THE Jamaicans Abroad Helping Jamaicans at Home (JahJah) Foundation has given a well need boost to health workers at Black River Hospital in St Elizabeth whose houses were destroyed during Hurricane Melissa, with the donation of a 40-foot container of building and construction material.

The container was one of five packed by the foundation and shipped to Jamaica to be distributed among people in St Elizabeth and Westmoreland worst affected by the Category 5 storm which hit the island on October 28.

The mission was made possible through the assistance of the foundation’s many donors in the United States.

“The container which went to Black River is unique because it was solely for the health care workers. We felt that we needed to support the health care workers who lost their roofs. If they have no home to go back to it creates an even bigger despair. That was our main focus in the Black River area. Through the chief executive officer [Diana Brown Miller] and the administrators at the hospital they decided which of the health care workers are in most need of zinc, lumber, and food,” founder of JahJah Foundation Dr Trevor Dixon told the Jamaica Observer.

“We bought more than 2,000 sheets of zinc to be distributed out of five containers. Three are actually on the island already. Two of them went to Savanna-la-Mar and the other one went to Black River,” added Dixon, who heads the Emergency Department at Jacobi Hospital in New York.

He pointed out that the timing of the hurricane was rather interesting, because Melissa occurred during a bitter sweet period of his life when he was dealing with success and pain at the same time.

On October 20, Dixon received the Order of Distinction from the Government of Jamaica for his work in the areas of healthcare and education. On that day he also heard that his sister had died in a hospital in the United States.

Roughly a week later Jamaica was hit by Melissa, which left a trail of destruction particularly in the island’s south-western parishes.

Despite his sister’s death, Dixon managed to galvanise support from the diaspora to help the people most badly affected in Jamaica by the hurricane which destroyed thousands of houses and is blamed for at least 45 deaths.

Dixon expressed gratitude to all volunteers, sponsors, and donors who helped JahJah Foundation fulfil the mission.

“The response from the Jamaican community in New York, New Jersey, and the Tri-State area was tremendous. We got so much support that people were surprised by the funds we raised,” he said.

“I knew, being that we are the JahJah Foundation and we have a very close relationship with God, I knew to who much is given, much is expected. All the funds that we raised, we gave it back to those people who were most devastated. I had an obligation to the people who supported us and to God,” Dixon said.

“We were able to engage so many sponsors like the Rockefeller Foundation, Direct Relief, the Original Dumpling Shop, and Transcaribe Express Shippers. We knew how to do hurricane relief and so we decided to do things the way we know how to do it. We had a couple drop off locations in Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, and New Jersey. We got a lot of supplies but we know they are going to need more,” Dixon shared.

According to Dixon, other main sponsors included B&B Electroplating Co Inc, and Medical Professionals on a Mission. Some of JahJah Foundation’s partners included the Rotary Clubs of Negril and Savanna-La-Mar, as well as the Negril Chamber of Commerce.

Head of emergency medicine at Black River Hospital Dr Steve Foo said the donation of building material from JahJah Foundation was timely because healthcare workers were badly displaced.

”When Hurricane Melissa hit our shores, the Black River Hospital was decimated. I received a call from Dr Dixon no later than a day or two afterwards to see what it is that we needed. One of the major dislocations we faced here is that a lot of the health care workers had lost their homes or their roofs.

“That is where consultation began, and Dr Trevor Dixon is here today with a 40-foot container with building material. This was given by his very generous donors to help some of the health care workers to restore some level of normalcy to their lives. He has also given us hospital supplies, toys for the children and food. We are thankful. I just want you to continue supporting the JahJah Foundation in its work. They have really done a lot for this country,” Foo added.

Volunteers offload building and other supplies from this container that was shipped to Jamaica by JahJah Foundation after Hurricane Melissa.

Dr Trevor Dixon (right) who founded JahJah Foundation, in discussion with Dr Steve Foo, head of emergency medical at Black River Hospital in St Elizabeth