Volunteers Pack Thousands of Meals at Join The Pack Jamaica to Help Families Recovering from Hurricane Melissa
COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Nov. 24, 2025) – More than 700 volunteers took part in Food For The Poor’s Join The Pack Jamaica at Community Christian Church in Tamarac, packing 124,416 MannaPack meals over two days to support families recovering from Hurricane Melissa, in partnership with Feed My Starving Children (FMSC).
The event brought FFTP and FMSC together with volunteer teams from the church, Verizon, TD Bank and Walmart, Amerijet International Airlines CEO Joe Mozzali, and many other individuals from across South Florida. It also marked the first visit to FFTP by FMSC Executive Director/CEO J.J. Slag, who joined FFTP President/CEO Ed Raine in underscoring the strength of the organizations’ decade-long partnership.
A Partnership That Saves Lives
Raine emphasized the scale and impact of the FFTP–FMSC alliance, which began in 2009.
“Food For The Poor has received 3,500 containers of MannaPack from Feed My Starving Children over the past decade, which is the equivalent of 950 million meals delivered to families in need across 12 countries,” Raine said. “This product has saved countless lives, especially among severely malnourished children. Our partnership with FMSC is absolutely vital, fundamental, and a significant part of how we serve those in greatest need.”
Raine then connected this longstanding partnership to the urgent needs in Jamaica today.
“The needs in Jamaica right now are critical,” he said. “For families affected by Hurricane Melissa, every meal packed this weekend represents hope. We are deeply grateful for this incredible opportunity to serve together.”
“We Pray Over Every Meal” — Community Christian Church
Tim Gray, Pastor to Adults at Community Christian Church, opened Saturday’s session by thanking volunteers and reminding them of the life-changing impact their service would have on families in Jamaica.
“We pray every single one of these bags that we put together, every meal pack, we pray over them,” Gray said. “We pray over the boxes. We pray over the drivers and the trucks, the boats, the plane, however these meals are getting to Jamaica. And we pray that when they arrive, you will make a way for these meals to end up in the hands of the men, women, and children who need them the most.”
“Part of Something Bigger” — Walmart Volunteers
Among the volunteers was a team from Walmart, who described the experience as deeply meaningful.
“It’s important for us to be here because we want people to know that we’re here to support them,” said Pat Nazareth, a Walmart pharmacist who volunteered with her coworkers. “We are with them, and we are here for them. I have family in Jamaica who were impacted by the storm and are helping with the devastation, so being part of this really means something. You can really see great team building happening.”
“A Meaningful Way to Give Back” — Amerijet International Airlines
Amerijet International Airlines CEO Joe Mozzali also joined volunteers, sharing that the experience was both powerful and personal.
“I wanted to volunteer and help the people of Jamaica,” Mozzali said. “It’s a good thing to do and a meaningful way to give back to the community. It’s very fulfilling and very rewarding. I actually got cold chills doing it.”
In response to Hurricane Melissa, Mozzali said Amerijet increased the number of flights and added humanitarian flights to help get supplies into Jamaica quickly.
“We have a lot of experience handling humanitarian missions, and Jamaica is one of our key markets,” he said. “Supporting the communities we serve is part of our mission statement, and this is simply a reflection of that.”
FMSC: Powered by Volunteers, Anchored in Partnership
Slag expressed appreciation for the partnership and for the volunteers who make FMSC’s mission possible.
In addition to the 681 volunteers who worked the packing sessions, another 60 community volunteers assisted with unloading, setup, and cleanup, along with staff from FFTP and FSMC.
“We love this partnership. We love Food For The Poor organization and all your people,” Slag said. “FMSC exists because people roll up their sleeves to make a difference, and Food For The Poor is our largest distribution partner. When something like Hurricane Melissa happens, our first call is to FFTP: ‘How can we help?’ That’s how trusted and deep this relationship is.”
More than 1.2 million volunteers nationwide pack food for FMSC each year.
Impact in Jamaica
This year alone, FMSC has provided 5.7 million meals to Jamaica, including nine containers and 15 pallets shipped by FFTP directly to Hurricane Melissa relief.
The meals packed during Join The Pack Jamaica will be shipped immediately to support families facing food insecurity, damaged homes, and disrupted livelihoods.
A Shared Mission of Faith and Service
As the event concluded, both leaders reflected on the faith-driven collaboration that made it possible.
“None of us can do this alone,” Raine said. “Together, we are the body of Christ in action.”
Slag added, “We pray over every container, trusting God to guide it to the communities that need it most. This weekend, we got to see that mission in action, and it’s a blessing.”
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.
Michael Turnbell
Communications
954-471-0928
[email protected]
