One of the things I loved most about attending Beaches Social Media On The Sand the past two years was learning about the Sandals Foundation.

Beaches and Sandals resorts were opened and are still owned by a family that grew up and lives in Jamaica. They are Caribbean at heart and love their Country and surrounding nations. They are passionate about community and all people within the Caribbean.

Their charitable organization called the Sandals Foundation focuses on three main initiatives; Education, Community, and Environment. They have invested $20 Million dollars into the Caribbean and 100% of donations get used to work directly on the projects in their communities.

Education

Education for children throughout the Caribbean is a key goal for the Sandals Foundation.

In May 2011, the Sandals Foundation launched the Reading Road Trip, its first voluntourism initiative aimed at improving literacy, comprehension and vocabulary among students. The trip, which takes place every Thursday, is available through Island Routes Adventure Tours and allows guests of Sandals and Beaches Resorts – in Jamaica, Antigua, the Turks and Caicos Islands, St. Lucia and Exuma in the Bahamas – to visit a Foundation adopted school and lend literacy support to students.

The tour takes visitors on a stimulating volunteer travel experience, during which they are invited to spend time with children at the primary and early childhood levels. Guests are guided by a structured programme that addresses recognition of sight words, listening, comprehension and reading.

We participated in the Pack For a Purpose initiative both of the past two years by bringing and donating school supplies for the Education initiative of Sandals Foundation.

During the conference, Scholastic announced a partnership that will provide 25,000 books to schools in Jamaica, Antigua, Saint Lucia, The Bahamas, The Turks & Caicos Islands, Grenada, and Barbados which the Sandals Foundation supports.

Community

A range of programs that focus on youth programs and health care with the common goals of giving people the ability to change lives.

Environment

The sustainability of the Islands land and water systems is part of the Sandals Foundation’s key initiatives by providing education programs on the delicate eco-systems that make up the flora, fauna and marine life of the Caribbean.

The passion in this foundation is evident in all they do. Donate today (or better yet, go pack for a purpose and attend a reading road trip!).

** I attended Social Media On The Sand at Beaches Turks & Caicos. I was not compensated to attend or write this post. All opinions are my own.