In a powerful demonstration of regional solidarity, United Way Trinidad and Tobago (UWTT) has mobilized $917,000 to support Jamaica’s recovery from the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Melissa. The Category 5 storm made landfall on October 28, 2025, resulting in extensive devastation and claiming 45 lives across the island nation.
The substantial funds were generated through UWTT’s “Our Hearts Are With Jamaica” initiative, launched shortly after the disaster. The campaign garnered significant support from corporate entities including Southern Sales and Services Ltd, bpTT, Republic Bank Ltd, Atlantic LNG, and TSTT, alongside numerous individual contributors.
UWTT CEO Gail Sooknarine emphasized the collective regional impact of such disasters, stating, “When disaster strikes anywhere in our region, it affects us all. This campaign reflects the power of collective action—bringing together corporate partners, donors, and communities to move beyond emergency relief and invest in recovery that restores dignity, livelihoods, and long-term resilience.”
The recovery strategy, implemented through United Way Jamaica, adopts a structured two-phase approach. Phase One addresses immediate humanitarian needs through distribution of food packages, hygiene kits, water provisions, and temporary shelter support for affected households. Phase Two focuses on economic stabilization through agricultural rehabilitation, partnering with the Jamaica Agricultural Society and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Mining to distribute seeds, fertilizer, livestock feed, and greenhouse materials to farming communities.
UWTT brings extensive regional disaster response experience to the effort, having previously coordinated relief operations for the 2010 Haiti earthquake, 2017 Hurricane Maria, 2018 Greenvale floods, 2021 Soufrière volcanic eruption, and 2024 Hurricane Beryl. These experiences have shaped the organization’s philosophy of transitioning from immediate relief to sustained recovery investment.