October 31, 2025
A Category 5 hurricane, which also swept through Cuba and Haiti in the Caribbean, made landfall in Jamaica as the strongest recorded storm to ever hit the island.
Category 5 hurricane Melissa, which also swept through Cuba and Haiti in the Caribbean, made landfall in Jamaica as the strongest recorded storm to ever hit the island.
As Jamaican residents continue to recover from the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa, a nonprofit organization is rallying support to help rebuild a local public school.
The Rockhouse Foundation, a nonprofit based in New York City that seeks to improve education in Jamaica, has launched the Rockhouse Foundation Hurricane Recovery Fund. The foundation, which focuses on supporting teachers and improving learning environments across the island, built the Sav Inclusive School, which the storm has severely damaged.
“The storm made landfall less than ten miles from our campus. Roofs were torn off, classrooms flooded, therapy rooms and learning materials destroyed, and our grounds left badly damaged. Many in the surrounding community suffered even greater loss,” the organization notes on its GoFundMe page.
“Every act of kindness brings us closer to reopening our doors and continuing to change young lives through inclusion, love, and learning.”
The organization noted that the fund will not only assist with repairs but also support broader recovery efforts in the surrounding community.
The Sav Inclusive School is a public school where children with disabilities can learn in a fully inclusive environment. Currently, the school has 265 students from ages 3 through grade 6. Following its success, The Rockhouse Foundation and Jamaica’s Ministry of Education have pledged to expand the school through the 12th grade. The organization plans to add one new grade each year over the next seven years.
Launched in 2004, The Rockport Foundation has invested over $11 million in building schools. The Sav Inclusive School is one of six educational facilities on the island established by the organization, including Moreland Hill Primary School, Little Bay All Age and Infant School, and the Negril Public Library.
The Rockhouse Foundation is both a registered Jamaican charity and a New York–based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. To find out how you can support the organization and its hurricane relief efforts, visit the GoFundMe page or Rockport’s website.
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