Food For The Poor and Global Empowerment Mission Launch Major Humanitarian Partnership to Support Hurricane Melissa Relief in Jamaica
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Nov. 13, 2025) – Food For The Poor (FFTP) and Doral, Fla.-based Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) have entered into a coordinated relief partnership to provide urgently needed food and hygiene supplies to families in Jamaica affected by Hurricane Melissa.
Through this collaboration, the organizations will co-produce a total of 25,000 co-branded food and hygiene kits for distribution across heavily impacted communities.
An additional 25,000 will follow, contingent on ongoing fundraising efforts. The kits will contain staple food items and essential hygiene supplies to support families experiencing severe disruption and loss.
FFTP President/CEO Ed Raine said the partnership is about speed, scale, and compassion.
“Jamaica is in a moment of profound need. By combining our logistics network and distribution reach with GEM’s rapid packaging and relief capabilities, we are able to deliver essential supplies directly to families who are still struggling to recover,” Raine said. “This is the work of solidarity, and we are grateful to stand together with GEM in service to the people of Jamaica.”
GEM Founder and President Michael Capponi emphasized the importance of unified emergency response efforts.
“In disasters like this, no single organization can do it alone,” Capponi said. “Families are hurting, many have lost everything, and they deserve a response rooted in compassion and coordination. Our partnership with Food For The Poor allows us to accelerate relief to the communities that are hardest to reach and to do so with care, consistency, and respect.”
Under the agreement, FFTP is providing food procurement and manages all in-country logistics and distribution, while GEM oversees packaging and shipping from the United States, ensuring fast deployment to Jamaica.
As part of the partnership, GEM will also produce an additional 8,000 food kits to support field activities under its IOM tarp installation program. These kits will be distributed in areas where families have lost roofs, housing structure, or weather protection.
The Government of Jamaica is leading the national response, and FFTP is serving as the logistics and central distribution backbone supporting that effort to deliver food, clean water, and critical supplies to cut-off communities.
Overall, more than 1,513 pallets of aid – over 2 million pounds – across 84 shipments have been delivered or staged to support families in need. So far, 6,000 families have received food and care packages. Each package supports a family of four for about two weeks.
To assist FFTP’s Hurricane Melissa response, please visit: foodforthepoor.org/melissa
GEM has been on the ground in Jamaica since July 2024, responding to Hurricane Beryl’s destruction. GEM had the first plane land into Treasure Beach 48 hours after Beryl’s landfall, bringing critical humanitarian aid to those affected. Since then, over 735 roofs have been repaired in Jamaica by GEM.
For more information on GEM’s Hurricane Melissa response, please visit: https://www.globalempowermentmission.org/mission/hurricane-melissa/
Before Hurricane Melissa made landfall, GEM’s Caribbean team was prepositioned to assist. Since Melissa, GEM has shipped more than $4 million in humanitarian aid to Jamaica. In the weeks to come, Global Empowerment Mission will be significantly increasing its output of critical aid distribution into the affected communities. Prepared for an indefinite response, GEM’s team is equipped for a sustained and long-term commitment to support Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa.
About Food For The Poor
Food For The Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organizations in the United States, is committed to facilitating paths out of poverty and transforming lives. As an interdenominational Christian ministry, we help families across Latin America and the Caribbean. Our efforts span urgent humanitarian relief and long-term development – from emergency aid and hunger alleviation to education, housing, and economic empowerment. We follow a distinctive approach that integrates faith, multi-sector strategies, and trusted partnerships. Whenever possible, we strive to work at the community level, partnering with local leaders and residents to co-create sustainable solutions that address the multi-dimensional nature of poverty. For more information, please visit foodforthepoor.org.
About GEM
Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) has become a disruptive force in disaster relief and recovery worldwide. GEM delivers both rapid, life-saving aid in the critical hours after disaster strikes and strategic, long-term solutions that help communities rebuild stronger than before. Recognized as one of the most effective and accountable nonprofits in the sector, GEM proudly holds Charity Navigator’s coveted 4-star rating and ensures that an extraordinary 97% of every donated dollar goes directly to mission programs, not overhead.
Michael Turnbell
Communications
954-471-0928
[email protected]
