SEATTLE — Relief efforts are underway as Western Washington organizations prepare to send supplies to Jamaica and Cuba after Hurricane Melissa’s devastating impact.
World Vision is already stocked up at its Fife warehouse, where hundreds of flood buckets filled with cleaning supplies and much more are being prepared for shipment to the disaster-stricken areas. While the relief tries to make its way to the region, members of Seattle’s Jamaican community are watching with fear and hope after Hurricane Melissa slammed the island.
“We’ve gone through it, but at the same time, we do know it’s going to be a struggle and all the work begins now,” said Oystian Sinclair, President of Friends of Jamaica Seattle, a local nonprofit that supports grassroots development projects across Jamaica.
Sinclair says the organization is closely monitoring the situation. While he expressed relief that he has heard from his family in Jamaica, he remains concerned about the speed of the aid reaching those in need.
“I know help will get there... will it get there fast enough? I don’t think so,” he remarked.
Despite the challenges, Sinclair remains hopeful, emphasizing the importance of global solidarity in times of crisis.
“We may be different nations, but we are one global community,” he said, urging people to support the relief efforts without overextending themselves.
With the ongoing government shutdown in the United States, Sinclair noted that organizations like World Vision might be the best and only option for delivering aid quickly.
“That shows the resilience and the compassion of everyone as a human race that all is not lost,” he added. Sinclair’s call for unity underscores the global nature of the response needed to support those affected by Hurricane Melissa.
He realizes that while times are tough for many people dealing with financial insecurity, he hopes humanity can shine through in the form of relief for Jamaica and all other regions hit by Hurricane Melissa.
Sinclair adds that a fundraiser will be held on November 8 at Seattle’s ‘Taste of the Caribbean’ restaurant.
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