My name is Ramsey Little. I am current Penn State Grad student and spend my extended winter break working at a ski resort overnight helping out with grooming and snowmaking operations. I have started this fundraiser to help out some of my coworkers up in Vermont that have been deeply affected by hurricane Melissa.

Six Jamaican workers in our department up at Stratton in Vermont have become family over the years, returning each winter season to work hard and support their loved ones back home. Their dedication is unwavering; they leave their own families for months at a time so they can provide for them in Jamaica. Recently, however, Hurricane Melissa devastated their communities, destroying homes and leaving these men and their families with almost nothing. Their wives and children are now facing urgent needs, and the road to rebuilding will be long. Any donation, no matter the amount, makes a tremendous difference in helping them restore stability and hope.

Earlier this year my own family faced a heartbreaking loss when my brother’s home was destroyed in the Palisades fire in Los Angeles. Experiencing that devastation firsthand opened my eyes to how quickly lives can change and how powerful community support can be. We started a GoFundMe for him, and the generosity of others made an incredible impact on his ability to rebuild. That experience is what motivates me now to help my six coworkers who have been deeply affected by Hurricane Melissa. Every dollar raised will go directly toward helping them and their families in Jamaica recover, rebuilding homes, replacing essentials, and restoring stability after losing nearly everything. My goal is to give them the same chance at hope and renewal that my own family received in our time of need.

-Ramsey