PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — During the Thanksgiving & National Day of Prayer Services that are held annually on the first Sunday in December following the hurricane season and the second Sunday in January respectively a monetary collection is usually gathered. Over the past few years food baskets were distributed and additionally a cash amount just over NAF 10 000.00 guilders was accumulated. Together with the Department of Culture and the participating Church organizations consisting of the St Maarten/St. Martin Christian Council, St Maarten United Ministerial Foundation, Seventh Day Adventist Church, the decision was made to distribute food vouchers in the amount of NAF 200.00 to persons in need throughout the community.
Persons receiving the food vouchers will not be able to purchase alcohol, cigarettes, appliances, cash-in or transfer the value of the vouchers. In total 55 vouchers in the amount of NAF 11 000.00 will be distributed with the additional funding received as a donation by the management of COST PRO Supermarket. The Minister of Education Culture Youth & Sport the Honorable drs. Rodolphe Samuel invited representatives of the different Church organizations to his office to receive the 55 food vouchers and thanked them for their continued efforts to provide essential humanitarian and spiritual services throughout the community on St. Maarten.
Minister drs. Rodolphe Samuel also takes this opportunity to remind the public that on January 9th the National Day of Prayer under the theme “Almighty God Let Your Culture of Divine Unity Rule“, will be held at the Government Administration Building at 4:30 pm taking all COVID 19 protocols into consideration and pending any unforeseen circumstances.