Multiple charities have begun gearing up to support communities the Caribbean that sit in the path of the hurricane.

FLORIDA, USA — As Hurricane Melissa travels through the Caribbean, people in Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba are bracing for its impact. With the storm strengthening, families in Florida are already concerned about communities that will be impacted. 

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In the Tampa Bay area, the owners of Jerk Hut, known for their Jamaican cuisine, are working to organize a food and supply drive as people in Jamaica brace for Hurricane Melissa.

According to Charity Navigators, there is a list of approved charities providing relief and recovery to people affected by Hurricane Melissa.

“To facilitate effective disaster relief, Charity Navigator actively monitors Hurricane Melissa and has curated a list of highly rated organizations preparing and positioned to assist communities impacted by this major hurricane,” Charity Navigators states on the Hurricane Melissa charities website. “We will update this list over the next several days as the full scope of the disaster and regional needs become clearer.”

One of the highlighted charities includes Global Empowerment Mission Inc., based out of Doral, Fla.. The organization says they are deploying response teams with supplies to support communities within the projected path of Hurricane Melissa.

Another Florida group called Food For The Poor, based out of Coconut Creek, says they are preparing supplies that will be essential to people impacted by the hurricane, along with generators and hygiene kits.

“Direct Relief,” based out of Santa Barbara, Calif., says that they are sending emergency medicine and aid to communities threatened by the hurricane. They reported they have staged over $3.1 million in medical aid for Caribbean countries potentially impacted by Hurricane Melissa. In Jamaica, they have prepared field medic packs and care kits, requested by Jamaica’s National Health Fund.

10 Tampa Bay News reached out to the local Red Cross and are waiting to hear back.