Hurricane Melissa, Jamaica's first Category 5 storm ever, left 500,000 without power and displaced thousands. GiveDirectly is sending cash to families in the hardest-hit areas so they can buy what they need most - food, water, shelter, medicine, and whatever else they may need. Cash aid is fast, remote, and lets survivors decide what is best for themselves, ensuring dignity and speeding recovery. With more funds, we can reach thousands more Jamaicans rebuilding after this disaster.
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica - the country's first hurricane in over a decade and the first Category 5 to ever strike the island. It has been described as "the storm of the century" for Jamaica. 50,000 people have been displaced and 500,000 have been left without power. Southwest Jamaica, the country's breadbasket, has been devastated by flooding, threatening a prolonged humanitarian crisis.
We are delivering cash to families in the hardest-hit areas. This emergency cash will help cover their immediate needs, such as: Essentials like food, water, medicine, generators, and diapers Shelter and hotel stays while evacuated Bills for their phone, healthcare, and utilities
Receiving money - without strings attached - supports families' short term survival and long term recovery. Cash aid is fast and fully remote, letting families meet essential needs quickly and reaching them via digital transfers that don't tax fragile supply chains or clog transit routes. Cash aid allows survivors in western Jamaica to meet their own needs rather than having others guess for them - which is why people impacted by a crisis say they prefer cash relief over donated goods.
