Sean Paul Foundation Expands Hurricane Relief Efforts to Western Jamaica

Kingston, Jamaica - The Sean Paul Foundation (SPF), in partnership with Food for the Poor (FFTP) Jamaica, recently visited communities and schools in Westmoreland, to distribute food, bottled water, hygiene packages and other essential items to families severely affected by Hurricane Melissa. The team was heartbroken to witness firsthand the devastation and the urgent needs of residents. 

Food For The Poor set up operations at the damaged Petersville Primary and Infant School, serving as a hub to provide essential aid to families from neighbouring communities such as Petersville District, Long Hill District and Congress Hall. In addition to immediate relief, international recording artiste Sean Paul and his team conducted damage assessments to identify ways to support long-term recovery and rebuilding of homes, schools, and livelihoods. 

Sean Paul shared, “The devastation is real – the people are hurting and in need of urgent help. Jamaica is my home, and honestly, I could hardly recognise any of the places that hold so many memories for me as we travelled through Manchester, St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland. Even some of our landmarks were completely destroyed. It felt like a scene from a horror movie. It is going to take a lot of help – an immense amount of money and time – to rebuild.”

On the ground

During the visit, Sean Paul spoke with residents like Cleveland Brown of Congress Hall, who made his way to Petersville Primary School to access relief supplies. Brown shared the difficulties his community now faces and expressed gratitude to the team for coming to see the situation in Westmoreland.

“It was a very difficult experience being in the middle of the hurricane. When I heard it coming, I tried to secure my home but I could only do so much. All I remember is the zinc start tear off while getting some food, and when I looked around, everything was lifting up, even the plate outta my hand. My friend came with his daughter seeking refuge, but before we could settle, the whole house started to move. I grabbed the door and with my brother, ran toward the top of the hill. I couldn’t keep track of my friend with his child. Honestly, if it wasn’t for God, we wouldn’t be alive. The wind felt like it was trying to lift us up. We found a king-size mattress, laid down on the divan and used what we could to cover ourselves. When it was over, all I could see was dead hogs and goats everywhere, nothing weh look like a house nowhere,” he recounted.

Brown continued, “I heard Food For The Poor come here several times, at the time we were just trying to pick up the pieces. I’m happy I was able to make it today to get some supplies. I really don’t have the money for food, much less to rebuild - I don’t even know how I’m going to do it.”

FFTP Field Officer Stewart Lynch expressed, “Cleveland’s story is one of many. We are present on the ground and ready to assist him and others like him and we are committed to getting these communities the help that they need. It takes a certain level of mental strength to handle this kind of devastation but their resilience pushes us. Our team is full of passionate people who just want to see how best they can help with rebuilding the affected communities. Some areas are hard to reach but the more we can get the word out, the more people we can assist.”

New Collaborations

The visit also marked the beginning of new partnerships and strengthened existing ones. In addition to collaborating with Food For The Poor to donate cash and distribute relief packages, the Sean Paul Foundation has contributed to several other efforts, including Romeich Entertainment’s relief drive, actively distributing food and supplies to rural communities. Sean Paul and the team met up with Rockhouse Foundation at the Savanna-la-Mar Inclusive Infant Academy, where he joined volunteers in distributing water and relief packages as well as serving free, warm meals courtesy of World Central Kitchen (WCK) to residents affected by the hurricane. Sean Paul previously partnered with Rockhouse Foundation during the pandemic to assist with raising funds and awareness for schools in need. 

WCK is a US-based non-profit organisation founded by chef José Andrés, that provides food relief in response to humanitarian, climate and community crises. Already in conversation with WCK representatives, Sean Paul was thrilled to see their work in action and has decided to collaborate with them to prepare and distribute meals. 

Paige Cofield, WCK Director expressed, “We’re so grateful to Sean Paul for joining World Central Kitchen in Jamaica to help serve meals to families and communities in need. His time, energy, and genuine care brought incredible spirit to our team and the people we serve. It’s always inspiring to see members of the community come together to share food and hope - and Sean’s involvement is a powerful reminder of what that looks like in action,” 

Support the Cause

If persons are unable to join us in the field but would still like to make a difference, you can support the Sean Paul Foundation relief efforts by donating through our partner, Food For The Poor Jamaica. Contributions will help provide essential supplies and support to affected communities across the island. Donate to the cause at the following links: https://foodforthepoorja.org/seanpaulfoundation or https://donate.wck.org/SeanPaulJamaica.