Hurricane Melissa is heading to our Jamaican coast, and Tuesday morning she is expected to make landfall in St. Elizabeth, the South Coast, Manchester, and Clarendon. Most rural communities are likely to be cut off from basic medical care.
Melissa is a Category 5 storm, the most powerful on the Saffir-Simpson scale, with sustained winds of 160 mph (257 km/h). Landfall is anticipated on Tuesday morning, bringing catastrophic rainfall—up to 40 inches (1,016 mm) in some areas, storm surges up to 13 feet, and widespread flash flooding. The storm’s slow progression may cause infrastructure damage, power outages, and isolation, especially in southern and western Jamaica.
In rural areas, many people loose access to basic necessities such as medical care, pharmacies, electricity to keep medicine cold leaving Infants without formula, diabetics without insulin, asthmatics without inhalers, and wounds at risk for infection in the tropical heat.
That’s where we come in.
We are Streets of Jamaica First Aid Relief Outreach!
A grassroots team of International and Jamaican health professionals and community organizers providing recourse navigation, immediate emergency first aid and essential nutrients / medicines in the aftermath of the storm.
Our on-the-ground team includes:
Birgitta Fontel – Founder of Streets of Jamaica, local coordinator, and logistics lead.
Rachael Miller – Registered Nurse, Field First Aid, Medical donations & logistics lead.
Dr. Marian Johnson - Mental Health / Mindfulness & Community Liaison
Dr. AB – Licensed Physician providing medical oversight and prescriptions.
Sasha Healy – Communications, fundraising, and transparency.
Together, we are mobilising a first aid relief team to deliver:
First aid for wounds, burns, and minor trauma
Essential medication – insulin, antibiotics, blood pressure meds, inhalers, infant formula - Blood pressure & glucose testing
Resource Navigation
We’re coordinating with other outreach groups to connect the most vulnerable communities with appropriate food, shelter, and rebuilding resources as they become available , so we can stay laser-focused on medical emergencies.
How Your Donation Helps
$25 USD = First aid kit for one family
$50 USD = Medical supplies for a diabetic patient (insulin, syringes, test strips) 1-2 month.
$100 USD = Fuel and transport for one day of rural outreach
$250 USD = Complete first aid and medicine package for a small community
Funds will be used for:
75% – Medicine and first aid supplies
25% – Transportation and logistics (pickup truck, fuel, storage coolers, meals and housing for the team.)
Transparency
All donations and distributions will be documented via the Streets of Jamaica platform, with regular updates, photos, and videos from the field — showing exactly where your support goes and who it helps.
Join Us
Every contribution, big or small, saves lives.
You can also support by donating your time, medical supplies, offering transport, or helping us connect with aid partners.
Donate now and help us reach rural Jamaica with the medical care they desperately need after Hurricane Melissa.
— Streets of Jamaica First Aid Relief Outreach
Organizer
Birgitta Fontel
Organizer
St. Augustine, FL