Hot Meals & Supplies Delivered to Hurricane Melissa Victims

PORTSMOUTH, VA – Mercy Chefs, a Virginia-based nonprofit specializing in disaster relief, is actively responding to Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica and Cuba. Through its global branch, the organization is serving hot, chef-prepared meals to communities hit hardest by the storm. 

Mercy Chefs operates 12 ongoing feeding sites across Cuba and is working closely with established partners to distribute food supplies and prepare for meal service as conditions allow. In Holguín, local partners have opened their church as a shelter, providing the first hot meals to residents seeking refuge from the storm.

This marks Mercy Chefs’ first response in Jamaica, where the team is working with local partners to identify safe and effective operational sites for large-scale meal service as part of a coordinated relief effort.

“Our prayers are with everyone facing the severe devastation left in Hurricane Melissa’s wake,” said Chef Gary LeBlanc, founder and CEO of Mercy Chefs. “In the aftermath of a storm like this, we’re already seeing widespread infrastructure damage—washed-out roads, downed power and phone lines, homes destroyed, and families displaced. In preparation, we secured ferry transport for several tons of food products from Puerto Rico to ensure supplies are ready and accessible as deployment begins.”

The nonprofit, which focuses on both immediate disaster response and long-term recovery efforts, will serve those impacted by Hurricane Melissa as long as there is a need. In addition to its current global efforts, Mercy Chefs continues to operate long-term recovery kitchens in Kerr County, TX, following severe flooding, and Black Mountain, NC, following Hurricane Helene.

To support Mercy Chefs in its relief efforts, visit mercychefs.com/melissa-response.