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As Hurricane Melissa devastated parts of Jamaica on Oct. 28 and caused additional destruction the following day in Cuba, many people around the world are wondering how they can lend a helping a hand. Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness has officially declared Jamaica a disaster area after Hurricane Melissa, which made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane, the strongest storm to ever hit the Caribbean island. Roughly 77% of the island is reportedly without power, according to Jamaican Information Minister Dana Morris Dixon. At least 250,000 of the island's children have been severely affected in terms of their access to clean water, sanitation, hygiene and food, a rep for UNICEF told NBC News. Hurricane Melissa went on to make landfall a second time as a powerful Category 3 hurricane in Cuba, bringing "incalculable damage" to the country, which has been rocked by heavy flooding and landslides, NBC Havana reported. The deadly storm has caused the deaths of at least 36 people across Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, officials say. Hurricane Melissa is now heading toward the Bahamas, where it is expected to cause more heavy rain and flooding. What Organizations Are Helping Victims of Hurricane Melissa? TODAY.com has assembled a list of credible relief organizations that are accepting donations to help those impacted by Hurricane Melissa. Airlink Airlink partners with major airlines to transport relief workers and emergency supplies for reputable non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to disaster areas around the world. The Washington D.C.-based nonprofit organization is accepting cash and crypto donations as well as donations of frequent flyer miles to help send relief and first responders to Jamaica and Haiti in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. American Friends of Jamaica American Friends of Jamaica, a nonprofit organization based in New York City, has provided assistance to Jamaican charities in the areas of education, healthcare and, human and economic development since 1982. The group's board of directors announced a $1 million matching fund “to support critical relief and recovery efforts in Jamaica” after Hurricane Melissa. Americares Americares helps communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. The nonprofit organization is accepting donations to help deliver critical medical and relief supplies to Jamaica. CARE Care, a global humanitarian organization focused on fighting poverty and social injustice, is "urgently mobilizing to deliver lifesaving relief in Jamaica and other areas in the Caribbean." Donations to the organization's Hurricane Melissa Response Fund will help provide first aid, food, clean water and shelter supplies. Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE) The Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization Community Organized Relief Effort or CORE, is accepting donations to help those impacted by the hurricane in Jamaica and Haiti. CORE's website says the organization, with help from its partner LIFT, has already deployed air cargo ships full of hygiene kits, tarps, and essential relief supplies to Jamaica and will send resources to Haiti “as soon as conditions allow." Direct Relief DirectRelief, an international humanitarian aid organization, is accepting donations to help with it relief efforts. The organization said on its website it's committed $250,000 in emergency funding toward hurricane victims and has made its entire inventory of medicines and medical supplies — including antibiotics, gastrointestinal medications, insulin, personal protective equipment, and vaccines — available to support those impacted in Jamaica and other countries. Unicef The United Nations Children’s Fund, or UNICEF, teamed with national authorities and other partners to provide emergency preparedness efforts across the Caribbean prior to Hurricane Melissa making landfall. The global humanitarian organization is accepting donations to support response efforts and provide humanitarian cash assistance to households impacted by the storm. World Central Kitchen
