AP Photo/Matias Delacroix
Residents walk through Lacovia Tombstone, Jamaica, in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
The Jamaica Foundation of Houston is seeking donations to assist with recovery efforts after Hurricane Melissa — a Category 5 storm — made landfall in Jamaica earlier this week, leaving three-quarters of the island nation without power.
Hurricane Melissa is considered one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, with top wind speeds of 185 mph, according to The Associated Press. It is also the strongest storm in recorded history to have ever hit the island.
As of Wednesday, Jamaican authorities said more than 25,000 people were in shelters and 77% of the island was without power. Eight deaths had been reported in Jamaica. The storm has also made landfall in Haiti and Cuba, with an overall death toll of more than 30 in the Caribbean.
Nicole Bent Jones, president of the Jamaica Foundation of Houston, said the more than 800-member nonprofit organization has ties throughout the island. The foundation was founded in 1980 to strengthen the cultural ties between those in the Houston community and those from across the Caribbean.
“I have a cousin in Kingston and some friends over there and [in] St. Thomas. The east side wasn’t hit as hard … and they are OK,” Jones said. “But the family in St. Elizabeth, we have not heard from because the power is out.”
Jones said she has also heard from a retired couple from Houston who moved back to Montego Bay in Jamaica, whose house was heavily damaged.
“I’ve seen videos of the home where the roof caved in,” she said. “There’s a lot of water damage upstairs, downstairs, and the missing doors and [other] missing parts of the housing. So, it’s pretty bad.”
Right before the storm hit Tuesday, Jones said she and the foundation were in touch with the Jamaican embassy. She planned to be on a call Wednesday evening with other organizations to begin coordinating recovery efforts.
The foundation has set up a donation portal on its website to help raise funds for those in need. Jones said the foundation is only accepting monetary donations at this time, adding that talks are underway to try and work out the logistics of getting goods to Jamaica.
“The idea is to cover essential supplies and support,” she said. “Folks can donate via Zelle or to the foundation email or they can donate through the fundraising link with PayPal. … We’ll have a call [Wednesday night] with some of the presidents of the organizations to see what else we can do, but for now we have the fundraiser.”
The foundation has a goal of raising $150,000. It had collected just over $1,100 as of Wednesday evening.
A website has also been set up by the Jamaican government with more information on how to assist in the island’s recovery.