How did the hurricane affect Jamaica?
Hurricane Melissa made history as the strongest storm of 2025 and the first Category 5 hurricane to directly hit Jamaica. With winds reaching 185mph, it’s the most powerful storm to make landfall anywhere in the world for nearly a century.
The hurricane moved slowly over the Caribbean, bringing relentless rain, flash floods, and destructive winds to several countries with Jamaica taking the brunt. Western parts of Jamaica – especially Black River, St Elizabeth, and Westmoreland – were hit hardest.
Entire communities were left devastated with homes swept away or torn apart. People were left stranded with no power and very little food. Many tried to salvage what they could from the mud and floodwaters. But for tens of thousands, they had little choice but to sleep outside, in makeshift shelters, or crowded evacuation centres.
How did ShelterBox respond?
Working with Food for the Poor and Rotary in Jamaica, we supported thousands of people with shelter and other essential items like blankets, mosquito nets, water carriers, and solar lights.
Our distributions completed within 50 days of Hurricane Melissa.
We carried out 21 distributions within 50 days of Hurricane Melissa in hard-to-reach, mountainous areas. We supported people across four parishes – Westmoreland, Hanover, St James, and St Elizabeth.
Before each distribution, ShelterBox, Food for the Poor, and Rotary members packed aid at the Food for the Poor warehouse in Jamaica. Aid was shipped from our warehouses in Barbados and Panama where we pre-positioned supplies before the hurricane season.
Our aid distributed included:
Shelter kits with tarpaulins, tools, and rope so families could make quick repairs and protect themselves from the weather. Thermal blankets, mosquito nets, and water carriers to protect against illness and stay healthy and warm.
Solar lights so people can move around more safely after dark, with power still down in some areas.
In most of the communities we supported, we were the first people that they’ve seen. Food for the Poor also distributed hygiene kits and food, while its partner Water Mission distributed buckets.
Working together with our partners
Sonja Hughes from ShelterBox Trust led ShelterBox’s response in Jamaica, where we worked with our partners Food for the Poor and Rotary.
“We were privileged to join alongside Jamaican organizations and their volunteers who tirelessly worked to reach communities who needed support. It was really inspiring to be part of such country-wide efforts in what must be the most challenging disaster that Jamaica has faced.”
Rotary members not only helped with aid packing and distributions but also gathered feedback and complaints from the communities we support as part of ongoing monitoring activities.
Together, ShelterBox, Rotary, and Food for the Poor also identified more communities in Westmoreland and surrounding parishes and conducted phase 2 of our response to help even more people.
Rohoin’s Story
30-year-old Rohoin is a local builder in Jamaica who lost his home to Hurricane Melissa.
After the storm, he helped his neighbours repair their homes. Rohoin received a Shelter Repair Kit and household items and told us:
Today I have received tarpaulins, tools – to help rebuild back my house. God bless whoever helped us do this. We need the help man, you know?… I respect ShelterBox supporters, I respect them for their help.
