Update: Sincere thanks to each of you who contributed to this GoFundMe. Thanks to you, we raised nearly $12,000 over a very short period of time and I was able to provide $300 to each of these 41 farmworkers. While these funds don't fix the intense losses faced by each individual, it was clear that those receiving the funds felt this support to be meaningful -- both in the amount of money provided and in showing that the community here cared. When I brought these funds to the workers, in most cases a couple days before they flew home to Jamaica, multiple workers specifically asked me to pass on their sincere gratitude - and love - to you all for this much-needed support. Thank you all so much for each of your significant contributions.

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Many local farmworkers from Jamaica are in great need of support in the wake of Hurricane Melissa – please help us give back to those who help put food on our tables!

Two weeks ago, Hurricane Melissa devastated dozens of our local farm workers’ homes, farms, and communities in Jamaica. Hurricane Melissa dropped an immense deluge of rain on par with Hurricane Helene, and its 185-mph sustained winds were tied with the two most powerful hurricanes ever to make landfall. It flooded entire communities, flattened homes and cropland, killed livestock, ripped off roofs, and destroyed home contents. Two weeks later, some communities in the western part of the country are still experiencing flooding and over a third of all residents still lack electricity.

A large number (~5%) of local farm workers are from Jamaica, spending half of each year in our community as seasonal workers on local farms before heading home every fall to Jamaica. Many of these workers also have small farms in Jamaica that they depend on for income in the off-season.

The funds raised through this GoFundMe will be divided equally among 41 Jamaican workers who work at several local farms, including Plainville Farm in Hadley, Kosinski Farms in Westfield, and Smiarowski Farmstand and Creamy in Sunderland. Most of these workers will return to Jamaica just before Thanksgiving, and we’re hoping to provide each of them with at least $1,000 (after paying GoFundMe's 3-4% transaction fee) to help address their families’ most pressing needs as they endure the aftermath of the hurricane and the long recovery ahead.

These 41 workers have each been significantly impacted by the hurricane to varying extents. Some have lost their homes completely and many have lost all or part of their roofs as well as the furnishings and belongings in their homes. One lost his whole herd of cattle and many have experienced the complete loss of all of their crops, ranging from yams, scallions, and bananas to tree crops like coffee that will take years to reestablish.

Please consider giving what you can to show support for these workers, and know that there are also three other active fundraisers that have been started to support local farmworkers who were impacted severely by this storm. See separate fundraisers for workers at Clark Brothers Orchard in Ashfield here, for workers at Atlas Farm in Deerfield here, and for workers at Blossoming Acres in Southwick here.

Many thanks,

Kristen, on behalf of Clayton, Ayonn, Cleon, Jahread, Morris, Granville, Adrian, Junior, Sheldon, Steven, Michael, Dennis, Chris, Fitzroy, Julian, Kemar, Shamar, Neville, Fred, Shaun, Gregory, Screw, Thomas, Gary, Brown, Romaine, Phil, Joel, Ichon, Sam, Collin, Demar, Jimmy, Kaisley, Mark, Nerron, Steve, Herman, Richard, and Desmond

Organizer: Kristen Wilmer, a longtime agricultural professional and former farmer and farm worker in the Pioneer Valley who lives in Florence, MA

Note that donations are gifts and not tax-deductible.