GEM preparing to send supplies to Jamaica amid relief efforts as Hurricane Melissa approaches

As residents of Jamaica brace for Hurricane Jamaica s powerful winds South Floridians are getting ready to send help in the form of much-needed supplies The Category storm is barreling toward Jamaica after wreaking havoc in Hispaniola The system has already claimed at least three lives in Haiti and one in the Dominican Republic Heavy rain and landslides are sweeping the region destroying homes uprooting trees and knocking out water supplies Meanwhile Jamaicans are preparing for the worst Like we never get this you know the Caribbean It s gonna be the worst one mentioned a fisherman We know the seasons I believe hurricane season would have finished by now so we re frightened I just take things easy I don t worry myself As long as I have food can eat that s the the majority significant thing announced another resident Homes across Jamaica are being boarded up At the grocery stores people are scrambling to grab essential items I was hoping to get various bread the shelves are empty commented a shopper There s still a lot of people who like got paid late so they re rushing now to get items food items declared resident Gabrielle Maurice Lots of people really don t have the financial means to get all that they would need Miami resident Nicole Doyon commented her girls trip to Jamaica with her friends has turned into a expedition nightmare It s been a roller coaster of emotions especially when like everybody s kind of panicking trying to get on a flight like every man for himself she reported While Melissa is expected to be the strongest hurricane to impact Jamaica in more than years hundreds of miles away in South Florida help is already on the way At the Global Empowerment Mission headquarters in Doral participants spent much of the weekend filling boxes with necessities including nonperishable food hygienic items and water The impact will be so tough with persons having to be without the necessary essential items these families we ll at least help them get through a scant days disclosed lead volunteer Marlon Hill In partnership with Caribbean Strong a community-wide tragedy relied effort hundreds of thousands of relief boxes will go from GEM s headquarters to those the greater part impacted Right now our association s gonna be out there and then we are prepping to see what s gonna happen after the impact reported Billy Richardson GEM s Director of U S Warehousing After the impact we ll send specific more people over as well as our first plane load which should be about pounds of aid followed by about six -foot containers by sea Kanniga Anderson who has his family back in Jamaica revealed he s concerned but any help will go a long way I don t really feel good but they got to take what they get cause it s a natural thing right he reported Fire stations in the City of Miramar are collecting items like tarps flashlights and water bottles If you would like to help click here For information on Melissa donations to GEM click here For information on locality volunteering at GEM click here