ORLANDO, Fla. – With Hurricane Beryl expected to hit Jamaica as a major hurricane, the Jamaican American Association of Central Florida is planning ahead when it comes to sending relief to the island.
The organization’s president, Joan Edgehill, connected us with Renford Jeffery from Kingston to tell us more about how they’re preparing for the storm.
Jeffery said he spent Tuesday doing some last-minute shopping for non-perishable food items ahead of Beryl’s arrival.
“Even though the skies are clear and the sun is shining, I’m looking up to see whether it’s getting overcast and dark or whatever and then I’m just going to hightail it out and go home,” Jeffery said. “I need to do a little shop with myself -- last-minute shopping. I have food at home but I need to do just a little bit of shopping just in case.”
Jeffery said others on the island are also bracing for Beryl’s impact.
“Some supermarkets, there are the shelves are empty,” Jeffery said. “So people are purchasing food, people are cutting down trees that are hanging over their their homes.”
Beryl has already blown through the southeast Caribbean -- killing at least six people and leaving a trail of destruction in its path.
Edgehill said she’s worried for friends and family on the island.
“You know, you’re almost in denial,” Edgehill said. “Like, you know, this one, this one is going to miss us. This one’s not going to go that way. You know, so I’m again, I’m still praying, Lord, that it does not hit us in the way we think it will. But, yeah, we’re all, we’re all very, very concerned and frightened for family, friends in Jamaica.”
Edgehill said her organization is already thinking of ways to provide relief to Jamaica after the storm hits whether it’s clothes, food or money.
“We don’t know yet what the needs are,” Edgehill said. “And by the way, we’re still praying that it does not happen in the way we were expecting it to and that it’s not as bad as things seem. But we definitely are planning ways in which we can help.”
If you’re interested in contacting the Jamaican American Association for ways you can help, you can call them at 407-292-3719 or click here.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: