A coalition of compassionate individuals and businesses, in collaboration with TheHiveCareers, has successfully raised J$2.7 million to support urgent hurricane relief efforts across Jamaica.
In a strong show of partnership and commitment, the American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) will match the funds raised, doubling the total relief to approximately J$5.4 million.
As part of this collaboration, TheHiveCareers will make its digital platform and talent network available to AFJ, enabling a coordinated, technology-driven response to mobilize skilled volunteers, contractors, and essential services for communities affected by the recent hurricane.
The partnership between TheHiveCareers & Friends and the AFJ combines grassroots mobilization with international philanthropy, ensuring that relief reaches those most in need quickly and efficiently. “This initiative shows what’s possible when technology meets compassion,” said Melarka Williams, Founder & CEO of TheHiveCareers. “We are proud to stand with AFJ and the many friends who came together to raise these funds and volunteer their time. Together, we’re ensuring that help gets to the people who need it most, when they need it most.”
Together, the American Friends of Jamaica, non-profit dedicated to improving lives in Jamaica through initiatives in education, healthcare, and economic development, and TheHiveCareers, a Global SaaS company, operates a digital workforce and skills-based platform connecting businesses, professionals, and volunteers across the Caribbean and the world, are demonstrating how technology and compassion can merge to rebuild communities and empower people.
The initial J$2.7 million raised will go toward emergency relief supplies, including food, clean water, temporary shelter, and restoration materials. AFJ’s matching contribution will expand the reach of the initiative, doubling the available resources and deepening the impact across affected parishes. TheHiveCareers platform will serve as a national coordination hub, providing registration and deployment of skilled volunteers and contractors, matching of requests for help with available resources, real-time dashboards for transparency and reporting, communication channels for communities and relief partners.
According to Caron Chung, Executive Director of the AFJ explains that, "The American friends of Jamaica began fundraising for hurricane Melissa immediately when the hurricane was threatening to hit Jamaica. Our board of directors committed $1 million US dollars in funding toward Hurricane Melissa to be used as a match. Within the first week, we met the match and we were at US$2.5 million. There's no way we can stop fundraising. Most of those communities, those districts, those towns, those villages, will never rebuild without aid. Schools are flattened, houses are flattened, churches are flattened, communities are totally destroyed. So without aid, they will not be able to restore, to recover and restore.”
AFJ and TheHiveCareers & Friends invite individuals, corporations, and members of the diaspora to contribute to this ongoing initiative. All additional donations made to the campaign will be matched dollar-for-dollar by AFJ until the matching pool is fully allocated.
To volunteer or contribute, visit www.thehivecareers.co/rebuild-jamaica or contact or (876) 224-4502. To donate, visit www.theafj.org