Jamaica’s Consul General Mobilizes Community to Provide Emergency Assistance to Jamaica in the Wake of Destruction Caused by Hurricane Ivan

Jamaica’s Consul General to New York, Dr. Basil K. Bryan met in an emergency session with representatives of various Jamaican organizations and community leaders to provide information and to devise strategies for the several efforts now in place in New York City to assist Jamaica in the relief and reconstruction work to return the country to normality following the passage of Hurricane Ivan.
Since the hurricane, Dr. Bryan has been urging the Jamaican community in the Tri-State area to make monetary contributions to a special fund, the: “Jamaica Hurricane Ivan Relief Fund 2004” and mail to the Consulate General of Jamaica, 767 Third Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10017. The Consul General has stressed that all contributors will receive an official receipt as well as an acknowledgement letter from him. He has also stressed that there were families still without homes to return to and who are in need of shelter, food and clothing. Donations of in-kind items can be designated for a particular area of Jamaica, e.g. Clarendon, or for a specific purpose, e.g. school supplies or for health services and hospitals. Whatever it is all are asked to contribute in this time of national crisis. The Consul General has emphasized that no donation is too small to send. Donations of canned or dried food, clothing and emergency supplies can be left at designated firehouses in the following three boroughs: Brooklyn:2900 Snyder Avenue; 1367 Rogers Avenue; 1361 Rockaway Parkway 1352 St. John’s Place Queens: 104-12 Prince Street; 117-11 196th Street; 145-50 Springfield Blvd. The Bronx: 3431 White Plains Road; 755 East 233rd Street. The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs – (212) 788-7654 can also provide additional information. All in-kind donations including food items should be placed in boxes or clear plastic bags and clearly marked “FOR JAMAICA.” For a limited period of time – at least through the end of September, items can also be taken to one of several shippers who have donated space to take items to Jamaica. A complete listing of the shippers can be obtained from the Consulate’s Website http://www.congenjamaica-ny.org/ or by calling the Consulate at (212) 935-9000. New York Governor George Pataki has also designated the Armory at 355 Marcy Avenue in Brooklyn as a collection site for bulk donations and large items such as lumber, tarpaulins, plastic sheeting, power saws, generators, portable water pumps and family tents. All items must be delivered to the collections sites prior to September 30, 2004 when shipment by air (courtesy of the NYS National Guard) or ship is scheduled to take place. Items which are urgently needed are: blankets, baby mattresses and blankets, tarpaulins, galvanized zinc, lumber, nails, power saw, generators, portable water pumps, rechargeable lanterns, 2 gallon collapsible water containers, cots, family tents, thermal fogging machines, and disposable gloves. Members of the Emergency Task Force have volunteered to further mobilize the community in spreading the call to action and to collect the donations from the various firehouses. They will also reach out to suppliers for bulk donations of food, water, construction materials and emergency supplies as well as to contact friends, fellow workers and relatives for donations. The persons named to the Special Task Force charged with responsibility to further engage the community are:- – Lisa Bryan-Smart – Hon. Una S.T. Clarke, C.D. – Amir Abdullah Muhammed Abdul-Akbar – Aretha Blake – Jennifer Chalmers – Winston Currie – Georgia Dunn – Byron LaBeach – Janet Madden – Errol Minto – Barbara Richards – Jos