World Cares Center will host a Zoom meeting on 11.18 for individuals and organizations currently responding to or interested and have the capabilities to respond to the Hurricane Melissa Relief Effort in Jamaica. World Cares Center is actively organizing its response which includes a pop up field medical clinic, healing arts workshops, and a coordination hub for incoming volunteer groups in Hopewell and in Westmorland. Please join us to share you updates and learn how we can work together to help Jamaica recover.
Location:
We are currently working with partners in Bethel Town, Westmorland and in Tryall, Hopewell.
Service: WCC will set up a Medical Pop Up Clinic that will treat and estimated 50- 100 individuals a day. In addtion we will conduct Love, Hope and Courage workshops with the children and create resiliency mural. Our long term goal is to stand up a reception and coordination center where partners groups can utilize to deploy from with assessments, tools etc.
Partnership Requests: We are seeking groups trained in the Collaborative Disaster Volunteer Credential that have the capacity to deploy or are already in the area. WCC is coordinating efforts, however, we are not funding parnter groups to deploy, we are offering coordination assistance.
Please introduce yourself, your organization, if you are currently deployed to Jamaica, if your plan to deploy, your capabilites and where you intend to serve and help that you need other than funding.
Thank you!
Lisa
AI Meeting Notes:
Meeting assets for WCC Jamaica Response Coordination Call are ready!
Meeting summary
Quick recap
The meeting introduced team members with backgrounds in disaster response, medical care, and community involvement, including several registered nurses and practitioners who shared their experiences with various organizations. The group discussed plans for an upcoming medical deployment to Jamaica, including logistics for pop-up clinics, shipping medications, and coordinating with local leadership to establish long-term volunteer coordination centers. The team explored shipping options for food barrels, discussed potential partnerships with the Ministry of Agriculture for pet and farming support, and addressed post-flood cleanup needs in affected communities, with plans to reconvene on the 25th.
Next steps
Lisa: Deploy December 18th through 21st to do assessment of communities and meet with local partners
Lisa: Prepare information package for Janita including online training materials
Lisa: Put together situational briefing report with locations and official letters for team
Lisa: Send Simon a one-pager about their deployment for his philanthropic group
Lisa: Set up in-person meeting with Mecca in Queens office for planning and situational awareness
Lisa: Put AI notes from this meeting into Ready Responders Hub as blog post
Lisa: Send information about Project ELF event on December 10th to team members
Janita: Register on ReadyResponderHub.org and join Jamaica Coordination Group
Janita: Take the online training that Lisa will provide
Janita: Set up follow-up Zoom meeting with Patty to discuss medical deployment details
Patty: Meet with Janita via Zoom to discuss medical lead responsibilities and deployment
Mecca: Provide Lisa with list of local partners in Jamaica for vetting and verification
Mecca: Share information about 8 barrels and shipping details with Simon through Ready Responders Hub
Mecca: Research Ministry of Agriculture requirements for animal feed/livestock support and report back to Christine
Simon: Follow up on air/sea transport options for medical supplies and equipment
Simon: Pass Lisa’s one-pager to philanthropic group founder for potential deployment support
Christine: Register on ReadyResponderHub.org to coordinate animal/livestock relief efforts
Cindy: Provide definitive answer on deployment availability by end of day
All participants: Join next meeting scheduled for November 25th at 2 PM
Summary
Disaster Response and Community Involvement
The meeting introduced Janita Woods-Parker, a registered nurse and family nurse practitioner, who shared her experience in disaster response and community involvement with the Medical Reserve Corps and CERT. Participants discussed their backgrounds, including Simon’s involvement in hazmat incidents and Christine’s interest in animal resources for Jamaica. Cindy Lewis, a member of the World Cares advisory board and Red Cross board, expressed support for disaster response efforts. Steve, a trainer with World Cares, shared his experience in disaster response and environmental safety training. The conversation ended with Patty joining briefly via phone.
Ready Responders Hub Deployment Plans
Lisa introduced Patty as the deployment lead for medical care, while Lisa focuses on logistics. Patty shared her experience in setting up pop-up clinics in various disaster zones. Simon mentioned potential access to air and sea transport for charitable activities in Jamaica, including rebuilding work at undisclosed locations. Lisa invited everyone to join the Ready Responders Hub, where activities and volunteer requests will be coordinated. She explained World Care Center’s 25-year history of disaster response, including training programs, personal protective equipment provision, and art healing workshops. The team plans to set up pop-up medical clinics in communities in need, working with local leadership and training them to sustain a volunteer coordination center. Lisa mentioned an upcoming deployment to assess communities in Jamaica from December 18th to 21st.
Jamaica Medical Deployment Planning
Lisa discussed plans for a medical deployment to Jamaica, including an initial assessment from December 18-21 and a main deployment from January 3-17. The team will be based in Montego Bay and will work with a medical donor to hand-carry medications, with housing provided for the core team. Lisa mentioned ongoing fundraising efforts to cover expenses, and the possibility of working with Mecca’s organization, Divas Return with Life, which has already provided food and conducted assessments in several areas.
Pop-Up Medical Clinic Planning
Lisa and Mecca discussed plans for a pop-up medical clinic in Hopewell, Sandy Bay, and Bethel Town, with a focus on delivering the Hope, Love, Courage program. They agreed to meet from the 18th to the 21st to train Mecca’s team and review workbooks. Lisa mentioned she would prepare a briefing with details on partners and official letters. Patty explained their grassroots approach to providing medical care, emphasizing flexibility and meeting immediate community needs. The team discussed their process for distributing medications and providing health education. Lisa noted that Patty would need support from non-medical professionals during the deployment.
Deployment and Logistics Planning Meeting
Lisa discussed deployment plans for January 3-17 and a separate assessment trip from December 18-21, during which she will work with local leadership to transform clinics into long-term coordination centers. Mecca expressed interest in attending the January deployment, and Lisa agreed to prepare a deployment package and online training for Johnnita, who is considering deployment despite being in a transition period. Simon explained logistics options for shipping goods to Jamaica, including air travel and sea transport, with Mecca confirming she has 8 barrels of food ready for shipping before December 31st, when duty-free arrangements end.
Jamaica Logistics and Resource Coordination
The group discussed logistics for shipping barrels from Mecca’s home in Queens to Jamaica, with Simon offering to explore shipping options through JFK and Mecca mentioning potential freight connections. Lisa requested that everyone use the Ready Responder Hub (www.ReadyResponderhub.org) to share resources and requests within the Jamaica Coordination Group. The discussion also covered concerns about farmers who have lost their livestock, with Christine and Mecca exploring potential solutions, including the need for permits from the Ministry of Agriculture for importing seeds and animal feed.
Jamaica Flood Response Planning Meeting
The team discussed two main initiatives: A medical pop up clinic and healing arts workshops : Love, Hope and Courage. A second deployment can include post-flood home cleanup efforts where Mecca reported entire communities were submerged with homes requiring mucking and gutting. Lisa explained the process of mucking and gutting post-disaster response and requested Mecca share video evidence of the affected areas. The team agreed to meet again on the 25th at 2 PM, and Lisa encouraged everyone to register on the Ready Responders Hub platform for coordination.