President Trump’s nominee for United States ambassador to the Bahamas pledged to match up to $1 million in donations to assist the Bahamas’ hurricane Dorian relief efforts.
Papa Doug Manchester, who was nominated by President Trump to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas, has pledged to match every dollar up to $1 million donated to his charitable foundation to help the Bahamas.
Manchester recently returned from the islands, where he “visited children at shelters and delivered 2,000 pounds of food, medical supplies and goods from the United States to the Bahamian people,” according to a Wednesday press release by PR Newswire.
Manchester’s statement also mentioned that 100 percent the proceedings will go toward the Bahamas’ “most urgent needs” and that his Manchester Charitable Foundation “has already received personal donations from $5 to $100,000 throughout the United States.”
President Donald Trump thanked Manchester for the “incredible amount of time, money and passion he has spent on helping to bring safety to the Bahamas” in a tweet earlier this month.
“Much work to be done by the Bahamian Government,” the president added. “We will help!”
Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis praised the United States for “assisting us with all of our needs” in the wake of the hurricane’s widespread destruction, adding that the death toll on the island nation would have been higher “had the United States not come in quickly.”
Manchester also thanked the Trump administration and the American public in his press release, acknowledging the “responsive and proactive” role United States has taken to help the Bahamian people.
“I want to personally thank the United States of America and the Trump Administration for being so responsive and proactive in aiding the Bahamian people devastated by the storm,” said Manchester. “We are sending our thoughts and prayers to all of the families who have been affected.”
“The Bahamians are strong and resilient, and we pledge to stand with them as they persevere through this catastrophe,” added Manchester. “We cannot afford to let the Bahamas collapse. We must help them rebuild.”
President Trump nominated Manchester for U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas in May 2017. The nomination process, however, appears to have remained stagnant while Democrats in Congress insist that the White House find “better nominees,” according to CNN.
Nonetheless, Manchester has continued to engage in philanthropy through his Manchester Charitable Foundation — established in 1990 — which has donated to over $70 million to various organizations throughout the world since its founding.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Twitter at @ARmastrangelo and on Instagram.
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