HURRICANE  MELISSA RELIEF
    And school updates

     

    The members of Jamaica YES are heartbroken by the devastation Hurricane Melissa has brought to communities across Jamaica.

    Currently, we feed over 1,000 school children each day at 16 Basic and Primary schools throughout the island. We have reached out to each school. Of those that have responded, significant structural damage to school buildings, missing roofs, flooded classrooms and missing fences have been reported. Some schools are unusable.

    Our immediate goal is to get these schools back up and operational.  The teachers and students are eager to return to school, but they need help in making that possible, especially for those who have major structural damage and roof loss.

    All donations made through December 31st, 2025, will go directly towards supporting the relief, repairing and rebuilding efforts of these schools to help facilitate a speedy return of the students to the safety and comfort of their classrooms.

    No contribution is too small.  With your support, we can help these students get back to learning.  Their future depends on it.

    Jamaica YES is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Dallas, Texas, since 2004, which means your donation is fully tax-deductible.   100% of your donation, through December 31st, 2025, will go toward helping these schools in their recovery and subsequent resumption of classes.

    Please give today— help bring hope back to Jamaica’s children.

    Ways to donate:

    *Zelle: Pulk903@Yahoo.com
    *Venmo: earlwalker@jamaicayes (Earl Walker)  
    *check: made payable to Jamaica YES,
    4413 Cannock Dr, McKinney, TX 75070

    * these are all fee-free options.

    Or you can click on the DONATE button at the top right corner of the website (credit card option available).

     

    SCHOOL UPDATES AS OF NOVEMBER 17, 2025

    Below are the updates, as of November 17th, from the schools regarding hurricane damage.

    Baxter’s Mountain Primary – St. Mary Parish

    • The Ministry of Education has determined that the roof cannot be repaired as the entire building structure is compromised requiring the need for a new building.
    • After a detailed assessment, the Ministry of Education has concluded that the roof at Baxter’s Mountain Primary cannot be repaired. The evaluation revealed that the entire building structure is compromised, which means that a new building will be required to ensure the safety and long-term use of the school.
    • Canvas tarps are being utilized to cover the roof area as the area is currently experiencing excessive rainfall.
    • Water is being trucked into the school and the school is currently without electricity and internet service.
    • Classes and the breakfast program resumed on Monday, November 8.
    • Approximately 2/3 of the students have returned to school while several are homeless or staying with friends and family.

    Kentucky Primary & Infant – Westmoreland Parish

    • The school is uninhabitable, and roof is half gone.
    • A plastic tarp has been provided and is being used for shade.
    • There is no water, electricity or internet connectivity.
    • Most families are roofless or homeless.
    • Once classes are able to be resumed face to face, the breakfast program will also resume.
    • The school is waiting for direction from the Ministry of Education on how to proceed.

    Bluefields Basic – Westmoreland Parish

    • The walls of the building are still intact, but the entire roof is gone.
    • All the students and staff were severely affected by the hurricane.
    • The vast devastation in the community has left most people homeless and without protection from the heavy rains and wind.
    • There is no electricity throughout the entire community.
    • All of their solar panels have been destroyed and there is no internet connection or telephone service.
    • All the power, phone and internet lines are down in the community.
    • Only a few persons in the area have a generator and Starlink internet connection.

    Ewarton Basic – St. Catherine Parish

    • The physical school structure is intact, and water and electricity have been restored to the school.
    • The roof does have several leaks and the steps leading to the school have been undermined by flood waters.
    • Classes and the breakfast program resumed on Monday, November 8, with approximately 90% of students in attendance.

     

    Rose Hall Primary & Infant – St. Elizabeth Parish

    • There was no major infrastructural damage to the building.
    • Currently, there is no electricity or internet at the school.
    • The playfield has lost two sides of fencing as well as a portion of the school perimeter fence is down.
    • Electrical and internet wires are swinging low on the school’s compound.
    • The road in front of the school is a disaster.
    • Rainwater is currently the only source of water.
    • Students are slowly returning to school and the breakfast program is active.
    • The Parents have lost all of their farms and animals (the school is located in a farming community).
    • Therefore, at least 60% of our student population is severely impacted.

    Clifford Basic – St. Ann Parish

    • The school lost 6 of the zinc panels from the veranda and more on the side over the water tank. There is also leakage inside from roof damage.
    • Classes and the breakfast program have resumed.
    • The area is still without water, electricity and internet service.
    • Rainwater/stored water is being used for cooking.

    Frankfield Primary & Infant – Manchester Parish

    • The area is still without electricity and the internet.
    • Classes and the breakfast program have resumed.
    • They are still without electricity and the internet.
    • The electricity affects the pumping of water for restrooms and the kitchen.
    • However, a past student loaned the school a generator and Starlink to use until both are restored.
    • Damage was limited to 2 water drums, window replacement and some metal filing cabinets.

    Jeffrey Town Basic – St. Mary Parish

    • The area is still without electricity and the internet.
    • Classes and the breakfast program have resumed.
    • Water is currently being harvested for school use.

    Linstead Primary & Junior High – St. Catherine Parish

    • Infrastructural damage was limited to a collapsed partition in one of the classrooms.
    • Classes were reopened for face-to-face on Monday, November 10.
    • The breakfast program has been in operation since reopening.
    • Water and electricity have been restored.
    • There are currently over 280 students in attendance out of a total enrollment of 512.

    Jubilee Town Primary – St. Catherine Parish

    • The school building is intact.
    • Classes have resumed face to face instruction with 98% of the students in attendance.
    • The much-needed breakfast program is in full operation.
    • There is no electricity and no internet.
    • The school still rely on water catchment and a past student has donated cases of bottled water.

    Bybrook Basic – St. Catherine Parish

    • The school building is undamaged.
    • The school is without water, electricity and the internet.
    • Classes and the breakfast program resumed on November 8, with approximately 50% of the students reporting.

    Nutshell Basic – St. Catherine Parish

    • The school building is intact; however fallen trees did damage some of the perimeter fencing.
    • Water has been restored but are still without electricity and internet service.
    • School and the breakfast program resumed on November 5.

    Elim Early Childhood Development Center – St. Catherine Parish

    • The school remains intact, with the exception of one section of the column in the kitchen collapsed and there are quite a few leaks in the building.
    • Classes and the breakfast program resumed on November 4thwith approximately 50% of the students reporting.
    • The school has electricity and partial internet service.
    • The area is still without water

    Berry Hill Primary & Infant – St. Catherine Parish

    • With the exception of the roof leaking the physical structure is intact.
    • The school has no electricity and limited internet connection.
    • The school has water as the school has been harvesting rainwater.
    • Classes have resumed but with reduced hours.
    • About half of the student population has been attending daily since the resumption of classes.
    • No breakfast has been served since they restarted as students are arriving later in the day.

    Belfield Primary – St. Mary Parish

    • The school did not suffer any significant damage apart from the outer section of the canteen and leaking in some classrooms.
    • The school is still without electricity, water and internet; however, water has been trucked to the school.
    • Face to face classes have been resumed on a staggered schedule.
    • The breakfast program will begin once normal operations have been restored.

    Victoria Town Primary & Infant – Manchester Parish

    • The school has water, electricity and internet service restored.
    • Classes and the breakfast program resumed on Monday, November 8.

     

    Please give today— help bring hope back to Jamaica’s children.

    Ways to donate:

    *Zelle: Pulk903@Yahoo.com
    *Venmo: earlwalker@jamaicayes (Earl Walker)  
    *check: made payable to Jamaica YES,
    4413 Cannock Dr, McKinney, TX 75070

    * these are all fee-free options.

    Or you can click on the DONATE button at the top right corner of the website