Two Sint Maarten NGOs Win Second Place at Dutch National Volunteer Awards

SINT MAARTEN — Two local organizations have brought home second-place honors from the National Volunteer Awards hosted by the Association for Volunteerism in the Netherlands.

Perpetual Plastics by EPIC placed second in the Nature and Environment category, covering SDGs 13, 14, and 15. Freegan Food Foundation placed second in the Livelihood Security category, under SDGs 1 and 10. Five second-place prizes were available across 66 nominees drawn from 322 entries, with each second-place winner receiving €3,000.

Organizers note this was the first time Dutch Caribbean islands were included in the nominations, an inclusion spearheaded by the Foresee Foundation.

According to the jury, Perpetual Plastics — supported by more than 1,000 volunteers — collects and processes plastic that often washes onto St. Maarten from thousands of kilometers away, while creating space for schoolchildren and people with disabilities to contribute. Freegan Food was praised for saving hundreds of kilograms of food each week and helping families move toward self-sufficiency without waiting lists or complex rules.

The 2026 United Nations 'Year of the Volunteer' gives the recognition added significance. Both organizations thanked the volunteers whose dedication has been the backbone of their work.