Christmas Hampers Put Smiles on Sixty Families

Sixty families in Belize City received Christmas grocery hampers from Puma Energy Belize on Thursday. It is part of the company’s 13-year-long partnership with the Yabra Community Policing Unit.

The initiative began as a children’s Christmas party but evolved during the Covid-19 pandemic into a full grocery bag distribution. Retail Manager Brenda Pascassio-Gillett said the hampers are designed to provide everything a family needs for a festive meal.

“Thirteen years ago we started with a children’s Christmas party. Then COVID came and we had to switch things up,” she said. “So we transitioned to our Christmas grocery bag. You get everything. You get your quality poultry gift certificate, which you could use to pick up your ham or your turkey… Everything is in these bags for a complete Christmas meal.”

Not every Belizean family can afford a traditional Christmas meal, and Pascassio-Gillett encouraged that “if you can give a little, just extend yourself. Then everybody gets to enjoy the Christmas spirit.”