‘Kind donors’ put Sha-San’s food cart back on George Street

The food cart operator who lost almost all her cooking equipment to thieves in April is back in business.

Sandra Maloney, of Sha-San’s Cart, who operates in front of the George Street Auditorium, headquarters of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) told Barbados TODAY that she was able to resume selling her hot dogs and fish cakes – thanks to the kindness  of donors who gave her some of the equipment.

Just days after Barbados TODAY published her story on April 23, she was contacted by someone who gave her a grill free of cost, she said.

Maloney declared: “I am happy to be back out and I really want to give everybody a big thank you from my heart and I pray that God will continue to bless them. As the story got out there people would have helped me tremendously. I mean it was such an outpouring of love that I was so ecstatic about it.

“You know that people are generous but then when something happens to you and you experience it, it is like I was blown away. Even people from overseas called asking if they could help in any way. Someone donated a grill to me. I would say it was a blessing in disguise for me.”

Thieves stole a grill, two full bottles of gas and an empty bottle, along with a four-foot plastic folding table, all valued at an estimated $2,000. The items were stored in the DLP headquarters compound.

Maloney said she had to start rebuilding her business from scratch and took to social media to encourage people not to buy the items from anyone who is unable to verify how they acquired them.

The vendor, who was unable to work during the lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, also indicated that she had recently spent almost all of her savings to get her vehicle overhauled and was unable to replace the stolen items.

But a thankful Maloney told Barbados TODAY: “We don’t have a breakthrough in the case as yet but I am really thankful to be back up and running. Business is kind of slow right now but I [am] taking it one step at a time and I believe that it is going to get back there and maybe even better. I am taking it as it comes and just being thankful.

“I have started doing fish cake batter to sell because I am really known for my fish cakes and the hot dogs. I also started doing some face masks. You can get the batter here on order or you can get the face masks as well.”

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb