Hamilton groups band together to organize relief for Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa

Aura Carreño Rosas · CBC News

· Posted: Nov 05, 2025 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: November 5

Following the demolition that Melissa, a Category 5 hurricane, caused successful Jamaica’s occidental portion past week, groups successful Hamilton are banding unneurotic to help. 

The Jamaica Foundation of Hamilton, the Afro-Canadian Caribbean Association and Hamilton Caribbean Women’s Group are moving unneurotic to signifier assistance for the land successful an effort they’re calling Hamilton Loves Jamaica.

Charlton Hamilton, a Jamaican antheral who has been surviving successful Hamilton for 50 years, said he’s ne'er seen thing similar this hap successful his homeland.

“I person been done 1 storm, 1 hurricane successful my life. That was, I think, 1951, and if it [had been] thing similar this, determination would beryllium nary Jamaica,” helium told CBC Hamilton.

Hamilton joined different assemblage members to motorboat the run astatine City Hall connected Tuesday.

Michelle Shivbarran, president of the Hamilton Caribbean Women's Group, said it’s important for organizations to enactment unneurotic successful the mode they are doing now.

“Sometimes erstwhile we bash things successful fragments, everybody's successful their ain silo, right? And you're reasoning wrong your small box, but past excavation and yours harvester to person much strength,” she said.

Michelle Shivbarran, president of the Hamilton Caribbean Women's Group, said it’s important for organizations to enactment together. (Aura Carreño Rosas/CBC)

Melissa made landfall successful Jamaica connected Oct. 28. The hurricane near up to 90 per cent of each structures successful Black River, St. Elizabeth, without roofs arsenic it snapped powerfulness lines and toppled factual structures. 

Melissa has been blamed for astatine slightest 19 deaths successful Jamaica.

The inaugural is calling for monetary and point donations.

She said for women successful particular, there’s a request for feminine hygiene products arsenic good arsenic kid attraction products. 

“Women fundamentally transportation their families, right? So that worry, that load of ‘how americium I providing for my kid tomorrow?’ is theirs. So thing that tin relieve that load from that pistillate would beryllium what we're aft today,” said Shivbarran.

The inaugural is accepting donations astatine the ACCA Community Centre astatine 754 Barton St. E. Other items they’re looking for include:

• Blankets, pillowcases and mats.
• Ropes and bungee cords.
• Flashlights and batteries.
• Buckets with lids.
• Collapsible h2o containers.
• Water purification tablets oregon kits.
• Personal hygiene items specified arsenic soap, sanitizer, dental attraction products, towels and diapers.
• First assistance supplied.

Hamilton Loves Jamaica volition besides beryllium hosting 2 fundraising events.

Starting this weekend, a Benefit Concert for Jamaica Disaster Relief is happening connected Saturday astatine 5 p.m. successful the Michaelangelo Banquet Centre astatine 1555 Upper Ottawa St.  

The performance volition diagnostic respective artists including Tania Lou, Prochess, Empress Leh Leh and more. Tickets are $30.

On Nov. 16, ACCA is turning its yearly Fabulicious festival, which is acceptable to person art, euphony and food, into a fundraising event. Tickets are $30 and the lawsuit starts astatine 2 p.m. astatine ACCA’s Community Centre.

ACCA, Hamilton's Jamaica Foundation and Hamilton Caribbean Women's Group held a associated quality league connected Tuesday wherever they unveiled their plans for the fundraiser. (Aura Carreño Rosas/CBC)

The organizations are besides selling Hamilton Loves Jamaica merchandise to rise funds. 

The wealth volition beryllium going to Jamaica's Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management.

Hamilton, the Jamaican antheral who lives here, is simply a longtime subordinate of ACCA, and said helium has helped with galore alleviation efforts successful the past. 

“We're expected to assistance each different erstwhile we're successful need. That's ever my rule successful life,” helium said.

“Whatever clip determination is simply a need, we should beryllium capable to measurement up arsenic a radical successful this community.”