KINGSTON, Jamaica — In response to the unprecedented devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, the Jamaica National Group (JN Group) has activated its ISupportJamaica Fund, a humanitarian initiative designed to channel recovery assistance to the hardest-hit communities across the island.
The fund, managed by the JN Foundation, will facilitate contributions from Jamaicans at home and abroad to assist with rebuilding efforts following what forecasters have called the worst hurricane in Jamaica’s modern history.
A Nation Confronting Historic Devastation
Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall on October 28 as a Category 5 storm, battered parishes from Westmorelandand St Elizabeth to Manchester, Kingston, and St Andrew, destroying homes, flattening crops, and cutting off power and communications island-wide. Meteorologists have already compared the storm’s projected impact to — and likely beyond — Hurricane Charlie (1951) and Hurricane Gilbert (1988), two of Jamaica’s most catastrophic natural disasters.
But the JN Group emphasized that the true effects of hurricanes go far beyond the visible wreckage. “The devastation extends to lives, livelihoods, and the very fabric of communities,” said Paulette Simpson, Executive for Corporate Affairs and Public Policy at the JN Group, speaking from the United Kingdom. “Recovery is not only about rebuilding structures but also restoring routines, security, and hope.”
How the ISupportJamaica Fund Works
Originally launched in 2013 as ISupportJamaica.com, the platform has evolved into a powerful community-driven tool for national resilience. The ISupportJamaica Fund, activated under the JN Foundation, is now accepting monetary donations from individuals and organizations who want to contribute to Jamaica’s recovery from Hurricane Melissa.
Donations can be made via JN Bank or JN Money, and full details are available on the foundation’s website: jnfoundation.com/hurricane-melissa-relief/.
Beneficiaries will include Jamaica’s most vulnerable institutions:
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Children’s homes and early childhood centres
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Homes for the elderly
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Healthcare facilities
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Registered community groups in severely affected parishes such as Westmoreland, St Elizabeth, and Manchester
Simpson added, “Given the magnitude of the hurricane and the projected impact, coordination of recovery efforts has already begun. Therefore, we are appealing to Jamaicans, home and abroad, to donate so that first responders can immediately provide comfort for those in need as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Partnerships to Strengthen Relief Distribution
In addition to financial support, the JN Group has announced a partnership with Food for the Poor (FFTP) in the United Kingdom to collect emergency supplies for shipment to Jamaica.
FFTP Jamaica, one of the island’s most trusted humanitarian organizations, has decades of experience in disaster response, housing construction, and community rehabilitation. Through this collaboration, supplies such as food, hygiene products, tarps, and medical kits will be delivered directly to the most vulnerable communities once conditions allow safe distribution.
Mobilizing Global Jamaican Solidarity
The JN Group’s initiative underscores the global network of Jamaican solidarity — from diaspora communities in the U.K. and the U.S. to local partners on the ground. It follows similar efforts from organizations such as Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) in South Florida, which has been packing and shipping emergency aid from its Doral warehouse to support recovery operations in Jamaica.
These coordinated actions represent a larger Caribbean-wide call to action, reminding the diaspora that every contribution — financial or material — strengthens Jamaica’s resilience in the wake of natural disaster.
How to Help Jamaica Rebuild
To support the Hurricane Melissa recovery through JN Foundation:
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Donate via JN Bank or JN Money under “ISupportJamaica Fund”
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For those in the U.K., drop off emergency supplies in collaboration with Food for the Poor (UK)
