{"id":4083,"date":"2025-11-02T16:54:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T16:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/?p=4083"},"modified":"2026-07-20T17:03:27","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T17:03:27","slug":"jamaicans-rally-after-hurricane-melissa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/2025\/11\/02\/jamaicans-rally-after-hurricane-melissa\/","title":{"rendered":"Jamaicans rally after Hurricane Melissa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When the opening chords faded on Radio KFAI 90.3 FM in Minneapolis, host Al McFarlane leaned into the microphone and said, \u201cI\u2019m Al McFarlane. Welcome to The Conversation with Al McFarlane.<\/em> Today we\u2019re talking all things Jamaica.\u201d His tone carried both heaviness and urgency. A historic storm had just battered the island of Jamaica, and the Twin Cities\u2019 Jamaican-diaspora community was mobilising to respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to multiple international reports, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on 28 October 2025 as a powerful Category 5 storm with sustained winds of about 185 mph (circa 295 km\/h). According to reports by several media outlets, the storm is now described as the strongest to ever strike Jamaica since systematic records began in 1851.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These outlets also reveal that the devastation has been widespread with hospitals damaged, entire communities cut off, major agricultural zones flattened, and power knocked out to hundreds of thousands. Reuters reports that the island\u2019s southern and western parishes, St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, St. James, Hanover, Trelawny were among the hardest hit. The scale of damage is still emerging, but one fact is clear: this is not business-as-usual. Jamaica is facing a disaster of extraordinary magnitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McFarlane introduced his cousin, Philip McFarlane,  recording producer who owns Irejute Records and leads the roots band, EarthCry.He joined from Kingston via video livestream. \u201cMe personally, I\u2019m good,\u201d Philip began. \u201cBut collectively, as a country, we\u2019re going through it. Those of us who are in a better position to help, that\u2019s what we\u2019re doing.\u201d He described the storm\u2019s trajectory: \u201cIt came from the east, passed south, then went west and north-west. That took the eye through St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, St James, Hanover, Trelawny, Manchester, Clarendon. Even in St Mary, where I\u2019m from: every farm tree down, houses without roofs. My mother\u2019s roof is gone completely.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He went on: \u201cSome towns are marooned off. No electricity. No phones. No nothing. I read a story yesterday where somebody said they counted nineteen bodies on the ground, and they can\u2019t access them.\u201d His voice held the weight of that reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When asked where people are sleeping at night, he responded: \u201cOutside. Thousands. It\u2019s impossible for government or any institution to rebuild houses that quick. Some say bussing them to Kingston, tents, warm food, beds, but you\u2019re talking about thousands of families in rural hills with no power, no roads. They are sleeping outside, catching on something.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Philip then described how his group is already acting. \u201cLast Thursday we brought food and fed fifty families with care packages. On Saturday we assessed damages. We have raised over a million dollars so far. Tomorrow we\u2019re going to the hardware; we\u2019ve got a truck ready. We\u2019ll bring materials, start rebuilding roofs, the most damaged houses, many with small children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joining from Minneapolis, Merina Neal, better known as Trinny Cee, a board member of the Caribbean Disaster Relief Fund of Minnesota, spoke with both heartbreak and determination. \u201cIt\u2019s heart-wrenching,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve travelled to Jamaica for twenty years, into communities like Flankers and Tivoli, not resorts. What I\u2019m seeing now looks like a bomb went off. No green, just brown and broken. And yet, even in that, the people, while screaming for help, are not broken.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her organisation sprang into action within days. She explained: \u201cWe sent the email. We got together. We asked people to donate funds, to funnel money through official Jamaican government sites and through trusted local organisations. We put barrels at Galaxy Foods, at local Caribbean-community locations. We condensed the island\u2019s long list of needs down to essentials: soap, toothpaste, batteries, tarps, blankets. New items only, please, not used clothing, so the message being sent to Jamaica is one of dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trinny Cee has co-ordinated volunteers, social-media campaigns and local drop-off spots. \u201cGalaxy Foods donated storage space, barrels and manpower. Tomorrow, we inventory, rebuild the barrels, and ship. Jamaica will need help for a long time to come, not a one-time thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Philip, pausing only briefly, shared what struck him most in his visit to affected areas. \u201cYou can spend forty years chasing one thing: a house, car, and lose it in a day,\u201d he said. \u201cThese people find happiness in living simple. They\u2019re smiling, because their value isn\u2019t in material things. You\u2019ll see someone say: \u2018My house is gone, but give me some board, some nail. We\u2019ll string it back up, cook the food, laugh, play music.\u2019 You can\u2019t defeat them mentally.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al McFarlane closed the segment with the phrase his cousin had shared: \u201cWe\u2019re not dead, but we\u2019re going to suffer.\u201d He paused. \u201cThat honesty matters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Minnesota to Jamaica, communities are forging a bridge of care. Faith and action meet: one roof, one barrel, one family at a time. The storm may have left devastation in its wake, but the response is already moving forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

World Central Kitchen reports it is grateful to receive incredible amounts of support and outreach to food crises in different parts of the world. People can join and support their efforts by visiting the following links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#ChefsForJamaica<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donations<\/strong> made at donate.wck.org\/give\/738350\/#!\/donation\/checkout<\/a> <\/strong>will help support our efforts in Jamaica in response to Category 5 Hurricane Melissa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#ChefsForHaiti<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donations<\/strong> made at donate.wck.org\/give\/692209\/#!\/donation\/checkout<\/a> <\/strong>will help support our efforts in Haiti in response to violence the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#ChefsForFeds<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donations<\/strong> made at donate.wck.org\/chefs-for-feds-25<\/a> <\/strong>will help support our efforts supporting federal workers and their families during the ongoing U.S. government shutdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Volunteers: <\/strong>All open opportunities are listed at wck.org\/volunteer<\/a> and are updated whenever new needs arise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cookbook:<\/strong> After years of cooking alongside incredible heroes and serving more than 400 million meals around the world, WCK\u2019s first ever cookbook is available at wck.org\/cookbook-order<\/a>. A special collection of stories and recipes from renowned chefs, local cooks, WCK friends, and Chef Jos\u00e9 Andr\u00e9s, The World Central Kitchen Cookbook: Feeding Humanity, Feeding Hope<\/em> is a celebration of dignity, perseverance\u2014and above all, hope. All author proceeds will support WCK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We Feed People:<\/em><\/strong> The Ron Howard-directed documentary about Chef Jos\u00e9 Andr\u00e9s and World Central Kitchen premiered on Disney+ on May 27, 2022 . Visit wck.org\/wefeedpeople<\/a> to learn more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donations: <\/strong>To donate online by credit card, please visit donate.wck.org<\/a>. You may also donate using PayPal<\/a>. If you would prefer to send a check or cash, please make it payable to “World Central Kitchen, Inc” and mail to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

World Central Kitchen<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

PO Box 96538<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washington, DC 20090-6538, USA<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Phillip McFarlane<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

PROGRESS. Today we went to bought the first set of materials to start rebuilding and fixing some of the homes of families affected by hurricane melissa in Western St. Mary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friday we will sort out and distribute accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within a week I think we will have these folks covered properly and back in comfort of some sort. Big thanks to everyone who has donated to this cause. The people appreciate this so much. You all are help changing world. We will also distribute more food packages this weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feel free to donate with the link in my bio or visit https:\/\/gofund.me\/376186c8d<\/strong><\/a> . Or DM for For other ways to donate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#jamaica<\/strong><\/a> #hurricanemelissa<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.facebook.com\/watch?v=1570253434339593\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When the opening chords faded on Radio KFAI 90.3 FM in Minneapolis, host Al McFarlane leaned into the microphone and said, \u201cI\u2019m Al McFarlane. Welcome to The Conversation with Al McFarlane. Today we\u2019re talking all things Jamaica.\u201d His tone carried both heaviness and urgency. A historic storm had just battered the island of Jamaica, and the Twin […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4084,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[2639,2504,38],"class_list":["post-4083","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-hurricane-melissa","tag-jamaica","tag-minneapolis","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Jam.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4083","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4083"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4083\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4085,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4083\/revisions\/4085"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4084"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4083"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4083"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/apexsamplework.com\/insightnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}