As a company that interacts daily with families across Trinidad and Tobago, TSTT recognises the need to provide support where needed particularly during the season of giving. This has taken different forms over many years as determined by eager and willing staff members. For 2020, TSTT staff decided to provide relief hampers via a Christmas Charity Food Drive to families with the intention of spreading the Christmas spirit, particularly to some of those affected by the economic fall-out of covid-19.

This represented the second major food drive for 2020, with the first as a response to those impacted by closures and job losses due to the pandemic earlier this year. Given that a large number of staff work in the field, they have an intimate knowledge of families in despair and in need which enabled them to come together to execute their own Drive in a socially responsible manner with the hope of bringing some relief during this season of cheer.

Antonette Hamilton, Wireless Systems Operations Technician, Field Services (South) did her part to identify homes and families in need. “I am part of the team that responds to calls in the field regarding cell sites and as a result we come face-to-face and are also approached while working, by people in need. They enquire about jobs or assistance so while I do my best to assist directly, I began compiling a list which I then provided to the team,” Hamilton notes. Having been with the company for 20 years, she points out that assisting those in need is ‘deep within the culture’ at TSTT and she does her part for the southern division. “Even for those persons who have jobs today, pay has often been slow and late and puts a huge strain at this time of the year on families. Our efforts to distribute hampers just ahead of Christmas is intended to ease that strain and spread some joy,” she adds.

Over 70 hampers were assembled by the teams in Trinidad and Tobago who continued to operate in the challenging conditions that social distancing and remote work brought with it for such an initiative.

“For us, corporate social responsibility is taken very seriously. We have always been a company that seeks to do good all year round for those in need in our communities,” Gerard Cooper, General Manager- Shared Services at TSTT noted. “This year brought a new wave of challenges for those affected by covid-19 and it will continue to be a difficult time for many for the foreseeable future. But every little contribution helps. Given that it’s Christmas, we acknowledge that this is a time of even greater demand for parents who want to share Christmas cheer with their families – so this hamper distribution is intended to at least provide warm meals for the season for those who receive it as part of our own Christmas spirit.”

TSTT encourages everyone to do a small part in their own communities. Assisting one person can change the world for a family particularly during this time of the year.