Hurricane Melissa Response
Hurricane Relief Updates
Hurricane Melissa made historic landfall across Jamaica and Cuba—first as a powerful Category 5 storm, then as a Category 3—bringing catastrophic winds and life-threatening flooding. Homes and businesses have been destroyed, roads are blocked, and countless families are without power, food, or clean water.
Mercy Chefs has multiple teams on the ground in Jamaica, while our partners in Cuba are continuing to serve meals and care for families affected by the disaster. Please pray for the families impacted, and stay connected with us on Facebook and Instagram (@MercyChefs).
November 12, 2025
Expanding Our Reach to Meet Urgent Needs
Mercy Chefs has been on the ground in Jamaica for two weeks, working tirelessly around the clock to provide meals to those who lost homes and livelihoods to Hurricane Melissa. We’ve served directly in the hardest-hit areas, encountering countless individuals in desperate need of nourishment.
To serve even more families, Sandals Resort in White House, Jamaica, has partnered with Mercy Chefs to expand production through its commercial kitchen. This collaboration allows us to continue feeding families we’ve served while bringing meals to neighborhoods and schools reopening along the coast. We cannot do this alone; your support is crucial in delivering comfort and sustenance to thousands more, one meal at a time.
November 6, 2025
Serving Others in the Wake of Loss
After losing part of her home to Hurricane Beryl last year, Trishawna once again faced devastation as Hurricane Melissa tore through her community. Yet instead of focusing on her own loss, she chose to volunteer at Munro College and help Mercy Chefs prepare and deliver meals to her neighbors in need.
“I might have one room left,” Trishawna shared, “but there are persons who don’t have anything left at all—only life, which we are grateful for.”
Her heart to serve embodies the strength and compassion we’ve witnessed across Jamaica. As Mercy Chefs opens additional kitchens to reach even more families, your gift helps us continue meeting this incredible need.
November 5, 2025
A Journey Across the Sea to Feed Families
After three long days at sea, our ship crew has arrived in Jamaica from Puerto Rico. Thousands of pounds of food and supplies were unloaded and brought to our cooking site, where our team is preparing and distributing meals to families affected by Hurricane Melissa.
The journey was far from easy. Our crew endured sleepless nights and rough seas, yet their determination never faltered. In Black River, one of the hardest-hit areas, we’ve had the privilege of serving families, doctors, nurses, and patients at the local hospital with both meals and prayer.
None of this would be possible without our supporters. Thank you for enabling us to continue to serve those in need across Jamaica.
November 4, 2025
"You Saved Us from the Nightmare of Hunger"
Those were the words a man called out to our team as we served hot meals in Crawford and Black River, Jamaica.
With sustained winds of 185 mph, Hurricane Melissa stands as the strongest Atlantic hurricane to make landfall since Katrina. Mercy Chefs has responded to countless disasters, but devastation like this is rare. Chef Gary LeBlanc gives an update as our team continues preparing and delivering hot meals each day to meet the overwhelming need. We are committed to standing with the people of Jamaica for as long as it takes. Will you help us continue serving those who’ve lost so much?
November 2, 2025
United in Compassion & Service
When our first deployment team arrived in Jamaica, we prayed for a local partner to help make this response possible—and God provided. Munro College, an all-boys school in Malvern, opened its doors to Mercy Chefs.
Though the school suffered damage from Hurricane Melissa, the staff, teachers, and neighbors have joined our team every step of the way, preparing and delivering hot meals to families in the hardest-hit areas. Many of them have lost so much themselves, yet they continue to show up with unwavering love and compassion for others.
November 1, 2025
First Hot Meals Served in Jamaica
This evening, our team in Jamaica served the first hot meals—a comforting plate of jerk-spiced chicken with tomato curry sauce, white rice, beans, and fresh vegetables—to families in Black River, a community devastated by Hurricane Melissa.
We are deeply grateful for your partnership in making this response possible. Even in the hardest places, we remain committed to sharing hope in the form of a meal with those in desperate need across Jamaica.
November 1, 2025
Loading Supplies for Hurricane Victims
Yesterday, our crew loaded over 50,000 pounds of food, clean water, and supplies bound for Jamaica in response to the devastation left by Hurricane Melissa. The storm tore through the island, uprooting trees, flattening homes, and leaving roads impassable. Countless families are searching for loved ones, sifting through the wreckage, and desperate for food and running water.
Thanks to our supporters and partners, we’re sending bulk supplies of rice and beans—simple yet sustaining staples that families can cook and share wherever they are. As our second and third teams arrive in Jamaica, our first team on the ground is already preparing and serving hot meals to those hardest hit by the storm.
October 31, 2025
Serving Near & Far
Mercy Chefs is responding across the Caribbean and here at home! Our first team is on the ground in Jamaica, with a second en route as we respond to Hurricane Melissa. Another team is sailing from Puerto Rico with more than 50,000 pounds of food, water, and emergency supplies. In Cuba, our church partners continue to serve more than 500 meals daily to families who have lost everything.
Meanwhile, our Feed the Force initiative has distributed hundreds of Family Grocery Boxes to military families at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida. As Chef Gary LeBlanc shares, it’s through friends like you that we can meet needs both near and far. Thank you for standing with us as we serve families worldwide.
October 30, 2025
Relief Continues in Cuba as Team Heads to Jamaica
We’re grateful to our church partners in Cuba, who continue serving their community after Hurricane Melissa. Flooding has left many unable to return home, but the church remains open as a shelter, providing daily meals to those displaced. Today, they prepared 300 lunches—congri, ground beef, and plantains—and 100 dinners, using every available resource after running out of clamshells.
Mercy Chefs is now en route to Jamaica, ready to meet urgent needs on the ground. We have a second team preparing to load thousands of pounds of food and emergency supplies onto a vessel bound there.
Your compassion and generosity make this work possible. Please continue to pray for those affected, our partners, and our team.
October 28, 2025
Church Brings Hope as Melissa Nears Cuba
Our partners in Holguin, Cuba, have opened their church as a shelter for families in the path of Hurricane Melissa. Today, they served their first meals to those seeking refuge—meals made possible by our faithful supporters just days ago. Many of those pictured rarely have access to a nourishing meal under normal circumstances, yet they are now being cared for in this moment of crisis.
Seeing hopeful faces and grateful smiles as families received a meal is a powerful reminder of community and Christ’s love, even amid fear and uncertainty. Your support helps us provide urgent relief as we prepare to respond in Jamaica.
Make a Donation
A hot meal—just $3.50 each—offers comfort and a sense of normalcy to families who have lost so much. Your gift of:
- $70 provides 20 meals
- $210 provides 60 meals
- 350 provides 100 meals
Together, we can bring immediate relief to Hurricane Melissa victims.
Volunteer
Join Mercy Chefs in preparing and delivering hot meals to families impacted by Hurricane Melissa. Sign up to volunteer below!
Contact Us
For more information on how you, your church, or your organization can support our relief efforts, please complete the form below.
