Target Community
St. Ann has been one the parishes significantly affected by Hurricane Melissa with communities in Ocho Rios, St Ann’s Bay, Brown’s Town, Moneague, Claremont, and Cave Valley bearing the brunt of the destruction.
Cave Valley in particular, a low-lying rural community was hit very hard because of repeated flooding from the nearby river even before the hurricane made landfall. Many homes are still under water with families displaced and personal belongings, livestock, and crops destroyed.
Relief Plan
Kamila’s Kitchen which has a location in St. Ann will provide weekly hot meals on Sundays to residents in the hard hit communities. Initially, the focus will be on bringing the meals into the communities. Eventually the hope is that residents will be able to travel to the restaurant for the meals providing a brief respite from the realities of the devastation. Any received donations of clothing and other relief items will be distributed with meals each Sunday.
Many of the displaced residents are children. Though these children are showing incredible resilience we wish to create moments of levity and normality for these kids. In December during the meal distribution the children will also be treated to gifts of toys. We recognize that this holiday season will be incredibly difficult and want to help ensure that the children are not forgotten.
The plan will be ongoing and evolve as the needs change. The hope is that we can remain active in these communities as the rebuilding efforts continue. In particular, focusing not just on the physical rebuilding but also the psychological and mental health concerns that may arise.
How You Can Help – Monetary Donation
Financial donations will be critical in helping fund meal delivery and toy distribution. In addition, individual items will be purchased and donated to residents based on identified needs. The hope is that we can be responsive to the needs of particular families understanding that each family may have very different needs as they access and attempt to recover.
Donations can be made securely at https://gofund.me/4f1e69c99
Donations can also be made via cashapp $staceyannbaugh or directly to bank account (information provided on request).
How You Can Help – Other Donations
We are accepting donations of food, personal care necessities and toiletries, clothing and shoes, school supplies and new toys and books.
Donations can be dropped off Kamila’s Kitchen Locations:
Market Place, 67 Constant Spring Road
Drax Hall, Total Tools Plaza, St Ann
Donations can also be dropped off at the College of Insurance:
3-3A Richmond Ave, Kingston 10 between 10am and 3pm Monday-Friday.
For those of us in the US donations can be mailed to:
Only the Best Printing 6314A Pembroke Rd, Miramar FL 33023.
Please include your information with the donation so that we can keep track of your generosity. Please note: Do not send toys and books via the US address as those items are not included in the duty free exemption from the government. Only approved hurrican relief items can be sent.
About Us
Stacey and Kamila are cousins who are working together on this initiative.
Kamila has 3 restaurant locations on the island. Currently her Skyline Drive location is closed because it was damaged in the Hurricane. She has toured the harder hit communities to attempt to identify the immediate needs.
Stacey is a psychology college professor living and working in the Washington DC/Maryland area. She has Christmas toy charity initiatives in the US and Jamaica each year.
