One month since Hurricane Melissa, N.C. group working to help Jamaica recover

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s been one month since Hurricane Melissa wreaked havoc on the Caribbean islands, and the people there still need support. Lincoln Wilmot is reminded of the devastation that hit his home country of Jamaica 

 “It was the most devastating thing I’ve ever seen,” Wilmot of Charlotte said. 

He was on the island when Hurricane Melissa tore through as a Category 5. 

“You know, I’m ex-military and it was probably the only time I’ve ever actually been scared for anything,” Wilmot said.

He was staying only 50 yards from the ocean and saw structures washed away.

“I felt really bad because I felt that I had a home to go back to, but a lot of these people had nowhere to go,” he said.

The Jamaican American Cultural Association is organizing supplies for a mission trip to the island.

The group has collected food, clothing, hygiene products and received $50,000 in medical supplies. It will distributed primarily on the southwest side of the country, where the hurricane did the most damage. 

“That side is known as the breadbasket of Jamaica. It supplies a lot of the food all over Jamaica, and it affected a third of the Jamaican population,” said Gaynor Russell, president of the association.

According to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, the death toll across the Caribbean reached 90 as of Nov. 12.

“The prime minister himself has spoken about the extent of the damage. Even though they had insurance policies to cover damages, it’s still not even a dent into what has happened on the island,” Russell said.

Even though the journey is far from over, Wilmot knows his people will persevere.

“People in Jamaica desperately need help, so they’re doing the best they can to survive, and you know they’re strong people. We are strong people. So they have not given up hope, but I’m hoping that the world would continue to send supplies and send help,” Wilmot said.

The association trip is planned for Dec. 5, and the group has enough monetary donations to build eight houses for families in need. 

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