KINGSTON, Jamaica — Eight weeks since the passing of Hurricane Beryl, the people of southern St Elizabeth have made significant progress in building back their community with the support of many friends and strangers through BREDS, the Treasure Beach Foundation.

Up to August 31, 2024, the foundation reported that it restored water to over 3,000 people, purchased two large generators to enable water supply, delivered 5,000 care packages, distributed 250 tarpaulins, and deployed 15 generators to power key services to the community.

According to the foundation, through Starlink, it also enabled communication for hundreds while it distributed construction material to 341 recipients, assisted 254 primary and infant school students with back-to-school expenses across seven schools and provided 80 fisherfolk in three fishing villages with wire.

BREDS said it was able to assist community members through partnerships with the American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) and the National Commercial Bank Foundation which matched donations up to a threshold of US$150,000.

Donations from the Global Empowerment Mission, Wata, the Tourism Enhancement Fund, the Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association, Myco Meditations/Blue Marlin also facilitated this initiative, the foundation said.

Meanwhile, the Treasure Beach Womens Group (TBWG) led the programme to distribute food and water care packages to thousands of people in over thirty districts, facilitated by Seprod Foundation, the Azan family, Pricesmart, Rainforest Seafoods, Caribbean Producers Jamaica and many private food drives.

Dennis Abrahams, a BREDS director, led the volunteer effort to assess and distribute construction material to assist in the rebuilding of homes. The foundation said as more need is identified and more resources are made available, the rebuilding project will continue, both to give further assistance to those already in the programme and new recipients.

Treasure Beach consists of eight districts, namely Beacon, Billys Bay, Bluntas, Calabash Bay, Frenchman, Great Bay, Sandy Bank and Fort Charles.

However, given the level of need, the foundation expanded its scope to include another 23 districts including Barbary Hall, Betteny, Big Wood, Crowe Town, Flagaman, Greenfield, Hill Top, Hounslow, Lennon Wood, Lewis Town, Little Park, Mountainside, Munro, Newcombe Valley, Newell, Pedro Cross, Round Hill, Seaview, Short Hill, Slipe, Southfield, Watchwell and Williamsfield.

The foundation said focus has now been expanded to assist farmers and fisherfolk as well as back to school activities.