On October 28th, 2025, Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica as the strongest hurricane to strike the island since record-keeping began in 1851. This unprecedented Category 5 hurricane made landfall at New Hope in southwestern Jamaica with sustained winds of 185 mph—tying the record for the strongest Atlantic hurricane landfall in history alongside the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane and Hurricane Dorian (2019). The storm's minimum central pressure of 892 millibars marks this as a meteorological event without precedent in Jamaica's modern history.
Over 25,000 Jamaicans are displaced in emergency shelters, with 1.5 million people directly affected. The devastation is staggering: 77% of the country lost power affecting 530,000 residents, entire hospitals were evacuated after roof collapses, and critical infrastructure including roads, bridges, and telecommunications systems have collapsed. Eight confirmed fatalities have been reported as rescue crews continue reaching isolated communities.
Understanding the scale of devastation from Hurricane Melissa
Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on October 28th, 2025, with explosive intensification that escalated winds from 70 mph to 140 mph in just 24 hours—twice the rate needed to qualify as rapid intensification. The storm's devastating impact was amplified by its crawling 2-3 mph forward speed, subjecting communities to 6-9 hours of sustained 185 mph Category 5 winds, followed by torrential rainfall of 20-40 inches and a life-threatening 9-13 foot storm surge. As Prime Minister Andrew Holness stated: "There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5"—a warning that proved tragically accurate.
The combination of mass flooding, 25,000+ people in crowded emergency shelters, and disrupted clean water infrastructure creates an urgent public health crisis. Water-borne diseases like cholera and dysentery pose an immediate secondary threat. Top priorities include: hygiene kits, water filtration systems, medical supplies for the devastated health system, shelter repair materials including tarpaulins and generators, and mental health support for survivors and frontline workers experiencing profound trauma. Black River Hospital evacuated 75 patients after its roof was torn off, while hospitals in St. Elizabeth suffered extensive damage and partial collapse.
Disaster response experts and government agencies are unified: financial donations are far more effective than physical goods. Cash allows vetted relief organizations like the Jamaica Red Cross and Project HOPE to purchase supplies locally, supporting Jamaica's economy while avoiding logistical bottlenecks. Unsolicited household items often clog supply chains and divert critical resources from life-saving operations.
The storm's path through southwestern Jamaica—the nation's agricultural breadbasket—has triggered a long-term food security crisis. Large-scale destruction of food crops combined with disruption to the private sector food system means families will face hunger for months. The World Food Programme is coordinating logistics to provide food for displaced persons, but sustained international support is critical to prevent widespread malnutrition as the crisis extends beyond the initial emergency phase.
We recommend donating to verified organizations actively working in Jamaica
The only .gov.jm site. Managed by ODPEM (Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management) for coordinated island-wide response.
Redirects to supportjamaica.gov.jm
These organizations are actively operating in Jamaica with established distribution networks, coordinating with ODPEM.
See full list with donation links
We're a Florida non-profit (501c3 pending) building a grassroots community network to support the verified organizations above. Funds raised here support that effort. If you're an NGO with presence in South Florida and Jamaica, or wish to donate physical items in person, please contact us via the Partnership form. Thank you - JHR Team.
Your donation helps us build a Florida community network and support verified relief organizations. Full transparency on how funds are used.
Help us fundraise and collect supplies for verified relief organizations supporting Jamaica
The mission of Jamaica Hurricane Relief is to fundraise and collect supplies for verified relief organizations with established operations in Jamaica. We also use our online presence to share accurate relief updates and combat misinformation.
We're seeking partners with expertise in:
Help spread verified information, promote transparency, amplify relief efforts
Storage facilities, inventory management, supply organization
Established relief organizations with Jamaica distribution networks
US-Jamaica shipping expertise, customs clearance, freight forwarding
Volunteers to run drop points, organize fundraisers, mobilize communities
Ground truth from Jamaica, connections to ODPEM/official sources
Tell us how you can help fundraise and collect supplies for verified relief organizations
Full visibility into our fundraising and partnership with verified relief organizations
We are NOT affiliated with the Jamaican Government. As a Florida non-profit we intend to support the official ODPEM relief effort through grassroots fundraising and supply drives on behalf of verified organizations with established operations in Jamaica. We will also use this website to aggregate accurate and timely updates while combating misinformation.
We intend to route funds and supplies through verified NGO partners like Direct Relief, Red Cross, and World Food Programme who have established distribution networks in Jamaica.
For direct cash donations to humanitarian relief, we strongly encourage donations to the official government fund which coordinates island-wide emergency response.
We monitor publicly available needs assessments from ODPEM and relief organizations to identify what's urgently needed in Jamaica.
We accept online donations and intend to organize supply collection at South Florida drop points (churches, community centers, warehouses).
Funds and supplies will be routed through verified NGO partners with established operations in Jamaica (Direct Relief, Red Cross, World Food Programme).
Our NGO partners handle international shipping, customs clearance, and final distribution to affected communities in Jamaica using their established networks.
We will document every donation, every supply drive, and every transfer to our NGO partners. Updates will be published here for full transparency.
As operations begin, all supply drives, donations received, and transfers to NGO partners will be documented here
Launching grassroots operations soon.
Check back for detailed tracking and updates.