An overwhelming consensus of gratitude flowed from residents in eastern Westmoreland last Friday (November 8) when a contingent of corporate teams, led by Pepsi Cola Jamaica and Red Stripe, brought relief supplies to them.

Through a joint relief initiative that also included representatives and volunteers from Celebration Brands, Restaurants of Jamaica and Vantage One, the companies distributed warm meals, bottled water and care
packages to sections of Whitehouse, Belmont, Bluefield, Retirement, and Aldair.

“The ongoing recovery across the island will require efforts from all of us,” said Bianca Fakhourie, Pepsi
Cola Jamaica corporate affairs representative.

“Pepsi is proud to stand alongside our partners to bring a bit of relief and hope to communities that have lost so much because it’s part of our corporate responsibility to Jamaica. And seeing the scale of the damage firsthand was heartbreaking, but we were also able to see resilience. Our goal is to keep showing up where we’re needed most and to be part of the ongoing recovery effort,” she added.

Inside the Red Stripe care packages were Malta beverages and essential items like toilet paper, toothpaste and non-perishables. Pepsi’s contribution of 500 cases of Crystal Punch water also helped to serve close to 1,000 individuals, or roughly 400 families, during that distribution.

With the help of other partners, the hard-hit residents also got a chance to access temporary charging
stations and internet connectivity to try to get in touch with loved ones.

On the ground, the team was joined by Member of Parliament Dr Dayton Campbell, who helped coordinate the local distribution.

“There’s a lot of suffering on the ground,” Campbell said. “So when you have Red Stripe and Pepsi being good corporate citizens and stepping out like this, it really fills a gap. Today has been significant in reducing the misery index within the communities.”

Meanwhile, residents like Wellesley Batson of Retirement were overwhelmed by the support. He shared
that despite several relief efforts targeting his community, many still have not been able to benefit
due to the sheer scale of need.

He said, “I glad for it. Things been giving and giving, and I never get a bottle of water. So I more than glad.”

Like him, many others who were backyard farmers and shopkeepers who lost livestock, merchandise and roofs, the help provided breathing room for them to start again.

Dianne Ashton-Smith, head of corporate affairs at Red Stripe, added, “It’s going to take us a long time to
recover, so my call to the rest of Jamaica is that every little bit is going to count. And it’s not just issuing
food. We’re going to have to clear houses. We’re going to have to build houses, rebuild. So whatever we
can do to help these communities, every mickle will make a muckle.”

This joint initiative falls under the first phase of the Pepsi-Cola Jamaica relief efforts.

The team continues to engage with stakeholders to assess needs and identify additional ways to provide meaningful support in the long recovery period ahead.