Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) has benefited from a $1,000 donation by Bermuda CableVision.

It’s the fifth year in a row that CableVision has supported the local charity through a programme set up by Caribbean Cable and Telecommunications Association’s Community Charities (CCTA).

Patrina O’Connor-Paynter, Fund Development/Marketing Communications Director of BBBS, said: “In these tough economic times, every dollar helps. We are grateful to Bermuda CableVision for supporting our programme.”

BBBS was chosen “because of the outstanding service and assistance it provides to the community”.

The cheque for $1,000 was presented earlier today by Edward Cherwinski, CFO for Bermuda CableVision.

Mr Cherwinski said: “We were pleased to be able to nominate BBBS for this grant. We support their programme and believe their work in the community is beneficial.

“We are happy that these funds will go towards continuing their excellent work and future programmes.”

The CCTA’s Community Charities Programme, established in 1993, has awarded more than $292,000 to Caribbean charities since its conception. The programme originally awarded only ten grants per year, but interest in the programme has grown in the last 20 years.

Eleven charities were nominated for the 2014 grants and the association’s board of directors voted unanimously to award $1,000 grants to all.

The 11 Community Charities Programme grant recipients were nominated by the following cable and telecommunications operators: Bermuda CableVision; BVI Cable TV; Choice Cable TV of Puerto Rico; General Satelite Network Company of Jamaica; Innovative Cable TV St. Croix; Innovative Cable TV St. Thomas-St. John; Liberty Cablevision of Puerto Rico; St. Maarten Cable TV; T.V. Distribution Systems of Curacao; WestStar TV Limited of the Cayman Islands; and Wireless Telecommunication Network of St. Maarten.

Formed in 1983, the Caribbean Cable and Telecommunications Association represents cable and telecommunications providers throughout the Caribbean, and the programmers, software and hardware suppliers that support their operations.