How can I make a difference while traveling? A TPI Advisor story.

Have you ever felt drawn to help someone in need or to be a part of something bigger than yourself? That is how Michele Lindsay and Theresa Chu-Bermudez felt when they saw an opportunity to support women and families in the Bahamas via Travel Planners International (TPI) events.

With a variety of careers on her resume, including being a press secretary for a politician and a high school social studies teacher, Michele found she was ready to pursue her dream: travel. Since 2019, she has been supporting her clients and ensuring safe and organized travel. However, this passion was only a catalyst for a deeper desire and pull to help others.

Michele’s late uncle was known for being an avid volunteer and even built a library on the Grand Cayman Islands. This man inspired Michele to seek new and innovative ways to live a more selfless and compassionate life. As Michele thought of her uncle and continued to travel, she saw the answer quietly appear in front of her on a personal trip to Mexico in 2015 in the shape of an organization called Pack for a Purpose. She may not have realized it at that moment, but Pack for a Purpose would become an integral part of her career and mission in life.

“It’s always a good idea to give back to the communities that we travel to, do business with, and share with our clients,” Michele said.

What exactly is Pack for a Purpose, then? It is a non-profit initiative affiliated with Travel Elevates (the non-profit arm of the Signature Travel Network, which is also a partner with TPI) that allows travelers of all types to pack supplies – right in with their clothes – to drop off at donation centers across the globe. It could be via a trip to a tropical set of islands or a chilly, mountainous destination; Pack for a Purpose has numerous locations. So, for the past 10 years, from her own family vacations to groups with friends or clients, Michele has worked with Pack for a Purpose to help others, including women and schools in Nassau, Bahamas.

When Michele heard that TPI’s Platinum and Advisors on the Rise Symposium events would be in the Bahamas, her eyes widened with excitement and brain-turning ideas. It was the perfect opportunity to introduce her peers and host agency to Pack for a Purpose while also doing some good in the process, especially since Signature has been a long-time and trusting partner of TPI.

She reached out to her friend and fellow TPI Platinum Travel Advisor, Theresa Chu-Bermudez, to see if she would be interested in helping get this idea off the runway. It didn’t take much convincing as Theresa said “YES” immediately before Michele could even get into the details. 

From there, the duo went to Debbie Mitchell, the Events Manager at host travel agency, TPI. Debbie didn’t hesitate either and went to work on coordinating with Pack for a Purpose and the Sandals Foundation, as the mentioned events would be hosted at one of Sandals’ getaways, the Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort. 

“I appreciate that Debbie… was open to my idea from the beginning and embraced it even though it certainly added to her already full plate of planning the Platinum and Advisors on the Rise Symposiums!”

What is the Sandals Foundation? It is a non-profit organization that supports local communities in a variety of island locations where Sandals Resort International is present. All funds and donations go to aid schools, education, disaster relief, and even music programs. This motive is why Pack for Purpose partners with the Sandals Foundation. 

As the Sandals Foundation states on its website, “In its simplest form, to inspire is defined as the action or power of moving intellect or emotions. We, the Sandals Foundation, believe that the action of inspiring hope is a force that can move mountains.”

Hope certainly did just that with this group. The next thing they knew, a drop-off was created and set aside during each TPI event in Nassau. TPI attendees could leave feminine products, toiletries, art supplies, hand sanitizer, stuffed animals, toys, and more at the table. At the end of the week, when both TPI events had concluded, the charitable journey was passed to the trusted hands of the Sandals Foundation and their team on site. However, the impact never left those who donated.

“The advisors who participated really went out of their way to pack the needed items, and it was wonderful to see the TPI…community come together for this,” commented Theresa.

The advisors and staff alike who contributed to this project can be encouraged as they did not simply leave random items; they supported people. Their donations went to an organization that enables “students and mothers academically and socially for re-entry” into schools and the job market. The Sandals Foundations has this ability, and Pack for a Purpose helps make it happen. It’s the circle of life but for something bigger than an individual may realize.

“Initiatives such as Pack for a Purpose aren’t simply charitable acts. The items that are donated serve to empower the communities so that they can care for themselves,” said Theresa. “We are so lucky to be able to travel to different destinations, and it’s our privilege and responsibility to make sure the local communities are also reaping the benefits of our visits.”

Both women expressed excitement at any chance to conduct a charitable act at a TPI event again. Not only did they get to do something selfless and kind, but they also witnessed their peers do the same.

Individuals like Michele and Theresa are only a small aspect of a larger goal of helping those in need. Every traveler has the opportunity to show compassion and be a part of a mission larger than a simple plane ride overseas or a drive across a border. As Michele stated, “It’s a big world out there, and one small act of generosity can have a lasting impact on someone’s life.”

Click HERE to see the total haul of the variety of donations left at this charitable drop-off!