Collaborative Relief Effort Ships Over 270,000 Meals to Hurricane Melissa Survivors in Jamaica

As Hurricane Melissa approached Jamaica in October, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster organizations were already coordinating relief efforts for survivors. Operation BBQ Relief, a US disaster non-profit organization, recognized the urgent need for meals and organized volunteer teams in Florida to pack and ship thousands of meals to Jamaica for distribution to families facing food insecurity. The organization worked with Churches of Scientology Disaster Response, whose Deputy National Director Joava Good offered volunteer support for the massive operation.

Operation BBQ Relief executives and volunteers from across the country partnered with Volunteer Ministers from the Clearwater, Florida area at a Pinellas Park warehouse. The volunteers worked alongside participants from local government agencies and schools to prepare thousands of boxes containing life-saving food supplies. For hundreds of hours, volunteers packed non-perishable food items using equipment and facilities provided by Amazon, including forklifts, pallet jacks, and specialized packing tables.

The operation involved packing food into two different box sizes designed to sustain a family of four for either three days (36 meals) or six days (72 meals). Doyle Mills, CSDR national executive who coordinated the Scientology volunteers, emphasized the complexity behind what might appear as a simple operation. Mills stated that significant logistical planning and behind-the-scenes work over several weeks made the successful shipment possible.

The warehouse operation functioned as a fast-paced assembly line with volunteers performing multiple tasks including labeling and assembling boxes, transporting food to assembly stations, packing boxes, sealing containers, loading pallets, and managing cleanup. The completed meals were transported through multiple channels, with some boxes going directly to airports for loading onto small planes while larger shipments were trucked to Miami for transport via cargo aircraft.

The collaborative effort resulted in the shipment of over 270,000 meals to Jamaica. Mills highlighted that the success stemmed from organizations working side-by-side, noting that while the work was challenging, volunteers found fulfillment in knowing they were helping those in need. While immediate disaster response activities for Jamaica are concluding, hundreds of additional volunteers will be needed for the recovery and rebuilding phases in devastated areas. Churches of Scientology Disaster Response, incorporated in Washington, DC, maintains over 25 offices nationwide coordinating with government agencies and other National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster organizations.