A Message from the Secretary General: Restoration for Jamaica

The storm may have left the headlines, but it hasn’t left the homes of our friends and family in Jamaica.

My name is Robbie L. Brown. Most of you know me as the founder of FYAH Caribbean Grill or through my work in real estate. But today, I am writing to you as the Secretary General of the Harvest Global Initiative (HGI).

Six months ago, Hurricane Melissa—one of the strongest storms to ever touch our shores—tore through Jamaica. While the world has moved on to the next news cycle, nearly 90,000 households across the island are still displaced. In parishes like St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland, mothers are still sleeping under leaking tarps, and children are trying to learn in classrooms without roofs.

This pain is personal to me.

I was born and raised in Sarasota, Florida. I have lived through the anxiety of the "cone of uncertainty" and the heartbreak of the aftermath. I’ve been on the ground right here at home in the wake of Helene, Milton, and Debby, helping our neighbors in Sarasota and Bradenton clear debris, and find their footing again. I understand the hollow feeling of seeing your lifelong belongings out on the curb as trash. I know the unique challenge of rebuilding when the cameras have gone home but the mold and the damage remain.

Because I know that struggle here in Florida, I cannot turn my back on the struggle in Jamaica.

In April, our journey begins.

I am heading to Montego Bay to lead a hands-on restoration mission at the Emmanuel Caribbean University (ECU) campus. This trip is about two things: Nourishment and Infrastructure.

1. Feeding the Harvest:

Through FYAH Caribbean Grill, I am setting up a field kitchen to serve hot, soul-warming meals for the volunteers and families on the front lines. Having helped with relief efforts in Sarasota, I know that a hot meal is more than just food; it is the fuel for hope.

2. Building the Future:

The "Harvest Global Initiative" is focused on structural restoration. Your donations go directly toward:

Zinc Sheets ($3,500 JMD/sheet): Providing permanent, rust-proof roofing.

Lumber & Binding Wire: For structural repairs to schools and community clinics.

Restoration Kits: Essential tools for families to rebuild their own four walls.

Why trust HGI?

Because I am personally overseeing every dollar, from the "FYAH" kitchen to the hardware distribution. We are working directly with ECU to ensure aid reaches the people who have been overlooked.

I am asking you to plant a seed. Any donation can help provide a week of meals. Any size donation puts a roof back over a child’s head. No matter the amount, you are helping us "harvest" a future for a nation that has given us so much. ANY contribution size no matter how small or large will help tremendously.

Jamaica is my heart. Sarasota is my home. This mission is my priority. Let’s rebuild together.

With gratitude and determination,

Robbie L. Brown

Secretary General

Harvest Global Initiative