Four additional families in hurricane-impacted parishes have received container houses through the Hurricane Melissa Relief Mission spearheaded by Custos of Clarendon Edith Chin.

Two of the units were handed over in Arlington, St Elizabeth, and one each in Kinloss, Trelawny, and Rocky Point in Clarendon, bringing the number of housing beneficiaries under the programme to six to date.

Mother of six, Ashella Baker from Middle Quarters, and Alludia Brown, a mother of two from the community of Parottee, both in St Elizabeth, were the first beneficiaries.

“I am grateful for Chin and her team coming all the way from Clarendon to do this, to make this possible for me and my family. I am grateful,” Baker said during the handover of her unit on November 13.

President of the Middle Quarters Community Development Committee (CDC), Stashauna Burnett, praised the efforts of the Hurricane Melissa Relief Mission, which includes the distribution of care packages bringing food, water, beverages, care packages and solar chargers. 

She noted that she was happy for Miss Baker, who “lost everything” during the hurricane.

Miss Burnett told JIS News that after seeing the devastation, she reached out to Shelly-Ann James from non-profit organisation Community Organised Relief Effort (CORE), and together they sought assistance from the Hurricane Melissa Relief Mission.

“I am overjoyed. I am elated for this…This is one that warms my heart. This is one that puts goose pimples on my body to know that there are persons out there who really care—persons who show up for people that they don’t even know,” she said.

James, for her part, said she was happy to have played a part in assisting the young mother.

Custos Chin told JIS News that the mission goes to areas where needs are identified, noting that community members also reach out for assistance.

Through the Hurricane Melissa Relief Mission, approximately 16,000 meals and care packages have been distributed in addition to 25,000 gallons of water, reaching residents across St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Manchester, Trelawny, Clarendon and St Ann.

Partners in the mission include Juici Patties, National Baking Company, the Clarendon Police and Clarendon Justices of the Peace, and Coldfield Manufacturing (Big Jo).