Restaurant Associates Limited (RAL) has launched a major community support initiative that will see 900 portable cots donated to communities across western Jamaica, providing additional resources for emergency shelters and community support programmes.

The donation programme will see 800 portable cots distributed to six municipal corporations, while 100 cots will be provided to members of staff as part of the company’s wider community and welfare initiative.

As part of the distribution, Westmoreland and St Elizabeth will each receive 200 cots, while Hanover, St James, Trelawny and St Ann will each receive 100 cots.

The donation is intended to support ongoing social outreach and relief efforts in communities still recovering in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

The initiative began yesterday with the first handover ceremonies at the Trelawny Municipal Corporation and the St James Municipal Corporation, where Lisa Lake, Group Chief Executive Officer of Restaurant Associates Limited and the Lake Group of Companies, and Michael Lake, Director, presented the first 200 portable cots to Mayor Colin Gager of Trelawny and Mayor Richard Vernon of St James.

Speaking on behalf of the company, Lake said the donation reflects the organisation’s ongoing commitment to supporting the communities in which it operates.

“Restaurant Associates Limited has always believed in supporting the communities that support us. Through this initiative, we hope these portable cots will provide practical assistance to municipalities and help strengthen their ability to care for residents when the need arises,” Lake said.

Restaurant Associates Limited, the operator of Burger King, Popeyes, Little Caesars, and Krispy Kreme in Jamaica, noted that the cots will assist municipal corporations in providing additional accommodation in emergency shelters and community response efforts, particularly during periods of increased demand.

The company said the initiative forms part of its broader commitment to community support and partnerships with local authorities across Jamaica.