AFJ raises US$12 million for Jamaica ahead of annual Hummingbird Gala
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Key Points(5)
- The American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) has raised US$12 million and deployed US$7.2 million to support initiatives in Jamaica, as the organisation prepares to host its 2026 Hummingbird Gala in New York next month.
- The funds have supported programmes in education, health care, economic development and disaster recovery, with the AFJ working with local organisations to direct resources to communities across the island.
- The organisation also awarded 34 traditional grants this year totalling US$641,202.
- Recipients include the Clifton Boys’ Home, the Janet & Rupert Banton Foundation and the Jamaica 4-H Foundation.
- The AFJ said the US$7.2 million already deployed is separate from this year’s traditional grant funding.
The American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) has raised US$12 million and deployed US$7.2 million to support initiatives in Jamaica, as the organisation prepares to host its 2026 Hummingbird Gala in New York next month.
The funds have supported programmes in education, health care, economic development and disaster recovery, with the AFJ working with local organisations to direct resources to communities across the island.
The organisation also awarded 34 traditional grants this year totalling US$641,202. Recipients include the Clifton Boys’ Home, the Janet & Rupert Banton Foundation and the Jamaica 4-H Foundation.
The AFJ said the US$7.2 million already deployed is separate from this year’s traditional grant funding.
Hummingbird Gala
The AFJ’s fundraising efforts will take centre stage on Oct. 16, when it hosts its annual Hummingbird Gala at The Plaza Hotel in New York City.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness is expected to attend the event, which will bring together members of the Jamaican and international community to raise funds for the organisation’s programmes in Jamaica.
This year’s honourees are Sandals Resorts Executive Chairman Adam Stewart, who will receive the International Achievement Award, and Emmy Award-winning actress and DIVA Foundation President and CEO Sheryl Lee Ralph, who will receive the International Humanitarian Award.
Stewart is being recognised for his business leadership and contributions to communities across Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.
Through the Sandals Foundation, We Care Foundation and Sandals Corporate University, he has helped direct funding towards health care, education and disaster recovery initiatives across Jamaica.
Ralph is being honoured for her advocacy on HIV/AIDS awareness, particularly during a period when the disease was associated with significant stigma.
She is also being recognised for her support of Chantilly Primary School in Manchester, her mother Ivy Ralph’s alma mater, as well as her decades-long career in film, television and Broadway and her work promoting Jamaican culture and heritage.
The Hummingbird Gala is a major fundraiser for the AFJ’s annual programmes in Jamaica. The event will include a cocktail reception and auction featuring items and experiences, followed by dinner, presentations and entertainment.
AFJ President Wendy Hart and Executive Director Caron Chung are scheduled to deliver remarks during the formal programme.
The evening will conclude with performances by reggae and dancehall artists Sister Nancy and her brother Brigadier Jerry.
The AFJ has also mobilised resources for disaster response and recovery, including support following Hurricane Melissa, as part of its broader work supporting Jamaican communities during emergencies and funding longer-term development initiatives.
