As Hurricane Melissa left a trail of devastation across the Caribbean, faith-based organizations have launched large-scale relief efforts to bring emergency aid and long-term recovery to hard-hit communities.

The Category 5 hurricane struck Jamaica with sustained winds of 185 mph — the strongest landfall in the island’s history — before tearing across Cuba and the Bahamas. AccuWeather estimates total damage and economic losses between $48 billion and $52 billion, warning that “the recovery could take a decade or longer” due to flooding, mudslides, and widespread infrastructure destruction

In response, Samaritan’s Purse, a global Christian humanitarian aid organization known for rapid disaster response, has deployed cargo planes to deliver heavy-duty tarps, solar lights, hygiene kits, and water filtration systems capable of serving up to 10,000 people per day. Medical teams will also provide emergency care to storm victims.

At its Coconut Creek warehouse, Food For The Poor, one of the largest international Christian relief agencies serving Latin America and the Caribbean, began assembling 20,000 hygiene and women’s care kits and launched a community donation drive for essential supplies such as tarps, blankets, and diapers to support families in devastated communities.

The National Christian Foundation of South Florida, which supports strategic Christian giving, activated a special Disaster Relief Fund to send 100% of donations directly to vetted local and global partners working in affected regions “with no overhead or administrative fees” to maximize impact.

You can help by contacting your local church, Samaritan’s Purse or Food For the Poor to join their relief efforts or visit NCFGiving.com/SouthFlorida/Hurricane to give.

For more Good News, read the GOOD NEWS November Issue at: https://digital.goodnewsfl.org/2025/november/