TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay community has delivered more than 40,000 pounds of donated supplies to Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa's devastating impact on the Caribbean island.
Francis Joseph, with the Caribbean American National Development Organization, returned to Tampa Sunday night after personally overseeing the distribution of aid collected over four weeks at The Jerk Hut on Fowler Avenue.
Watch report from Jada Williams
"I want to say thank you to the news media for checking in on us, both before and after, because I think the after is a long road ahead," Joseph said. "Thank you to the community as a whole for all of your support."
The relief effort was coordinated by Tampa Cares, a group led by the Caribbean American National Development Organization, along with the Caribbean Community Association and other local Caribbean organizations. Other partners, including The Jerk Hut, USF Health, and the Jamaican Mission Impact Team, also supported the initiative.
Joseph visited Jamaica to work with Food for the Poor, a nonprofit organization that helped distribute the Tampa Bay donations directly to affected communities.
"The key tourism areas are recovering quickly, but when you get past that area, there's a lot of devastation," Joseph said. "A lot of houses and older buildings were significantly impacted. So there's a lot of people that are actually in need."
The devastation is particularly severe on the outer areas of Kingston and the eastern side of the island, while western Jamaica and key tourism areas were largely spared.
Donated items included medical supplies, hygiene products, baby formula, diapers, dry and canned foods, and cleaning products. The community also provided solar lanterns, water filtration straws, and more than seven generators to help with power restoration.
"We asked for solar type devices, so solar lanterns, straw filters to help with drinking water because water is contaminated," Joseph said. "As opposed to sending a case of water, we provided filters."
USF Health coordinated medical supply donations that went directly to the University of the West Indies hospital, which was damaged during the hurricane.
Joseph witnessed the distribution process firsthand, as volunteers, including members of Jamaica's defense force, organized supplies and delivered them directly to communities in need. Major international organizations, including UNICEF and the World Food Programme, are also working on reconstruction efforts.
The distribution process Joseph witnessed involved careful coordination between multiple organizations and Jamaica's defense force. Volunteers worked systematically to sort, package, and distribute supplies directly to affected communities rather than simply delivering them to central locations.
Videos Joseph shared from Jamaica capture both the logistical complexity of the operation and the gratitude of recipients. Community members expressed appreciation for the Tampa Bay donations, with some holding children while thanking the camera for the support they received.
Joseph emphasized that this phase of emergency relief represents just the beginning of Jamaica's recovery process. The island faces extensive reconstruction needs that will require sustained support over months and years.
"This is the end of this phase," Joseph said. "We're going to try to continue to help. We want to figure out how we can say thank you to the community in some form."
Share Your Story with Jada
Jada Williams is focused on the issues that matter most to people in Hillsborough County. From downtown Tampa to Apollo Beach, Jada works to bring you updates and solutions on everything from crime to infrastructure. Reach out to Jada below with your concerns for your neighborhood.
.
After confusion, state issues guidance on what license plate frames are legal in Florida
Ana Smith decided to take off the decorative plate frame she’d had for more than 15 years once she realized it violated new rules. Tampa Bay 28’s Chad Mills has more about the state-issued clarifications to law enforcement about license plate frame enforcement.
