SAJ supports Hurricane Beryl relief efforts with cash and in-kind donations

THE SHIPPING Association of Jamaica (SAJ) made a crucial contribution to the Hurricane Beryl relief efforts, targeting the needs of communities in the eastern region of Jamaica. This region, though not as severely affected, faced considerable damage following the hurricane that struck the island on July 3.

The SAJ’s donation includes both a cash contribution and essential supplies, a gesture facilitated by the efforts of its membership. The items were presented by SAJ President Corah Ann Robertson-Sylvester, who emphasised the importance of addressing the needs of all affected areas, including those that may not have received as much attention.

“We recognise the role our support can play in these challenging times,” said Robertson-Sylvester. “It is our hope that this contribution will help alleviate some of the suffering and provide relief to those affected by Hurricane Beryl.”

The Food For The Poor organisation, which has been at the forefront of disaster relief, serves over 300,000 people monthly. This number has significantly increased in the wake of the hurricane, as the organisation expands its outreach to assist displaced families and individuals. Kivette Silvera Stephens, executive director of Food For The Poor, emphasised the essential nature of this support.

“The support has been awesome, and it is so wonderful to have partners such as the Shipping Association of Jamaica who have come on board to give us that additional support because you recognise, in being in the field, the need is great,” said Silvera Stephens. “Every day you go, you see a new set of needs, a new set of persons seeking assistance. And thank God that Jamaicans, corporate Jamaica, individuals as well as businesses, have decided to actively participate and help rebuild Jamaica through Hurricane Beryl relief efforts.”

The Food For The Poor team has been actively working to address the wide-ranging needs caused by the hurricane. According to Silvera Stephens, the destruction has been extensive: “We recognise that quite a number of persons have lost their roofs. They’ve lost their homes, they are not able to even prepare for going back to school. They don’t have food, they would have lost furniture, all their clothing and supplies would have been damaged. So, when you think about the need, it is wide-ranging. It is literally from the roof of the home to the floor and everything in-between.”

The SAJ’s representatives, Sylvester-Robertson and Deputy General Manager Terrence Brooks visited Food For The Poor’s Ellerslie Pen operations in St Catherine to observe the distribution process and see the scale of the organisation’s efforts.

Food For The Poor continues to call for donations and volunteers to assist with their relief efforts. Silvera Stephens highlighted the various ways people can contribute: “We always accept prayers because everything else comes right after. But outside of that, we also accept volunteers who are willing to help us to pack the items that we are delivering in the field. We are also open to having persons be out in the field with us to assist us to assess and identify persons [with needs].”

The organisation remains committed to addressing both the immediate and long-term needs of those affected by the hurricane. Individuals and businesses interested in supporting the relief efforts can visit Food For The Poor’s website at foodforthepoorja.org or contact them directly at (876) 618-0141.