The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Jamaica, the humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, has been actively responding to the needs of Jamaicans affected by Hurricane Mellissa, which swept through the western parishes, leaving behind loss of life and widespread destruction.
Before the hurricane made landfall, ADRA Jamaica activated its National Emergency Management Plan and began distributing food packages to vulnerable communities in St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland.
“We had our emergency plan approved before the hurricane approached Jamaica,” explained Pastor Wenford Henry, Director of ADRA Jamaica. “When we saw the predicted path, we identified Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth as our initial response areas. We were able to order and prepare approximately 800 food packages in advance, recognizing that people would have immediate needs during and right after the storm.”
Following the passage of the hurricane, ADRA teams and volunteers were immediately mobilized, delivering hot meals and soups with near-daily consistency to residents in heavily impacted areas such as Black River, Middle Quarters, and Lacovia.