LAUDERHILL, FLA. (WSVN) - South Florida organizations continued stepping up to collect, pack and ship aid to residents of the Jamaica who were impacted by Hurricane Melissa.
Oliver Mair, the Consul General of Jamaica in Miami, joined Broward County leaders at a news conference in Lauderhill to reiterate that his country needs help, and there’s no time to waste.
“Far worse than what you see in the images, so the recovery is going to be long, it’s going to be hard; we just started,” said Mair. “We have planes arriving and we have been far more coordinated than we were in Hurricane Beryl.”
That’s why Mair and local officials are asking for donations of necessity items, including:
- Batteries
- Canned Goods
- Baby diapers
- Sleeping bags
- Tents
“This is not just about aid; it’s also about solidarity,” said Broward County Commissioner Hazelle P. Roger. “Broward County is committed to being a lifeline for Caribbean nations.”
Broward County will be accepting items at several locations that include libraries and government buildings. In Lauderhill, the following locations are accepting items:
- Lauderhill City Hall — 5581 W. Oakland Park Blvd, Lauderhill Fl, 33313
- Veterans Park — 7600 NW 50th Street, Lauderhill Fl, 33351
- John Mullins Park — 2000 NW 55th Avenue, Lauderhill Fl, 33313
- Westwind Park — 4550 NW 82nd Avenue, Lauderhill Fl, 33351
- Joy’s Roti Delight — 1205 NW 40th Avenue, Lauderhill Fl, 33313
- St. George Park — 3501 NW 8th Street, Lauderhill, Lauderhill Fl, 33311
Meanwhile, Global Empowerment Mission has been in place in Jamaica this week. Another cargo filled with pallets containing hundreds of items — including food, water, generators and batteries — arrived in the storm-ravaged island on Friday.
“We’re going to be sending two more planes over the next two days. Also, we’ve sent eight 40-foot containers. Next week, we’ll be sending another 10 containers and possibly more plans, but we’re still assessing the situation over in Jamaica,” said Billy Richardson, GEM Director of US warehouse.
One of those items is a “Dignity Kit” which includes sunscreen and skincare and aims to bring some relief to Jamaican women across the island.
Additionally, the veteran-led nonprofit Project DYNAMO sent nearly 4,000 pounds of critical aid — including baby formula, medical kits, hygiene items — to Key West. These items will be loaded into jets and delivered to Jamaca.
Catholic Charities of Miami also announced a relief fund hoping to help those in the Caribbean rebuild.
“They’re really impacted and we help all four,” said Peter Routsis-Arroyo, CEO of Catholic Charities.
For more information on Melissa donations to GEM, click here. For information on community volunteering at GEM, click here.
For more information about Project DYNAMO’s relief efforts, click here.
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.