Rebuilding After Hurricane Melissa: Jamaica’s Multi-Sector Response and Opportunities to Contribute
- Zahra Henry
- Nov 11
- 6 min read
Zahra Henry, ZLH Careers and Decoda Davis, Centred Scribe
Two weeks ago, on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, Hurricane Melissa swept across the northwestern Caribbean, leaving a trail of destruction in Cuba, Haiti, and most acutely, Jamaica. In western and central parishes — St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, St. James, Hanover, St. Ann, Manchester, and Clarendon — roughly 90,000 families faced the devastation directly, and more than 120,000 buildings lost their roofs (ODPEM, 2025). Our doctors and nurses worked tirelessly, balancing urgent injuries with ongoing patient care, while broken roads and bridges trapped communities, leaving families without safe drinking water, electricity, or essential services. People scrambled for shelter materials, clean water, hygiene supplies, and medicines, often relying on neighbours and local networks to survive the first critical days. Amid the chaos, we began seeing the threads that could hold communities together — the local organisations, service clubs, small businesses, and international partners mobilising their resources and know-how — and it was this interconnectedness that we immediately set out to map, understand, and support.
ZLH Careers’ Reconnaissance and Role
Recognising the need for an early, evidence-based understanding of the impact and response ecosystem, ZLH Careers conducted a reconnaissance and mapping effort, supported by Centred Scribe. This initiative brought together multiple actors to identify gaps, track needs, and understand the flow of resources.
ZLH Careers has joined forces with True People Consulting, supported by the Robin Kiira Foundation and other international specialists. ZLH brought on Centred Scribe and Behind the Brand to leverage expertise in creative storytelling, writing and project management. Our role is to map, match, and mobilise human, material, and financial resources, acting as a conduit between global capacity and local needs, without duplicating operational or government efforts.
This blog shares insights from that reconnaissance, highlighting key actors, patterns emerging from the response, and practical ways readers can engage to help communities rebuild.
Government Coordination: ODPEM and NEOC
At the center of Jamaica’s response is the Office of Disaster Preparedness & Emergency Management (ODPEM), supported by the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC). Together, they coordinate government ministries, security forces, local parish disaster committees, international agencies, and private sector support.
Through situational updates, shelter coordination, and routing of international assistance, ODPEM and NEOC have maintained the formal backbone of the national response. They have also prioritised logistics and supply chains, working closely with the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), and the National Works Agency (NWA) to ensure relief reaches the most affected communities, including isolated areas.
United Nations Agencies: Anchoring Relief Clusters
Multiple UN agencies have been active in cluster coordination to support shelter, water, sanitation, health, and nutrition needs:
IOM (International Organization for Migration): Leading the Shelter Sector Working Group, focusing on tarpaulins, roofing material, and shelter non-food items (NFIs), in collaboration with UNDP for roofing rehabilitation.
UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund): Supporting gender-based violence response and women’s health in shelters and affected communities.
WFP (World Food Programme): Coordinating with private-sector emergency centres to scale logistics, manage last-mile distribution, and partner with local organisations. Temporary warehousing has been offered by private-sector partners, while Food for the Poor’s facilities support kitting and packing of supplies.
UNDP (United Nations Development Programme): Assisting with assessment, shelter rehabilitation planning, and early recovery strategies.
These agencies emphasise collaboration with civil society, service organisations, and diaspora networks to avoid duplication and ensure efficient resource use.
NGOs and Philanthropy: Scaling Community Relief
Non-governmental organisations have been pivotal in mobilising local and international support.
United Way of Jamaica and American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) coordinate grants, supply distribution, and facilitate direct channels for overseas donors. They also act as critical hubs to connect volunteers and donations to validated community partners.
Food for the Poor leverages existing warehousing and kitting facilities to distribute relief efficiently.
Mercy Chefs, a Virginia-based organisation, is providing up to 10,000 hot meals daily across multiple parishes. They are exploring partnerships with local organisations and hiring Jamaican chefs to meet sustained food needs.
Strengths of these organisations include structured logistics, credibility with donors, and capacity for rapid deployment. Gaps include the need for better last-mile connectivity, leveraging civic technology for resource mapping, and scaling volunteer coordination.
Service Organisations: Rotary and Kiwanis
Service organisations like Rotary International and Kiwanis International, with long-standing regional and local divisions in Jamaica, provide expertise and infrastructure to support relief. Their networks extend islandwide, offering volunteers, storage facilities, and distribution points such as hospitals and schools.
By working with major NGOs like Salvation Army and Food for the Poor, service clubs help multiply the impact of donations, reducing inefficiencies caused by ad hoc relief efforts. Their experience in logistics and networked mobilisation ensures that support reaches priority areas effectively.
Private Sector Engagement
The organised private sector is contributing through advocacy, sponsorship, and coordination.
Jamaica Manufacturers & Exporters Association (JMEA) collaborates with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, facilitating procurement of manufacturers’ goods and services toward disaster relief.
Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) and Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) assist with sponsorships, remissions, and connecting business resources to relief initiatives.
The Small Business Association of Jamaica advocates for the needs of small enterprises, gathering data on damage and mobilising members to support affected communities.
Supplies from the private sector are generally routed through JDF channels, providing security and structured distribution, and complementing NGO-led relief efforts.
Small Businesses and Grassroots Initiatives
Alongside larger actors, local small businesses and individual-led initiatives are stepping in to support relief, including cultural and entertainment figures, promoters, DJs, and caring residents. These efforts often fill niche gaps, from distributing supplies to local communities to providing temporary services. Their energy and creativity demonstrate the vibrancy and resilience of Jamaican society, though coordination with established channels can help amplify impact and avoid duplicating efforts.
Emerging Patterns and Priority Needs
From interviews, field observations, and cluster meetings, some clear patterns have emerged:
Shelter: Roofing materials and tarpaulins remain the top priority across the most affected parishes.
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH): Access to potable water is inconsistent. The Ministry of Health has requested chlorine tablets to purify river water for residents. Hygiene kits are still in high demand.
Volunteer and Technical Support: Local organisations have capacity but often lack additional skilled volunteers, especially in logistics, health, and project management.
Coordination and Matching: Donors, both individual and institutional, are ready to support but need credible channels and guidance to avoid duplication.
These observations underline the importance of a coordinated ecosystem approach, where organisations, small businesses, and diaspora actors collaborate through trusted channels to maximise impact.
How You Can Help
Opportunities for meaningful contribution are available across different capacities:
For NGOs and Community Organisations:
Partner with Food for the Poor or AFJ for warehousing, kitting, and coordinated distribution.
Leverage Rotary and Kiwanis networks to expand volunteer mobilisation and logistics reach.
Engage with UN shelter and health clusters to align activities with priority needs.
For Jamaican Residents or Diaspora Individuals:
Support the provision of roofing materials, tarpaulins, chlorine tablets, hygiene kits, solar lighting, and other essential items through validated channels. Visit the official government website for an updated needs list according to various categories.
Volunteer skills such as project management, communications, mapping, or data support with established NGOs.
Collaborate with small businesses and community-led initiatives to multiply impact and efficiency.
For Corporates and Private Sector Entities:
Offer logistics support, transport, and storage through PSOJ, JMEA, and JCC networks.
Second staff or provide technical expertise to NGOs and community initiatives.
Fund key priorities such as potable water solutions and shelter supplies.
For Medical and Health Professionals:
Partner with the health cluster to provide mental health, women’s health, or general medical support in affected parishes.
By engaging with these organisations through their existing systems, supporters can maximise their contribution while reducing duplication and bottlenecks in relief efforts.
Moving Forward after Hurricane Melissa
Hurricane Melissa represents not just a disaster response challenge but a broader lesson for sustainable development, climate resilience, and strategic community rebuilding. As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), Jamaica faces disproportionate impacts from extreme weather events, highlighting the importance of integrated planning and multi-sector collaboration.
This reconnaissance and ecosystem mapping represent the first step in our ongoing commitment to supporting recovery efforts. Over the coming months, businesses, NGOs, government, and diaspora actors will need to continue collaborating, pivot strategies, and secure funding and technical support to rebuild communities, infrastructure, and livelihoods.
Stay Connected and Engage
This is a long-term effort. Through careful collaboration, strategic planning, and coordinated support, every contribution — whether a skill, a donation, or a network — can accelerate recovery, strengthen resilience, and support sustainable development across Jamaica.
If you want to stay connected to our work, subscribe to our website and follow us on Instagram or LinkedIn @ZLH Careers. If you are interested in collaborating with us on relief efforts or other strategic initiatives, email us at zlhcareers@gmail.com.
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