collaborating on important initiatives such as these helps to highlight Sunwing’s ongoing commitment to giving back to the destinations and the local residents they serve, while showcasing the life-saving efforts exerted by GlobalMedic to support those affected by poverty, disaster or conflict with critical humanitarian aid.
Khuram Malik, Sunwing Airlines VP of Services and Airport Handling, was on site and expanded upon the sentiment: “Our partnership with GlobalMedic, an incredible organization that has provided humanitarian aid in many countries, allows us to make a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by this crisis. Giving back to the communities we operate in is part of who we are, and we are proud to be able to lend our support in such a meaningful way.”
“GlobalMedic is thrilled to once again be partnering with Sunwing to get critical aid to families impacted by disaster,” adds Jamie Cross, Senior Emergency Programs Manager at GlobalMedic. “Volunteers are at the core of everything we do at GlobalMedic and the team that Sunwing mobilized to help pack Family Emergency Kits was amazing. Their efforts in packing will ensure more families have access to basic resources like clean drinking water, and their support in moving the kits from Toronto into hurricane affected areas means we can get the right aid, to the right people, at the right time.”
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