Sat | Nov 22, 2025

12-hour radiothon to raise funds for Hurricane Melissa relief efforts

Published:Saturday | November 22, 2025 | 12:06 AMLester Hinds/Gleaner Writer
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Volunteers sort through hurricane relief supplies at one of the Silver Spring, Maryland, drop off centres.
Contributed
Volunteers sort through hurricane relief supplies at one of the Silver Spring, Maryland, drop off centres.
Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson joins volunteers in packing relief supplies at the Embassy of Jamaica main sorting hub at the Silver Spring Civic Building Veterans Plaza in downtown Silver Spring, Maryla
Derrick Scott
Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson joins volunteers in packing relief supplies at the Embassy of Jamaica main sorting hub at the Silver Spring Civic Building Veterans Plaza in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland.
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NEW YORK, NYC:

Howard University has partnered with the Jamaican Embassy in Washington DC, to host a 12-hour radiothon to raise funds to support people affected by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica.

The radiothon is scheduled to air on Howard University’s radio station WHUR FM on Sunday, November 23 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. WHUR FM radio serves the Washington, DC, Virginia and Maryland communities.

While the media event will facilitate people wishing to donate via calling through to the radio station, the Howard University relief fund drive which began on Thursday, November 20 will run through to Monday, December 1.

Howard University students will mobilise along Georgia Avenue and Bryant Street, North West, DC to collect monetary donations from motorists and pedestrians on the day of the radiothon.

People wishing to donate to the relief fund might call in to the station and make their pledges. Those wishing to send cheques may do so making them payable to Howard University (WHUR Aid to Jamaica in the memo section). People may also donate online at www.whur.com.

The university will also have drop-off points on campus for those wishing to deliver relief supplies.

SORTING SITES

Public relations officer at the Jamaican embassy in Washington DC, Derrick Scott, told The Gleaner that the idea was discussed with interim president of Howard University, Dr Wayne Frederick, who readily agreed to host the event.

Scott told The Gleaner that the target communities are the DC, Virginia and Maryland areas, with organisers hoping to raise a significant sum of money which will be sent to Jamaica to assist in the relief efforts. He noted that the Ambassador will also participate in the event.

The embassy has also partnered with Southwest Airlines to send relief supplies from the DVM area to Jamaica.

So far some 3000 lbs of goods, valued about US$80,000, have been shipped by Southwest Airlines to Jamaica. The airline has allotted 1000 lbs of cargo space for shipping relief goods to Jamaica.

Apart from the relief supplies shipped by Southwest Airlines, the Embassy will be shipping a 40-foot container, made available by Dennis Shipping, to Jamaica on Tuesday.

The embassy has established two sorting sites for donated goods. These are the Silver Spring Civic Centre and EMD Sales which has made warehouse space available for the sorting of goods.

A Jamaican-owned transportation company MBB Deliveries has made available to the embassy vehicles to collect supplies from various drop-off areas.

Scott tells The Gleaner that there has been an overwhelming outpouring of support within the DC, Virginia, and Maryland area to the appeals for hurricane assistance.

He said that the daily sorting of goods (which itself is managed by volunteers) is to facilitate the send-off of supplies to Jamaica in a timely manner.