Blessings,

On behalf of Akeem and his community in St. Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica, one of the areas most severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa, I am sharing this message to bring attention to their urgent needs.

Akeem has been able to send me only brief updates whenever he can find a phone signal. Below are his words, so you can hear directly from him and understand what they are facing:

⸻

“My heart is heavy as I write this. My name is Akeem, and my hometown in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, has been hit hard by Hurricane Melissa. So many of our families are facing pain and loss that words can barely describe.

Right now, our community is without running water and electricity. Many of our local stores are flooded and covered in mud, making it hard to find food and clean water. Some people have gone days trying to stretch what little they have left. Families and the elderly are worried that supplies will not reach us soon enough as gas and food are becoming more and more expensive.

Seventy-four percent of homes in our communities still have missing roofs, and it has rained several times since the storm, forcing families to relive the trauma again and again. Communication is weak, and sometimes we lose signal for hours at a time.

I am raising funds to help my neighbors and the elderly in our community get basic necessities such as food, water, tarps, clothing, hygiene items, and medicine until more aid arrives. This money will go solely toward helping those who need it most in St. Elizabeth, especially our elders and families who are struggling to get supplies right now.

Every contribution, no matter how small, will go directly to helping real people recover and survive through this difficult time.

Please consider giving or sharing this page. Your kindness can make the difference between despair and hope for someone tonight.

Thank you for standing with us.”