Over 8,000 pounds of relief items were shipped to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) in Kingston last Monday (Sept. 17) from the South Florida communities.

Two USA corporations based in the South Florida area donated space and services to assist with the relief efforts. Federal Express Company (Fedex) assisted with ground logistics, packing and warehousing while AmeriJet/ITN Consolidators handled shipping to the Jamaican destination.

This shipment was coordinated by volunteers of the Jamaican Diaspora in South Florida spearheaded by former Jamaica Defense Force (JDF) Captain Suzanne Haik-Hynes, retired logistics and cargo executive, Mr. Neville Cuthbert, and former Miramar Commissioner, Mr. George Pedlar.

The items to be distributed to victims of Hurricane Dean were donations from the Jamaican Diaspora and included large quantities of drinking water, non-perishable foods, infant supplies, batteries and flashlights, toiletries and also clothing.

A number of schools, churches, corporations as well as individuals across the Diaspora have responded to the relief efforts after some parishes experienced damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Dean which passed south of the island, last month.

Jamaican Diaspora Advisory Board member for the Southern USA, Mr. Marlon Hill, who also has been the organization liaison for the relief efforts in this region, has expressed gratitude to the community for its ongoing response to the emergency relief operations.