Houston’s Caribbean community is uniting to help their homelands recover after Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful storms in recorded history, left a trail of destruction across Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba.
Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Oct 28 as a deadly Category 5 hurricane with winds reaching 185 mph. Later that week, the storm weakened as it moved toward Bermuda, but not before flooding neighborhoods, tearing down power lines, and forcing tens of thousands of people into shelters.
At least 50 people have been found dead across the region, including 30 in Haiti and eight in Jamaica, authorities said. For many in Houston’s Caribbean diaspora, the storm’s devastation impacted immediate families and relatives.
“I have cousins and friends I still can’t reach in St. Elizabeth,” said Dr. Nicole Bent Jones, president of the Jamaica Foundation of Houston (JFH). “The lines are down. It’s stressful. But for the people here in Houston, we’re all pulling together trying to do what we can.”
The 44-year-old nonprofit has launched an online donation drive through its website, jamaicafoundationofhouston.org, to raise $150,000 for recovery efforts. JFH is also organizing a citywide supply drive, with drop-off locations at local Caribbean restaurants and community centers this month.
Volunteers are preparing care packages and coordinating with shipping partners to send containers of essential items, including food, water, and bedding, to the island. The organization is working closely with Jamaica’s honorary consul in Houston, the country’s embassy, and Food for the Poor, a trusted humanitarian agency that has operated in Jamaica for decades.
People are devastated. Some families have no shelter. They’re running out of food and water, and those with health conditions are
Dr. Nicole Bent Jones
in even greater danger.
“People are devastated,” Jones said. “Some families have no shelter. They’re running out of food and water, and those with health conditions are in even greater danger. But we’re hopeful that through our partnerships, the aid will reach those who need it most.”
Jones said collaboration among Houston’s Caribbean groups has been strong. JFH is partnering with organizations such as the Association of Jamaican Nurses of Greater Houston, the Houston–Missouri City Domino Club, and several Caribbean-owned restaurants, which serve as collection points.
“When there’s a crisis, we come together,” she said. “Our missions might differ, but our hearts are the same.”
While the Jamaican community works to ship supplies, the Haitian community faces more complicated barriers.
Dorothy Dupuy, community affairs advisor for Houston Haitians United (HHU), said her organization is still assessing the storm’s full impact, with southern Haiti hit hardest. Cities such as Jacmel, Jérémie, and Petit-Goâve have suffered severe flooding and displacement, and at least 43 people are confirmed dead. An estimated 15,000 people are displaced, with nearly 1,700 currently in shelters.
“We have been carefully reviewing and vetting resources. In recent decades, charitable donations/efforts to Haiti have been marred by alleged misuse and misdirection of donated funds,” Dupuy said. “We want to ensure prudent referrals to resources and proper stewardship of any funds received. Building and retaining trust with our community is of utmost importance.”
HHU has been in contact with the Texas Caribbean Chamber of Commerce and the JFH to coordinate relief. Haiti’s logistical challenges run deep. Ongoing gang violence has made road travel dangerous, and a U.S. ban on air travel to Port-au-Prince through March 2026 has further complicated aid delivery.
“Most Haitian ports are controlled by gangs and/or corrupt entities,” Dupuy told the Defender. “This means there’s no guarantee items shipped to Haiti will reach intended recipients.”
Despite those barriers, Dupuy said local groups remain determined to help. HHU is encouraging Houston residents to donate to vetted organizations such as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA), and Ayiti Community Trust, all of which have ongoing relief operations.
She said the crisis has reignited discussions around climate resilience within the Haitian community.
“Many in our community have not been given the opportunity to learn how to swim despite being natives of a Caribbean island, Dupuy said. “The Haitian government and private sector could also amplify this effort by providing free/low cost classes or incorporating swim lessons in the national public school curriculum.”
Bent Jones has also discussed short- and long-term efforts for recovery with community members.
“We’re learning from this,” she said. “We’ve laid out immediate, mid-scale, and large-scale recovery plans, from $150,000 to $2 million, to rebuild infrastructure and help Jamaica prepare for future storms. This is about full transparency and long-term resilience.”
