Holidays in Aruba – Giving Back in the Season of Giving
The Holidays are traditionally a time of family celebrations, presents, seasonal decorations yet also a time of gifting, donating and giving back to others. In this blog you will find inspiration how you could make a positive and memorable change during your vacation in Aruba during the Holiday season. Boardwalk Boutique Hotel offers a variety of initiatives in which you, our hotel guest, can participate during the Holidays in Aruba, or make a donation of your choice that will impact families in need and the local community.
One of the charitable programs Boardwalk teams up with each year for the Holidays is Santas Cause Aruba Foundation’s Pack with a Purpose. This initiative invites you to pack your suitcase with more than just your favorite beach read and vacation attire. Suggested items to pack are meaningful Holiday gifts for local children such as school supplies, books, toys or treats. During your stay at Boardwalk you can drop off the small items you packed and our team will see to it that your donations will go directly to the Santas Cause Aruba Foundation. This non-profit organization distributes the collected donations amongst families with children who otherwise could not afford to offer them gifts for the Holidays.
Look for the Holiday Donation Box by the Christmas tree in our hotel lobby to drop off your much appreciated contribution.
Donations to the Aruba Food Bank
There are three ways for you as a guest of Boardwalk to contribute with a donation to Aruba’s Food Bank, locally known as Fundacion pa nos comunidad (FPNC). The food bank supports approximately 150-200 Aruban families each month. And the good news: each way of donating is equally simple and easy, while your donation itself will have a powerful impact. Especially during the Holidays when families come together to share meals and gifts together, being able to offer something extra to people who could otherwise not afford it can feel extra rewarding.
These are the three ways you can donate to Aruba’s Food Bank:
- Donate a crate: upon check-out you can choose one of the following options to be added to your guest folio: a crate filled with Baby Essentials, one with Hygiene Products, or a crate with Food Supplies. Boardwalk purchases and delivers these items to the local food bank.
- Monetary donation: upon check-out you can add an amount of your choice to your guest folio. Boardwalk collects the money and makes donations to Aruba’s Food Bank on your behalf.
- Donate food: upon check-out you are encouraged to leave unopened, non-perishable food items in a dedicated donation box in the hotel lobby. Collected items are donated on a weekly basis to Aruba’s Food Bank and to Ban uni man pa cria nos muchanan. This non-profit provides children from low-income families in kindergarten, primary and secondary schools with daily breakfast.
Aruba Promise
Besides making donations in any which way or form to local charities, a very quick and simple way to contribute to the overall wellbeing of Aruba’s community and environment is by signing the Aruba Promise. This pledge was initiated by the Aruba Tourism Authority and is meant to draw your attention to our islands’ unique yet vulnerable nature, wildlife, cultural values and how to respect them and keep them intact for future generations. By signing the Aruba Promise page you promise to adhere to local rules and regulations, and to keep Aruba clean and safe while exporing the island and vacationing in Aruba.
Especially during the Holidays in Aruba when the island, our beaches, restaurants, main attractions and most popular sites receive higher visitor numbers than during any other season, we encourage you to come visit our Front Desk team before you make plans for the day. Our local specialists can help you steer away from the beaten path, and give you insights on what to do and where to go on the best hours of the day.
Treasure Maps
At Boardwalk we highly encourage you to rent a car and venture out on your own to explore the island, connect with locals and discover unfamiliar places. In fact, we created a variety of Treasure Maps to help you navigate the island and give you the best local scoop. We like to share our pride and joy and the wonders of this tiny, unique
island, and for you to see Aruba through local eyes, and to embrace the local lifestyle. With the Aruba Promise in mind, we ask you to always be mindful and respectful of our pristine nature while exploring the island. Some of our golden rules:
- Don’t drive on sand dunes or any of Aruba’s beaches
- Treat all flora and fauna with care; don’t break, take or chase anything
- Don’t litter; avoid single use plastic and drink water from the tap
Do Good For Aruba
One of our exclusive Treasure Maps focuses on Boardwalk’s Do Good Program, informing and encouraging you to participate in year-round local clean ups, adoption programs and donation initiatives. This map also contains a section with ‘consider your footprint’ information, stimulating to visit Arikok National Park, support Boardwalk’s composting initiatives and taking the Sustainability Tour through our lush gardens, filled with unique nature and life. So now you know, whether you are visiting Aruba for the Holidays or during any other time of year, the act of doing good is always in season and our island is so very grateful for your loyalty and support. Here’s to many (more) returns!
