Help St. Elizabeth, Jamaica Rebuild After Hurricane Melissa

My name is Soneil Anthony Gonez and I was born in Elderslie. I grew up in Santa Cruz, and travelled to school every day in Black River for years with my mom, Shereen Watson.

The places I knew are unrecognizable now. Santa Cruz is flooded, the town centre submerged and homes destroyed. Holland Bamboo, where I passed through twice daily for years, is flattened. I went to Black River Prep as a kid and now what's left is beyond catastrophic.

They are now facing a humanitarian crisis that's getting worse by the hour. Even in Elderslie where I had some hope that they would be safer from flooding, wasn't spared. My aunt's house has been destroyed, leaving her homeless.

Families who lost everything to Hurricane Beryl just last year and spent months rebuilding have now lost it all again. Many have nothing. No roof over their heads, no food, no clean water, and no way to rebuild.

Black River was devastated. The hospital has lost its roof and had to evacuate 75 patients. The Emergency Operation Centre that's supposed to coordinate rescue efforts is underwater and immobile. Relief supplies that were pre-positioned were destroyed when the storm flipped containers upside down. The police station is flooded, their vehicles are waterlogged, and their emergency supplies are gone.

How Your Donation Will Be Used

IMPORTANT: Due to reports of fraudulent fundraisers, please note the following verified details:

The Jamaican government has established official relief channels, and organizations like the Jamaica Red Cross and IFRC are coordinating large scale humanitarian responses. We encourage you to support those efforts as well.

While official channels provide broad support across Jamaica, this fundraiser will deliver direct, immediate aid to specific communities in St. Elizabeth, particularly Elderslie and the surrounding areas, through our family and community networks on the ground.

Many smaller communities like Elderslie can be overlooked or experience delays in receiving aid from larger organizations due to blocked roads, limited resources, and the sheer scale of the disaster. By working through our own family connections, we can ensure supplies reach these communities more quickly and directly.

Who I am: Soneil Anthony Gonez, originally from Elderslie, St. Elizabeth, now living in the UK (Liverpool area). My mother (Shereen Watson) will be coordinating the supply of the aid. My aunt, her children and many others are currently homeless in Elderslie after their homes were destroyed and will be the recipients of the supplies.

How funds will be distributed

What we'll purchase and ship

All receipts will be kept for transparency, and I will provide updates showing purchases and shipping documentation.

We need to do whatever we can to help them, please. The Jamaican people are resilient, but they cannot do this alone.

I'm asking for your help to support my home and the people who helped raise me.

No amount is too small, every contribution will make a real difference in helping St. Elizabeth rebuild and recover from this worsening humanitarian crisis.

Thank you for your generosity and support during this difficult time.