From as early as 1929, The Barbados Shipping & Trading (BS&T) Company Limited has been contributing to the welfare and development of the Barbadian community. The early 1980s, however, was a turning point for the Group which committed itself to developing a culture of community involvement and social investment. From 1981, a percentage of the Group's net profits were set aside to establish Deeds of Covenant with a number of charities on the island. This resulted in the birth of The BS&T Charitable Foundation (CF) to support projects and programmes of established charities and non-profit organisations. Since its establishment, the BS&T have become synonymous with certain spheres of social life in Barbados. Annual Covenants Every year, The BS&T, through its Charitable Foundation, contributes financially to a number of established local charities and non-profit organisation: Almair House Barbados Association for the Blind & Deaf Barbados Cancer Society Barbados Legion of the British Commonwealth Ex-Servicemen Barbados Museum & Historical Society Barbados National Trust Barbados Red Cross Boys Scouts Association Family Welfare Society Girls Industrial Union Home for Elderly Gentlemen Ladies Association for Relief of Indigent, Sick & Infirm Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) The Salvation Army Barbados Youth Business Trust Barbados Heart Foundation Substance Abuse Foundation (Verdun House) PAREDOS The Arnott Cato Foundation In addition, other beneficiaries of the BS&T Charitable Foundation have included civic, non-governmental and community-based organizations, schools and tertiary education institutions, churches, community support services, sporting associations, clubs and tournaments, as well as national cultural events. Over the years, the BS&T Group has also responded and is committed to providing relief for natural disaster efforts at a national level. In the past, this philanthropic gesture by the Group has also been extended to other neighbouring islands which were affected by adverse climatic conditions.