The Veronica Campbell Brown Foundation has mobilised an emergency response effort to support communities devastated by Hurricane Melissa, with a particular focus on ensuring that Jamaica’s high school girls can return to the classroom as the nation recovers.

According to the Foundation in a media release, it is raising funds to support immediate relief through partnerships with Food For The Poor and other corporate teams working tirelessly to deliver essential supplies to affected families.

It stated that the hurricane has hit particularly close to home for Olympian Veronica Campbell-Brown, a native of Trelawny, one of the parishes impacted by the storm. The Foundation has longstanding relationships with schools in both Trelawny and the Montego Bay area, another region facing significant damage, having supported girls’ education in these communities for more than a decade through scholarships, mentorship and direct resources.

“Knowing that schools where we’ve worked alongside dedicated teachers and watched girls flourish are now dealing with this devastation makes this response very important,” Campbell Brown expressed.

For more than a decade, the Veronica Campbell Brown Foundation has worked directly with schools across Jamaica, providing scholarships, mentorship and resources to help girls pursue their education despite financial hardship. This established network positions the Foundation to respond quickly and effectively as communities assess the full impact of Hurricane Melissa on school infrastructure and family stability, the release stated.

“Food For The Poor is honored to work alongside the Veronica Campbell Brown Foundation during this critical time,” said FFTP President/CEO Ed Raine. “Veronica’s commitment to Jamaica’s young people has always gone beyond words, and this partnership allows us to reach families who need both immediate relief and a pathway forward. Together, we’re ensuring that help arrives where it’s needed most.”

Campbell Brown issued a special appeal to Jamaicans in the diaspora, calling on the global Jamaican community to support the recovery effort.

“To every Jamaican abroad who has built a life overseas but carries Jamaica in their heart, this is our moment to stand with our people. Now we’re asking you to help ensure that Hurricane Melissa doesn’t steal that same opportunity from the next generation of Jamaican girls.”

The Foundation is accepting donations online at vcbfoundation.com and through foodforthepoor.org/vcbfoundation. As recovery begins, donations will be redirected to educational support programs designed in consultation with the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, school administrators and community leaders.

For more information about the Veronica Campbell Brown Foundation’s Hurricane Melissa response, visit vcbfoundation.com or contact us at info@vcbfoundation.com.