An organisation launched to support frontline workers and island businesses in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic has extended a $50 gift card giveaway until Saturday.

Sean McNulty, the founder of the Frontline Foundation, said that its drive to donate gift cards to frontline workers and people who got vaccinated, scheduled to end yesterday, would continue for a few days to make sure as many people as possible were rewarded.

Mr McNulty added: “Not so many people knew about it, but now that we have the awareness out there we want to keep the momentum going because we have seen a nice increase in the number of people showing up to get vaccinated.”

He said the response from recipients had been good.

Mr McNulty added: “Probably half of the people at the different vaccination locations didn’t know they were getting a gift card, so it was a positive surprise.

“When they learnt that a frontline worker was also going to be getting one and that we were supporting local businesses they were all really happy.

“Of course people loved to get a bonus gift when they weren’t expecting it and it always puts people in a good mood.”

Mr McNulty, a Canadian digital nomad living in Bermuda, announced last Wednesday that the Frontline Foundation would give gift card to anyone who got the jab at any vaccination centre between May 26 and yesterday.

He added that, for everyone who got vaccinated, another $50 card would be given to a frontline worker to thank them for their contributions to the fight against the coronavirus.

Mr McNulty, the chief executive officer and portfolio manager of Toronto-based asset management firm XIB Financial, also pledged $500,000 of his own money to the scheme.

He said that the gift cards could be used at about 65 businesses – more than double the number involved when the scheme launched.

Mr McNulty added that businesses involved included Rubis gas stations, the MarketPlace supermarket chain and several restaurants.

He said that the scheme had gone down “phenomenally well”.

Mr McNulty added that some people were so grateful for the gift cards they had to fight back tears.

He said: “People have been struggling a lot during the pandemic, so to see some of the looks on people’s faces and the joy the got when they received the card was really quite rewarding.

“There are some people on the island who have different views regarding the vaccination – and everyone’s entitled to their opinion – but I think what they all would agree with is that what we’re doing for the community is very positive.”

Mr McNulty said that the Frontline Foundation would also donate eight $500 gift cards for MarketPlace to be used in the Back to Business Community Giveaway raffle.

The raffle, organised by the Bermuda Health Council and the Bermuda Hotel Association, was set up to hand out a range of prizes in twice-a-day draws to be held from yesterday to next Tuesday.