United Way launches $1.5m farm recovery fund post-hurricane

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Nov 04, 2025 11:25 AM | Agriculture
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Chair of Women’s Leadership Initiative Grace Burnett (left) and Jamaica Agricultural Society Manchester Parish Manager Olecia Porter (centre) share words of encouragement with farmer Alance Wisdom during the handover visit in the first round of funding from the Farmers' Rehabilitation Fund (FRF) in August 2024. UWJ and JAS disbursed initial farmers’ rehabilitation of JMD $250,000 each to two female farmers, Ms Wisdom and Ms. Kyancian Reid, for the restoration of their farms and homes.

In a direct response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, the United Way of Jamaica (UWJ) has announced the postponement of its 40th-anniversary gala and the creation of a JMD $1.5 million fund aimed at resuscitating the nation’s crippled agricultural sector.

The charitable organisation has pivoted to “full disaster recovery mode”, establishing the Restoration and Rehabilitation Fund to provide immediate and long-term support to farming communities across the island.

“From the hills of St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland to the plains of Clarendon and St. Catherine, many have lost everything: homes, crops, livestock, and the very soil on which they depend,” said Kerry-Lee Lynch, UWJ Officer in Charge. “This initial fund is a lifeline to those who feed us, who rise before dawn to cultivate the land, and who now face unimaginable loss.”

UWJ Board Chair, Dr. Devon Smith, emphasised the urgency of the situation, calling for swift corporate and public partnership. “With each passing day that we are not able to respond is each passing day that we are making it more difficult for the citizens of this country,” he stated.

The fund will deliver critical resources to help farmers get back on their feet. This includes equipment, livestock feed, financial aid, and supplies for reconstruction of homes and greenhouses. Agricultural support will also cover fertiliser, planting supplies, and seedlings for key crops such as watermelon, cantaloupe, and cucumber.

Dr. Smith assured potential donors of the organisation’s commitment to transparency, highlighting UWJ’s established history of collaborating with public and private sector agencies, as well as United Way Worldwide, to ensure effective delivery of aid.

“As a country we must be able to rally round to support our brothers and sisters, those citizens who ensure we have access to food for our families and communities,” he urged.

The ‘Ruby Thread’ Gala, originally scheduled for November 8, 2025, has been postponed indefinitely as the organisation concentrates its efforts on the national recovery.

Members of the public who wish to contribute to the Restoration and Rehabilitation Fund can do so by visiting www.unitedway.org or contacting the United Way of Jamaica directly at (876) 322-6477.