RESIDENTS of several communities in the hard-hit constituency of Westmoreland Eastern were grateful on Friday when a contingent of corporate teams, led by Pepsi-Cola Jamaica and Red Stripe, took relief supplies to them.

Through a joint relief initiative that also included representatives and volunteers from Celebration Brands, Restaurants of Jamaica and Vantage One, the companies distributed warm meals, bottled water and care packages to sections of Whitehouse, Belmont, Bluefield, Retirement, and Aldair.

“The ongoing recovery across the island will require efforts from all of us,” said Bianca Fakhourie, Pepsi-Cola Jamaica corporate affairs representative.

“Pepsi is proud to stand alongside our partners to bring a bit of relief and hope to communities that have lost so much because it’s part of our corporate responsibility to Jamaica. And seeing the scale of the damage first-hand was heartbreaking, but we were also able to see resilience. Our goal is to keep showing up where we’re needed most and to be part of the ongoing recovery effort,” added Fakhourie.

Inside the Red Stripe care packages were Malta beverages and essential items like toilet paper, toothpaste, and non-perishables, while alongside these, Pepsi’s contribution of 500 cases of Crystal Punch water helped to serve close to 1,000 individuals or roughly 400 families during that distribution.

With the help of other partners, the hard-hit residents also got a chance to access temporary charging stations and Internet connectivity to try to get in touch with loved ones.

On the ground, the team was joined by Member of Parliament Dr Dayton Campbell and his executive assistant Shamil Brown, who helped coordinate the local distribution.

“There’s a lot of suffering on the ground. So when you have Red Stripe and Pepsi being good corporate citizens and stepping out like this, it really fills a gap. Today has been significant in reducing the misery index within the communities,” said Campbell.

Meanwhile, several residents, including Wellesley Batson of Retirement, were overwhelmed by the support.

According to Baston, despite a number of relief efforts targeting his community, many residents still have not been able to benefit due to the sheer scale of need.

“I glad for it. Things been giving and giving, and I never get a bottle of water. So I am more than glad,” added Baston.

Like Batson, many other residents including backyard farmers who lost livestock and small shopkeepers who lost merchandise, the help provided breathing room for them to start again.

“It’s going to take us a long time to recover so my call to the rest of Jamaica is that every little bit is going to count. And it’s not just issuing food. We’re going to have to clear houses. We’re going to have to build houses, rebuild. So whatever we can do to help these communities, every mickle will make a muckle,” said Diane Ashton-Smith, Red Stripe head of corporate affairs.

According to Ashton-Smith, the team involved in the joint initiative continues to engage with stakeholders to assess needs and identify additional ways to provide meaningful support in the recovery period ahead.