CIIPA members, staff help prepare hurricane supply kits for seniors

Cayman Islands Institute of Professional Accountants members and staff came together over the past two weeks to prepare and distribute hurricane supply kits to Cayman’s seniors.

Forty-two people registered for the event, which was held over two days. CIIPA donated the supplies and volunteers on Saturday, 11 June gathered at the KPMG office to prepare and pack the kits, which included essential items like water, food, sanitization and cleaning products. On Saturday, 18 June, volunteers distributed those kits to Meals on Wheels clients throughout George Town and West Bay.

“As part of CIIPA’s strategic plan, we focus on proactively developing ways for our membership to engage in our community and work toward creating a stronger economy,” said CIIPA Chief Executive Officer Sheree Ebanks, who, along with Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Hansen added, “We are therefore proud to have the opportunity to engage our members with Meals on Wheels in such a manner. Meals on Wheels is an organization that plays a pivotal role in ensuring the most vulnerable in our communities not only receive a hot meal but are also generally looked after and just have someone to talk with. I was so happy to see our members come together to deliver these kits, helping Cayman’s seniors stay safe during hurricane season and spending some time with them as well.”

In its second year, this community outreach programme was again organised by CIIPA’s Membership Engagement Committee in collaboration with Meals on Wheels, a charitable organisation committed to enhancing the lives of Cayman’s seniors and the infirm by providing them hot, nutritious meals and combat the isolation felt by many of the islands’ seniors. Through membership engagement, CIIPA holds several events throughout the year aimed at raising funds for local charitable organisations.

“Meals on Wheels is so grateful for the support from the Cayman Islands Institute of Professional Accountants and its members,” Meals on Wheels General Manager Jennifer West said. “With hurricane season already upon us, it’s important to ensure our seniors have the essential supplies they need. Not only did CIIPA members help us pack and distribute emergency kits, but they also spent time conversing and interacting with some of our clients. Isolation and loneliness are one of the realities that many of our seniors face and when volunteers arrive with a hot meal or emergency supplies they are often the only people seniors see for the day and this highlights the importance of the service Meals on Wheels provides to the seniors across our community.”

CIIPA’s Membership Engagement Committee has a number of projects on the horizon, including a charity run on 27 August and the 14th-annual CIIPA Awards Gala on 24 September, which honours Caymanians who have achieved key milestones in their respective accounting careers.