Hartford Club Runs Donation Drive for Hurricane Melissa Survivors
- fadnis3
- Dec 25, 2025
- 3 min read
By Linda Petersen and Daniela Fortuna
Hartford, December 19, 2025
The West Indian Social Club is conducting a donation drive for those impacted by Hurricane Melissa. The drive, which began earlier this year, is collecting medical supplies, essentials resources, and pre-packaged food in a drop box. Their efforts serve as an extension of the Connecticut’s Caribbean Disaster Relief Coalition, which unites Caribbean individuals and organizations to provide humanitarian relief and support to survivors of natural disasters in the Caribbean region.
"Providing Additional Relief”
The West Indian Social Club’s donation drive aims to deliver essential resources to Jamaican communities that have been impacted by the hurricane. Many communities are facing additional obstacles in the aftermath of this storm, including prolonged power outages, damaged roads, compromised water systems, and destroyed homes. Some residents also face food, medical supply, and essential resources shortages. These challenges have created an urgent need for organized and sustained relief efforts, particularly from diaspora-led organizations committed to supporting their homeland.
Howard Jackson, the administrative support coordinator for this project, plays a pivotal role in the donation process. “I am responsible for coordinating relief support activities,” he said. His responsibilities include organizing donations, managing logistics, coordinating volunteer efforts, and ensuring that supplies and resources are delivered quickly and responsibly to households in need.
According to Jackson, many of these necessary supplies are already in transit. “Approximately three weeks ago we shipped 41 barrels and 12 boxes,” he told us. “We hope to provide additional relief for your financial and basic needs soon.
"An Outpouring of Generosity”
Service activities, such as this donation drive, are integral to the West Indian Social Club's mission. “The West Indian Social Club of Hartford promotes, articulates, interprets, and preserves West Indian and Caribbean culture,” he said. “The relief and fundraising initiatives for Hurricane Melissa speak to the heart of [our] mission of upholding cultural preservation through community care, solidarity, and support during moments of crisis.”
Jackson also expressed sincere gratitude for the community’s support. “[I want to give] a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the community for the outpouring of generosity,” he told us. “The West Indian Social Club of Hartford remains committed to ensuring that every donation reaches those who need it, and deeply appreciates the volunteers, supporters, and members who continue to make this relief work possible.”
“A Lot of Our Members are Affected”
The hurricane’s impact was wide-reaching, impacting individuals and communities around the world. Mark Foster, a donation drive volunteer, says that this tragedy hit home for the West Indian Social Club. “Even though this disaster is not here in Hartford, a lot of our members are affected,” he told us. “Some of our members have a home down there.”
For Foster, the damage caused by Hurricane Melissa was personal. “My mom’s home [in the Caribbean region] was damaged completely,” he added. “And my neighbor’s. A couple of days after the storm, someone had a drone. They [got] a drone picture of my mom’s house and my neighbor’s house. Both roofs were gone completely. There were two light posts in front of the houses, and both fell."
As for Jackson, he wants survivors to keep holding on and holding out for help. “Keep hope alive, don’t be despondent,” he said. “We know that this is a very difficult time, and it may seem like help is taking a very long time to get to you, but we are doing our best to expedite the relief effort.”
For more information about the donation drive and how to contribute, please visit https://www.westindiansocialclub.org/ct-caribbean-disaster-relief/.
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