THE National Commercial Bank (NCB) yesterday matched the $11.6 million raised through their flood relief fund and presented a cheque for $23.2 million to the Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS) at the bank’s corporate headquarters on Trafalgar Road in Kingston.

According to NCB’s managing director, Christopher Lowe, thousands of Jamaicans made contributions to the relief fund — dubbed the NCB Challenge Fund — several of whom were NCB’s own staff members who donated a total of $200,000.

The fund also drew favourable responses from several thousand Jamaicans and 20 companies.

Among the companies were the West Indies Aluminum Company (Windalco) who donated $1.2 million and the Grace, Kennedy and Company Limited who contributed $1 million in the form of vegetable seeds and food crops.

Also included in the $11.6 million, is a donation of $300,000 by the Capital and Credit Merchant Bank and $20,000 from the Clarendon-based Rugby Jamaica Lime and Minerals Limited.

Lowe said the monies would bring speedy relief to flood victims.

The fund was closed last Thursday.

“The aims (when the fund was launched) were to bring speedy relief to those most in need,” Lowe said. “Now begins the very serious work of ensuring the appropriate and equitable distribution on which we will be ably assisted by the CVSS and the United Way as well as the Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the Jamaica 4-H Clubs.”

Launched two weeks ago, the NCB Challenge Fund is a spin-off of an effort by the United Way of Jamaica — a non-profit group that raises funds for charities — and the CVSS to raise funds for several families whose lives were severely disrupted after two weeks of continuous rains.

The rains caused widespread flooding, left 10 people dead and billions of dollars in agriculture and property damage.

At the time of its launch, the bank had pledged to match a limit of $100 million, putting up its first $1 million then.

But yesterday, Lowe was grateful despite raising less than 25 per cent of the target figure.

“We want to thank the many Jamaicans, particularly the individuals who have given so willingly to this worthwhile effort,” Lowe said during the presentation at the NCB Atrium on Trafalgar Road.

In presenting the cheque yesterday, Windalco’s managing director, Patrick MacIntosh, said his company’s donation was an example of “what it means to be good corporate citizens”.

Grace, Kennedy and Company’s financial director, Don Wehby, said his company was happy to assist the flood victims, describing them as some of Grace’s “valuable customers”.

Meanwhile, Capital and Credit Merchant Bank president, Curtis Martin, reiterated the importance for local companies to respond to the calls of needy Jamaicans.

“It is important that we respond to the needs of the people around us as we can’t operate in an unsuited environment,” Martin said.

Joan Crooks, financial controller at Rugby Jamaica Lime and Minerals Ltd, said her company was particularly moved, having witnessed first hand the extent of the flooding in Clarendon, in which her company is based.

Yesterday CVSS’ chief executive officer, Winsome Wilkins, urged flood victims to get on the “parish listings” now being developed by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management so that they can receive assistance.

She said CVSS has already “set in motion the allocations committee” which will work in tandem with the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Jamaica Agriculture Society and the 4-H Clubs.