Volunteers of the humanitarian non-profit organisation, World Central Kitchen (WCK), were recently honoured for their support in Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts, during a ‘Gratitude Concert’ featuring reggae recording artiste Peter Lloyd and the ‘Fi Real’ Band, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James.

The crowd broke into cheers as WCK announced it had achieved the milestone of delivering three million meals in western Jamaica. The region was severely impacted by the passage of the category-five cyclone on October 28.

The announcement, made by WCK response director John Torpey represented more than a statistic. It reflected the resilience and unwavering dedication of volunteers whose tireless service made the milestone possible in the hurricane’s aftermath.

He expressed heartfelt gratitude for the hard work participants had undertaken “so we could make this possible”.

Peter Lloyd, a WCK volunteer, praised the tireless efforts of the organisation’s staff, who inspired him to give back in his own unique way to his colleagues.

“For the first two weeks, we had no days off… we worked 24 hours a day. Being a recording artiste… I wanted to give back in my own small way… so we decided to do a concert,” he stated.

WCK volunteer coordinator, Sharon Cunningham, endorsed the celebration, noting that it allowed members to pivot after Hurricane Melissa’s destruction.

“We can celebrate [the] rebirth, regrowth and rebuilding [of] Jamaica, and that’s what this [was] all about. World Central Kitchen not only [fed] us… [they brought] music to our hearts,” she noted.

The concert’s atmosphere reflected its impact as volunteers stood in the crowd singing openly while favourite tunes filled the space, transforming the evening into a moment of release and unity.

WCK volunteer, Jacel Hamilton, noted that the event was timely.

“It was a good performance and a lovely movement to cheer up the kitchen… it brought a little relief to the people here. We needed a little ice breaker in the midst of the whole movement. I loved it,” she stated.

Colleague volunteer and member of the Bogue Citizens Association in Montego Bay, Andrea Mowatt, shared similar sentiments.

“The whole kitchen was singing and rocking to his (Peter Lloyd) music. I’d say thanks to Peter Lloyd… he is like a son of the soil from Montego Bay,” she said.

The recording artiste expressed that the people he serves continue to motivate him and reinforce his hope for Jamaica’s future.

“I’ve seen the devastation… but I’m seeing people smiling. I’m seeing people hopeful and trying to rebuild their lives. It’s not going to be easy. But I think, as a community… if we stand as a unit, we will rise above this,” he emphasised.

Volunteer and restaurant coordinator, Shawn Moses, added that moments of gratitude made his duty worthwhile.

“I had a little girl who came up and just randomly hugged me and said, ‘thank you for feeding my family’,” he recounted.

Moses reiterated that the outpouring of support from volunteers and restaurants across western Jamaica joining the food relief efforts, formed the ‘village’ needed to rebuild the economy.

World Central Kitchen, headquartered in Washington DC, was founded in 2010 by Spanish-American chef and humanitarian, José Andrés, after he witnessed the Haiti earthquake and committed to working with local chefs and ingredients to provide culturally familiar meals.

The model expanded in 2017 during Hurricane Harvey, when WCK shifted to rapid disaster response.