In an extraordinary display of community spirit, maintenance personnel from Jamaica’s National Water Commission (NWC) have channeled their year-end celebration funds toward disaster recovery efforts at a vulnerable elderly care facility. The Ultimate Care Centre in Catherine Hall, St. James, which suffered catastrophic flooding during Hurricane Melissa, became the beneficiary of this redirected corporate generosity.
The eastern maintenance team’s contribution included vital supplies such as drinking water, adult hygiene products, cleaning equipment, bedding materials, and essential household goods. This support arrived at a critical juncture for the care home, whose ground level was submerged under nearly six feet of floodwater that destroyed furnishings and operational equipment.
Ann Bolt, Acting Community Relations Manager for the eastern region, commended her staff’s selfless decision during the donation ceremony. She characterized the maintenance personnel as the organization’s ‘heartbeat’ and emphasized their voluntary choice to prioritize community welfare over personal celebration following the hurricane’s devastation.
Care center proprietor Lorna Bogle conveyed profound appreciation for the unexpected assistance, noting that the contribution would extend beyond the facility to help other affected community members. The gesture has infused renewed optimism among residents and caregivers alike, demonstrating how collective action and empathy can powerfully address crisis situations.
The NWC’s initiative establishes a notable precedent for corporate social responsibility, illustrating how reallocating resources can generate substantial positive impact when communities face natural disasters and humanitarian challenges.