BBF has provided a grant to Food For The Poor (FFTP) to support large-scale disaster response and logistics operations in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa. The grant supports the coordination, staging, and distribution of food, medical supplies, water systems, and other essential relief materials to communities impacted by the storm.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall on October 28, 2025, reaching Category 5 strength with sustained winds of approximately 185 miles per hour. The storm caused widespread destruction across the Caribbean, including Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and the Bahamas. In Jamaica alone, more than 1.1 million people were affected, with 172 communities impacted and over 130 roads blocked by flooding and landslides. As of early November, 28 deaths and approximately 30,000 displaced individuals had been reported, while multiple hospitals and critical water systems remained impaired. Communications continued to be limited in several western parishes, complicating relief efforts.

FFTP is coordinating inbound humanitarian assistance and nationwide distribution efforts in collaboration with government agencies, international organizations, and local partners. Working alongside the Ministry of Labour and Social Services, the Jamaica Defence Force, and the Office of the Prime Minister through the Humanitarian Assistance Committee, FFTP is managing customs clearance, staging, warehousing, and dispatch of aid to affected areas.

Warehouses in Spanish Town and Montego Bay are operating as primary consolidation and distribution hubs, supporting aid delivery across all parishes. Airlift operations involving Jamaican and U.S. military helicopters are being used to transport food and water to communities where roads remain inaccessible, including western parishes affected by flooding and landslides. Mobile storage units at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston are serving as central logistics points for inventory management and onward distribution.

Relief supplies distributed or in transit include food commodities, medical supplies and hospital equipment, hygiene items, mattresses, tarps, building materials, and water purification units. Additional containers and airfreight shipments are staged for deployment, significantly increasing weekly throughput to meet emergency needs. Water purification systems are being deployed in coordination with national water authorities to restore access to potable water in affected communities.

FFTP’s operations support the distribution efforts of multiple humanitarian partners, including World Central Kitchen, Water Mission, UNICEF, the World Food Programme, and medical aid organizations. These partners rely on shared logistics infrastructure to move food, water, medical supplies, and hygiene materials efficiently across the island.

A nationwide church network is being used for last-mile distribution and community-level needs assessments. Local pastors and parish leaders provide ongoing updates on conditions within their communities, helping to guide the allocation and delivery of relief supplies.

While emergency response efforts remain ongoing, planning has begun for recovery activities focused on temporary shelter solutions, roof repairs, and restoration of essential services. In coordination with national authorities and international partners, these efforts are intended to support displaced families as they transition from emergency assistance toward longer-term recovery.