The Box Appeal, the annual charity campaign organised by the Radisson Blu and Park Inn by Radisson Hotels, returns for its seventh consecutive year from September 15 to October 15.
“Since its launch in 2008, the Box Appeal has steadily grown into a Middle East-wide campaign that has touched thousands of lives in the region. To date, the initiative has distributed more than 55,000 boxes to the less fortunate,” said Mark Willis, area vice president, Middle East & Sub-Saharan Africa for The Rezidor Hotel Group.
He added: “Responsibility to the community is a core value for us at Carlson Rezidor and this shows in the longevity and continuing growth of the Box Appeal.”
The Box Appeal campaign involves volunteers from Radisson Blu, Park Inn by Radisson, and Radisson Royal Dubai properties from across the region, including in Bahrain, Lebanon, Qatar, Egypt, Oman, and the UAE.
A total of 15 hotels, along with associated charities and schools, will join forces to fill boxes with a predetermined list of daily essential items. Volunteers will then distribute these boxes to the underprivileged.
This year’s campaign is sponsored for the first time by Coca Cola.
“Coca-Cola has a long-standing commitment to support the underprivileged in the communities where it operates. As bottlers and distributors of Coca-Cola products, we are delighted to join this initiative to spread happiness and enhance the lives of others,” said Deepak Kaul, managing director, Al Ahlia Gulf Line.
“With a pledge of 20,000 boxes, this year’s Box Appeal promises to be the biggest contribution by the group,” Willis noted.
“This will very much be a collaborative effort that includes volunteers from within our hotels, as well as local companies, charities and schools. We look forward to engaging new people in this initiative and making a meaningful contribution to the communities we work in,” he added.
The charities working in conjunction with the Box Appeal 2014 campaign include Red Crescent, I Love Qatar (Doha), Teach a Child (Beirut), and I-Care initiative (Oman). Gulf News Broadcasting has also pledged its support for another year, across the radio stations Radio 1, Radio 2, Hayat, and Josh.
