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a32 local
Saturday 25 July 2020
The Netherlands support Aruba with food packages

up to five or more people. At this To strengthen our support we de-
moment we have registered 3.200 cided to literally roll up our sleeves
families who need monthly help and prepare food packages our-
and still people keep signing up.” selves with the team of VNO.”

For the implementation of the food About VNO
ORANJESTAD — The Representation July 10th the Dutch granted anoth- distribution The Netherlands work The Representation of the
of the Netherlands in Aruba (VNO) er 25, 2 million euros for immediate with local organizations. The co- Netherlands in Aruba, Curacao
assisted the foodbank (Fundacion food aid to the three Caribbean ordination from The Netherlands is and St Maarten is an ‘outpost’
pa nos Comunidad) this week with countries within the Dutch King- done by the Red Cross. The food of the Netherlands. It is a single
preparing food packages for the dom. aid provided by the Red Cross Representation with an office in
people in need. Aruba is also funded by The Neth- each of the three countries: the
Gianaika van der Biezen, director erlands. Deputy Representative of headquarters in Willemstad,
Because of the COVID-19 crisis of Fundacion Pa Nos Comunidad The Netherlands in Aruba, David Curacao; the office in Oran-
the food bank deals with a huge (FPNC), Aruba’s official food bank Abrahams: “The Netherlands like to jestad, Aruba; and the office in
increase in food applications. This recently informed Aruba Today in offer unconditional support to Aru- Philipsburg, St Maarten. The of-
is why the Dutch government do- an interview: “In the previous years ba in the field of food support. Our fices represent the Netherlands
nated 16 million euros in May of this we helped approximately 200 to contribution is significant but it is in its dealings with the govern-
year to the official food banks of 250 families monthly, families of still important for the food bank to ments of these countries.q
Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten. different compositions from one receive help from different angles.

Over the past three months Aruba fights COVID-19 through teamwork

the beginning of April us- safe, how to sanitize your With the date for the
ing the product D7 the home or office and what opening of schools draw-
Volunteer Ministers of the to do when you or a family ing closer the Department
Freewinds and the Aruba member becomes ill. of Education became part
firefighters had joined forc- Port Captain of the Free- of the team coordinating
es to sanitize over 120 key winds, Ken Weber, stated, the sanitation of schools.
locations covering 1.1 mil- “The Freewinds has been Along with this the Stay
lion square feet of spaces part of the Aruba commu- Well booklets and videos
across Aruba in order to nity for over 30 years. We were made available for
fight against the spread of had the tools necessary to educating the students.
Covid-19. These locations assist in this fight in the form
include schools, churches, of Stay Well booklets and After sanitizing Comman-
centro di barrios, police the D7 product. There was deur Pieter Boer School
ORANJESTAD — Similar to This is why the Freewinds stations, NGO facilities, no way we were going to and providing the school
the rest of the world when teamed up with the Aruba government offices and stand by on the sidelines with a supply of Stay Well
the Covid-19 pandemic Fire Service in coordination more. and hope for things to get booklets, Principal Ustel
spread across the globe with the Aruba Crisis Com- better. We decided to Cornet said, “This is very
in March, the residents of mittee and DVG to fight In addition to sanitizing, the get involved early. The good information to have.
Aruba were ordered to back against Covid-19 Volunteer Ministers distrib- cooperation between the We will be able to provide
shelter in place at home, with the purpose to assist uted over 90,000 Stay Well Ministry of Tourism, Pub- the right information from
schools closed, most busi- the island to get back on booklets across Aruba. lic Health and Sports, the these booklets on what to
nesses were not allowed its feet and back in busi- These booklets provide Aruba Fire Service and do. We can use the videos
to open and tourism came ness. the proper educational DVG was excellent. Even for one of our first lessons.
to a standstill with the bor- information in an easy to though we are all keeping Thank you very much for
der closed. With sanitizing starting at read format with plenty our distance, we are all in what you do. God bless
of pictures on how to stay this together.” you".

Now that the border is
open and people arrive
from other countries it is
inevitable that the cases
of Covid-19 will increase.
That is why it is so impor-
tant that all protocols are
kept in to protect you per-
sonally as well as others in
order to keep the number
of cases to a minimum. q