Fresh off their successful U.K. exploits, The FIX team returned to Jamaica with a renewed mission — uplifting communities battered by Hurricane Melissa. On Sunday, November 16, the media outlet partnered with the Smokeyvalle Benevolence Foundation to deliver hundreds of urgently needed care packages to residents in Belmont, Lennox, and surrounding Westmoreland communities still reeling from the storm’s impact. The team also contributed cash donations to several charities, strengthening ongoing recovery efforts for families trying to rebuild.
The outreach is far from over. Plans are already underway to expand the initiative into Trelawny and St. Ann in the coming days, extending support to even more households affected by the Category 4 system. Speaking on the ground, Orane “Naro” Hart, managing director and co-host of THE FIX, said the devastation was impossible to ignore. “Coming back home and seeing the devastation firsthand made it clear that we couldn’t just jump back into regular programming,” he shared. “This is bigger than entertainment. Partnering with Smokeyvalle Benevolence Foundation allows us to reach more communities that are hurting right now… Jamaica lift us up every day, so it’s only right we give back when it matters most.”
Their efforts align with a wider nationwide mobilisation as the entertainment community rallies to support rebuilding across the island. In a recent interview with THE FIX, Agriculture Minister Floyd Green outlined the staggering toll Hurricane Melissa has taken on the agricultural sector — a crushing J$29.5 billion in damage across crops and livestock, affecting over 70,000 farmers and wiping out more than 1.2 million animals. Green warned that the scale of destruction poses a serious threat to Jamaica’s food security, with major losses recorded in vegetable staples such as cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, melons, and cantaloupe. The poultry sector, which anchors local protein consumption, has also been decimated, losing over half the country’s laying flock.
To combat the looming shortages, the government has announced a J$3 billion recovery package to jumpstart replanting and livestock replenishment. Measures include J$450 million for emergency crop recovery, free land preparation for six months, 40 million seeds distributed through RADA, and a moratorium on agropark lease payments. Support programs for poultry and livestock farmers have also been activated to stabilize the sector.
With national recovery efforts accelerating, THE FIX’s on-the-ground humanitarian push stands as a powerful reminder of the entertainment industry’s role in community resilience — and a signal that more support is on the way.
