Plaza Extra West To Raise Funds For Queen Louise Home For Children With Christmas Tree Sale Event

Lutheran Social Services of the Virgin Islands, Inc. (LSSVI) on Thursday announced that Plaza Extra West and the Hamed Family will host a Christmas tree fundraising event on December 1 to support Queen Louise Home for Children. Christmas trees will be on sale from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and all proceeds will benefit Queen Louise Home for Children, according to the release.

Motivated in part by the spirit of rebuilding a stronger U.S. Virgin Islands and a commitment to supporting vulnerable children in the community, the Hamed family felt a Christmas tree fundraiser would ring in the joy of the holiday season and bring much needed support for the children at Queen Louise Home, the release said. Christmas carols and Santa himself will start off the celebration and volunteers from the Plastic Drop Off and Recycling Project will be helping shoppers pick out and load up their perfect tree.

The holiday cheer will also extend to Queen Louise Home for Children, which is celebrating 114 years of serving the community this December. “We are so grateful to the Hamed family and the Virgin Islands community for beginning this holiday season with a special time of giving and sharing with our community and we could not ask for a better way to get into the Christmas spirit,” said Junia John-Straker, chief executive officer of LSSVI.

]The proceeds from this event will assist Queen Louise Home in its recovery efforts and help staff members create a Christmas experience that feels like holidays at home, according to the release.

The Hamed family, Plaza Extra West and its affiliate locations in St. Thomas, as proud Virgin Islanders, exhibit their commitment to local needs and environmental concerns, the release said. They helped to launch a plastic recycling partnership on St. Croix and St. Thomas that will be “keeping our home clean for generations to come,” said Wally Hamed. The family and its businesses also participate in the Farm to Supermarket Initiative with the USVI Department of Agriculture that supports local farmers and allows them to offer the widest selection of fresh produce, fresh meats and groceries in the community.

LSSVI has been one of the many non-profits in the Virgin Islands working towards recovery since Hurricane’s Irma and Maria. Its program for disaster relief has been helping low-income seniors on St. Croix repair and rebuild their homes. According to the release, the agency tackles other critical challenges in the community, which include providing low-income housing for seniors and adults with disabilities as well as supportive services that assist them in maintaining their independence. Three 24-hour residential care programs on St. Croix and St. Thomas also offer a safe home, medical support and supportive services for adults and children with developmental and physical disabilities. LSSVI’s longest-serving program, Queen Louise Home for Children, provides love and care in a supportive family-like setting for abused, abandoned and/or neglected children in the Territory.