The FTX Community Center, to be managed by Lend A Hand Bahamas, will be a place to bring people together, engage them in the development of new skills and inspire a hopeful optimism of what is possible for an incredible future. L-R: Bain and Grants Town Member of Parliament Wayde Watson; Minister of Education The Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin; FTX Chief Operating Officer Constance Wang; FTX Chief Executive Officer Ryan Salame; Lend A Hand Bahamas Executive Director Mitsyann Burrows; Lend A Hand Bahamas Board Member Lucas Metropulos and Contigo Foundation Representative Leslie Bacardi.
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Nassau, Bahamas - Although a $500,000 donation from FTX to Lend A Hand Bahamas is a show stopper, other Bahamas-based likeminded corporations and charitable foundations have also donated generously to the building of a new community center on Lewis Street in Bain and Grants Town.
In the lead up to the ground breaking on March 9th, the non-profit organization received donations from Leslie Bacardi of the Contigo Foundation in honor of her late husband, Jorge Bacardi, the Kate and Justin Rose Foundation and the family of the late Sir Sean Connery.
Minster of Education and Technical and Vocational Training the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin and Member of Parliament for Bain and Grants Town Wayde Watson participated in the ground breaking ceremony, praising Lend A Hand Bahamas for their ongoing initiatives. The Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin said she is certain the community center will help to uncover brilliant minds in the community. She was echoed by Mr. Watson, who grew up in the area, and was guided on the straight and narrow by someone who decided to ‘lend a hand’.
The Lewis Street property will serve as a skills development and creativity hub and will be named the FTX Community Center. FTX has also committed to match donations made to Lend A Hand Bahamas through 2022 up to a further $500,000.
Lucas Metropulos, a Lend a Hand Bahamas board member, underscored that partnerships such as the one forged with FTX will result in numerous advantages for hundreds of residents “Over-the-Hill”, especially school-aged children.
Valdez K. Russell, FTX's Vice President of Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility said, “The work of Lend A Hand Bahamas is admirable and their commitment to Bahamians and residents is important. We know that our partnership will produce more talented Bahamians, more inspired stories and better communities that help individuals to thrive in a modern Bahamas."
He added, "Community is at the heart of what we do and the relationship with Lend a Hand will produce meaningful results for significant impact in a better Bahamas.
The FTX Community Center will feature a recording studio, reading room, culinary training kitchen, STEM and other dedicated spaces and will be home to holistic after-school and weekend programs.
Among other pillars, FTX partnerships focus on health and wellness, the empowerment of women and children, hunger and food insecurity, climate change and environmental issues- all of which have a connection to the various initiatives spearheaded by Lend A Hand Bahamas.
The FTX Community Center will be a place to bring people together, engage them in the development of new skills and inspire a hopeful optimism of what is possible for an incredible future.
