Scientology Disaster Response Partners with National Organizations to Deliver 270,000 Meals to Hurricane Melissa Survivors in Jamaica

As Hurricane Melissa impacted Jamaica in October, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster organizations coordinated relief efforts for survivors. Operation BBQ Relief, a US disaster non-profit organization, recognized the critical need for meals and organized volunteer teams in Florida to prepare thousands of meals for shipment to Jamaica. Churches of Scientology Disaster Response Deputy National Director Joava Good offered volunteer support to assist with the massive food packing operation.

Volunteer Ministers from the Clearwater, Florida area worked alongside Operation BBQ Relief executives and volunteers from across the country, as well as local government agencies and school representatives. The collaborative effort took place in a Pinellas Park warehouse equipped with forklifts, pallet jacks and specialized tables provided by Amazon. Volunteers dedicated hundreds of hours packing non-perishable food into boxes designed to sustain families 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 appeared to be a simple operation. The process involved extensive logistical planning and coordination, with volunteers managing multiple tasks including box assembly, food transportation, pallet loading, and cleanup operations. The operation required precise coordination between labeling, assembling, and taping boxes while managing food transportation through the assembly line and final preparation for shipment.

The distribution strategy involved multiple transportation methods, with some boxes transported directly to airports for loading onto small planes while the majority were trucked to Miami for shipment via large cargo aircraft. This multi-modal approach ensured efficient delivery of the life-saving food supplies to Jamaican families facing food insecurity following the hurricane's devastation. The coordinated effort resulted in the successful shipment of over 270,000 meals to hurricane survivors.

Mills credited the success to the collaborative spirit among all participating organizations, noting that while the work was demanding, volunteers maintained positive attitudes knowing their efforts would help those in need. The partnership between Churches of Scientology Disaster Response and Operation BBQ Relief demonstrated how organizations can work together effectively during disaster response operations. While immediate response activities are concluding, the recovery phase will require hundreds of additional volunteers to address rebuilding needs in the affected areas.