Jamaica Hurricane Relief Gets JN Foundation, Red Cross Boost

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The JN Foundation and Lutheran World Relief have donated education supplies, clothing, quilts and baby-care items. These will support Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts led by the Jamaica Red Cross.

The aid is helping children and vulnerable families in some of Jamaica’s hardest-hit communities. Meanwhile, relief operations are shifting toward long-term recovery.

The care packages were formally handed over Oct. 7 at Jamaica Red Cross headquarters in Central Village, St. Catherine. The donation expands a continuing partnership focused on getting resources to communities affected by the hurricane.

Omar Wright, who leads environment and community development programs at the JN Foundation, said the organization adjusted its response. This change came as community needs became clearer.

“Many persons were thinking about how they were going to respond with food and water, but then we had another concern,” Wright said, citing increased health risks and the loss of medication and other essential supplies.

Mobile Medical Aid and Relief Supplies

The foundation has continued mobile medical missions in several of the hardest-hit western parishes, where hurricane damage intensified health care needs.

Wright said Lutheran World Relief and its humanitarian arm, Corus International, provided additional funding for the medical missions. They also gave more than $1 million in material resources. Three containers carried relief supplies, including education kits, toiletries, clothing and baby-care items.

Concern about the hurricane’s impact on children led the foundation to work with organizations that already have systems for reaching vulnerable people, he said.

“We decided that we were going to partner with institutions that serve the most vulnerable,” Wright said. He added that the Red Cross was selected because of its established structure and safeguards for directing resources to people who need them most.

He said the handover was another step in the foundation’s commitment to helping Jamaican communities recover.

4,000 Care Packages Distributed

The Jamaica Red Cross has incorporated the donated supplies into its broader relief operation.

Horace Glaze, the Red Cross’ deputy operations manager, said the supplies strengthened back-to-school support for vulnerable families. About 4,000 packages were distributed in Westmoreland, Hanover, St. Elizabeth and St. James, as well as other areas. Remaining items are being directed to schools and early-childhood institutions with specific needs.

Glaze said families welcomed the support, especially at the start of the school year.

“It really came in handy at the start of the school year,” he said, adding that the donation supplemented Red Cross resources and assistance from other partners.

Red Cross Shifts to Long-Term Recovery

Yvonne Clarke, director general of the Jamaica Red Cross, thanked the JN Foundation for its continuing partnership. She said disaster response depends heavily on support from businesses, individuals and international partners.

Jamie LeSueur, head of country delegation, said the Red Cross has reached more than 100,000 people through 205 distributions under its Hurricane Melissa operation. The response also has included mental health and psychosocial support and a cash assistance program.

As the operation moves into recovery, support is being directed toward restoring livelihoods for farmers, fishers and small-business operators through cash assistance, training and collaboration with agencies including the Rural Agricultural Development Authority.

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