Families across both island nations braced for what was one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes in history—prompting evacuations, airport closures, and the opening of hundreds of shelters.
Our Relief Team prepositioned in the region ahead of the storm and is working with local Jamaican and Cuban partners to ensure meals reach impacted communities as soon as it is safe to do so.
This marks WCK’s second hurricane response in Jamaica, following Hurricane Beryl in 2024. After Beryl left a trail of devastation from the Caribbean to the northeastern United States, WCK mobilized across five countries and, together with local partners, served more than 43,000 meals in Jamaica.
Melissa response expands to Cuba
WCK has expanded our Hurricane Melissa response to support families across Cuba impacted by the storm. Working with Friends of Cáritas Cubana and Cáritas Cuba, we’re distributing food kits to families able to cook for themselves. Each kit includes enough ingredients for 25 meals, providing essential nourishment as communities recover. WCK teams are also supplying kitchen equipment to households that lost appliances needed to prepare meals.
Sea to Table: Meet Fisherman Martin
Martin is a fisherman from Negril, Jamaica, where Hurricane Melissa caused widespread devastation. Working side by side with him—and using the fish he caught—WCK teams prepared and served beloved local dishes at St. Anthony’s Soup Kitchen, a community organization supporting families in need.
WCK opens two Field Kitchens
Our team is scaling up every day to reach as many people impacted by Hurricane Melissa as possible—now cooking from our own large-capacity kitchens. In Montego Bay, with support from the Sandals Foundation, we transformed a convention center into a space where our local cooks can prepare tens of thousands of meals daily. Alongside our other kitchen in Negril and more than 30 restaurant partners, our meals are reaching families in the hardest-hit communities.
A comforting taste of home
In Jamaica, few foods bring people together like a patty—warm, flaky, and full of flavor. Soon after Hurricane Melissa passed, our teams, together with Chef Corps members Brian and Mathieu and local volunteers, delivered thousands of patties from our restaurant partner Mother’s to families across Clarendon, St. Catherine, St. Andrew, and Kingston. A taste of comfort in a difficult time.
On the ground after the storm
As soon as Hurricane Melissa passed, WCK’s #ChefsForJamaica teams were serving hot meals across Kingston. The damage from the storm is widespread, and communities are beginning the long and difficult task of cleaning up and rebuilding. We’ll be with them every step of the way with comforting warm meals.
Help Us Keep Cooking for Families Impacted by Hurricane Melissa