As Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 juggernaut, battered northwestern Jamaica on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, the world watched in alarm—but didn’t just stand by. The storm, which made landfall near New Hope with staggering winds of 185 mph, is now the strongest to hit Jamaica in 174 years, according to Axios. The scale of destruction, especially across western Jamaica, has prompted an outpouring of support that stretches from the island’s own communities to international organizations, diaspora groups, and famous faces rallying for relief.
On the ground in Kingston, shelters like Holy Family Primary School quickly filled with residents seeking refuge as the storm approached. The atmosphere was tense, but not without hope. Before Melissa even made landfall, Chef José Andrés and his team at World Central Kitchen (WCK) had already partnered with Kingston’s Mystic Thai restaurant to serve hot meals to families hunkering down. WCK’s network is now poised to scale up operations as soon as conditions allow, ensuring that no one goes hungry in the aftermath—a crucial lifeline as basic services remain disrupted.
But it’s not just the island’s own resources being marshaled. Relief organizations in South Florida, where many have deep ties to Jamaica, sprang into action even before the first raindrop fell. Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), a nonprofit based in Doral, Florida, arrived in Jamaica prior to the storm to handle paperwork and clearances, allowing them to “hit the ground running,” said Kimberly Bentley, GEM’s Director of Emergency Response, in an interview with WSVN. As airports reopened, GEM volunteers—many with roots on the island—headed into the field to distribute urgently needed supplies: food, water, generators, batteries, and radios.
“We’ve got three cargo planes coming in and as of next week, we also have containers coming in consistently,” Bentley explained, underscoring the scale and urgency of the operation. In Doral, volunteers packed aid boxes with a sense of mission and faith. “My brother is in the direct path,” shared one volunteer, echoing the anxiety and determination felt by many. Bentley added, “It’s not only supplies but it’s hope in a box, so I think that gives some morale knowing that they aren’t forgotten and there is help on the way.” GEM continues to seek volunteers and donations to keep the pipeline of aid flowing.
Meanwhile, organizations across Miami and South Florida have mobilized, streamlining support efforts and providing up-to-date information. The Miami Foundation has listed Caribbean-led organizations and launched a Disaster Relief Fund. The Jamaican Women of Florida (JWOF) is collecting relief items, including tarps, generators, and non-perishable foods, while South Florida Caribbean Strong has mapped out drop-off locations across Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Greater Miami Jewish Federation and Greater Goods Charities have also set up emergency relief funds and donation centers, according to Axios.
Even the city of Homestead has joined the effort, partnering with GEM to collect donations at City Hall, the Homestead Police Department, and the Pichol Williams Community Center. Outside of Miami, national and international groups have stepped up: the American Friends of Jamaica in New York City has announced a $1 million matching fund for relief and recovery, while GlobalGiving, International Medical Corps, and Food For The Poor are all collecting monetary donations to support both immediate and long-term needs.
Back on the island, the Jamaican government has launched supportjamaica.gov.jm, a centralized relief portal, making it easier for both locals and the diaspora to connect with vetted aid opportunities. Social media, far from being just a source of noise, has become a vital tool. Jamaican celebrities, including the world’s fastest man, have used their platforms to post emergency information, safety tips, and preparation guidance, making sure that critical updates reach as many people as possible.
Music, culture, and community are the lifeblood of Jamaica, and the storm’s impact has been felt far beyond the island’s shores. In New Orleans—a city intimately familiar with hurricane devastation—Joel Hitchcock Tilton, organizer of Reggae Fest, quickly pivoted after this year’s festival was postponed. With Jamaican musicians grounded by flight cancellations, he hosted a Jamaica Benefit Dinner on October 28, with all proceeds going directly to local relief efforts. The Welcome to Jamrock Reggae Cruise, unable to dock in Jamaica, rerouted entirely, and some musicians were replaced at the last minute due to the storm’s travel disruptions. These gestures, though small in the face of such a massive disaster, resonate deeply in communities where music and resilience go hand in hand.
As the storm moved on to slam into Cuba, tying records for the strongest landfalling Atlantic hurricane in history, the relief effort only intensified. According to NPR, United Way of Jamaica is accepting cash donations to support disaster relief, and American Friends of Jamaica continues to provide emergency aid and recovery support. CORE, a group with local staff in Haiti, is preparing to deliver relief items and conduct medical assessments in Jamaica once airports are fully operational. The solar-energy nonprofit Footprint Project is supplying temporary power equipment to help restore communications, and Airlink is moving critical aid to Jamaica on behalf of 16 NGOs, chartering planes free of charge for its partners.
Healthcare is another urgent priority. Direct Relief is supporting health facilities in the hardest-hit areas, having sent 100 field-medic packs to Jamaica’s National Health Fund and working with the Pan American Health Organization to preposition supplies for Cuba. Good360, meanwhile, is connecting corporate donors with nonprofits to deliver high-quality surplus supplies.
The American Red Cross, in coordination with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, is providing shelter, food, water, and safe medical transfers. Their Restoring Family Links program is already helping reconnect families separated by the chaos of the storm. Project HOPE is on the ground in Jamaica, distributing shelter items, medical supplies, water, sanitation kits, and even providing mental health support to those most affected. Mercy Corps is also active, delivering clean water, food, solar power, and emergency supplies not just in Jamaica, but in Haiti and the Dominican Republic as well.
Global Empowerment Mission, with its BStrong initiative, is supporting disaster areas with non-perishables, hygiene items, and even helping repair homes and evacuate vulnerable residents needing care abroad. Supplies keep arriving—sometimes via Amazon Wishlists, sometimes through the hands of volunteers packing boxes in Florida warehouses, all bound for the island’s battered communities.
For now, the focus remains on survival and immediate recovery. The full extent of Hurricane Melissa’s devastation is still being tallied, but the response is already a testament to the resilience and interconnectedness of Jamaica, its diaspora, and the global community. As communications are restored and relief efforts ramp up, the world will be watching—and helping—every step of the way.
In the aftermath of Melissa, hope arrives not just in boxes of supplies, but in the collective will to rebuild, one meal, one home, and one act of solidarity at a time.
