The Green Turtle Cay Foundation

COMPLETE THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OF THE AMY ROBERTS PRIMARY SCHOOL AND GREEN TURTLE CAY HURRICANE SHELTER 

The Green Turtle Cay Foundation is well under way constructing the new building for Amy Roberts Primary School on Green Turtle Cay. This project has been designed in conjunction with local leadership, the teachers of Amy Roberts Primary and will be funded entirely by the Foundation as a 501 c3, providing both a school for the children of GTC and a hurricane shelter for all residents of GTC built to highest modern storm safety standards.

The Green Turtle Cay Foundation has dedicated a wide range of aid since  September 1st, 2019, always responding  to the most critical needs of the  residents of Green Turtle Cay. Since Hurricane Dorian to date, the Green Turtle  Cay Foundation has channeled $2.4 million dollars of relief as well as a  tremendous value of in kind donations into Green Turtle Cay. Today, The Green  Turtle Cay Foundation is hard at work reconstructing Amy Roberts Primary School,  which is is being expanded for current demands as well as future growth. The  plans include a larger space to hold students, which accommodates the need for  additional classrooms and gathering spaces. The new structure's critical dual  purpose will provide the community with a shelter in an event of a storm. This  steel construction is thoughtfully on the highest elevation of Green Turtle Cay  and is rated for 220mph hurricane force winds. This will be the one and only  hurricane shelter on Green Turtle Cay. Completely outfitted for learning and  living, this project is crucial to every person on Green Turtle Cay now and for  many years to come. Indeed, the construction of this beautiful site is well on  its way, but we cannot do it without the assistance from generous donors looking  to help the GTCF not only return the children back to an exemplary space of  learning together, but also to give the people of Green Turtle Cay some  essential security for many futures to come…  

 The Green Turtle Cay Foundation was originally founded in 1996 as a charitable,  not-for-profit organization formed to contribute to the well-being of the people  of Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, Bahamas.  The founder, Dixon Montague, envisioned a  charitable organization with a mission “to support and improve the educational,  medical, scientific, and literary needs of the people of Green Turtle Cay, by  encouraging those that visit the island to contribute toward the well-being of  the island and its people.” Dixon was steadfast in his commitment to this  mission of sustaining the lives of the island’s Bahamian residents and we are  proud to continue this mission. To that end, the Foundation has long supported  the school, medical clinic, historical museum,  and other local community  services. Today the GTC Foundation is lead by Phillip Smith (managing director),  Giselle McIntosh, Allen Crosswell, and Patrick Koenig, Sr. The primary office of  the Foundation is located in Leesburg, FL.  The Foundation is registered with  the Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services, registration number  CH60222 and as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization with the IRS, ID# 76-0490132.

 The Green Turtle Cay Foundation had little to no disaster relief experience when  Hurricane Dorian struck on September 1, 2019.  Nonetheless, the Foundation  immediately mobilized and began fundraising efforts on September 4, 2019, only  days after Hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands. The initial relief efforts  concentrated on the transport of immediate relief needs via boat and plane, with  the delivery of water, food, chainsaws, tarps, tents, and communication devices  to residents of Green Turtle Cay, which was left with widespread devastation, no  power, water, or communication.  This was followed by multiple flights each week  of items requested through the local island leadership, and the transport for  doctors and nurses to staff the only small medical clinic on the island. ,  Two  teams of skilled volunteers with prior disaster relief experience were mobilized  and flown to Green Turtle for a separate week-long stays to provide respite for  local volunteers, tarping and protection of assets, and clean-up assistance.  Both teams also began initial roofing repairs of damaged structures.

Once  the initial relief phase was well underway we moved into a recovery phase  soliciting the donation of building supplies and heavy equipment to assist in  clean-up and debris removal.  We partnered with the Anchored Support Foundation  for the donation of a dump truck and front-end loader;  these items greatly  improved the speed and efficiency of debris removal across the island.  In  addition, building supplies, generators, skid-steers, peel and stick, roofing  shingles, mold remediation chemicals, fans, dehumidifiers, and a crew-cab GMC  work truck were secured from donors across Florida.  The Foundation leased a  barge through Heavy Lift Services, Inc., out of West Palm Beach, and loaded the  donated supplies aboard.  The first barge shipment arrived on the island on  September 21, 2019.  Power and water were priorities so the Foundation secured a  100kw generator and partnered with Treasure Cay water authority to restore water  to the island during the third week of October. The Foundation also worked with  representatives of Florida Power & Light and Bahamas Power & Light to  transport power poles, and power trucks, and linemen to the island.  Power was  restored to the island in December 2019.