11/06/2025
Please read and help if you can. Hurricane Melissa had a direct hit on the area and school that we sistered with. Below is directly from Bluefields.
Hurricane Melissa - 2 Nov 2025 Update from Ground Zero
Since 28 October 2025, we have seen an outpouring of support for the southwestern coast of Jamaica. We are truly grateful. We have also received many questions that we would like to address.
What is the current status on the ground and how is the Bluefields Villas Foundation (d/b/a Bluefields Environmental Protection Association) helping?
Please consider watching these videos with Houston Moncure, our Managing Director. He is trying his best to keep this disaster in the news with the hopes that it will nudge the Jamaican government, foreign governments and aid organizations to pay attention to the area between Black River and Savannah-La-Mar.
Interview with the BBC
Interview with the Jamaica Observer
American Chinook helicopters have flown overhead with food, but none of them have landed nearby. The Bluefields Villas Foundation has ordered food and water from Kingston, White House and Montego Bay, and has ordered an industrial grade reverse osmosis machine that will be used by Bluefields Bay Villas to turn river water into potable water for residents. In addition, we have ordered zincs to install on top of homes that only have walls left, and shipping containers to serve as temporary housing for local residents who do not have walls left. Luckily, the road from Montego Bay to the southwestern coast has been cleared (though operating on a single lane basis in many places, with potholes galore), so aid can be transported to the area. In addition, much to our relief, at 2pm on Sunday (after a previous site visit) Chef Jose Andres and World Central Kitchen arrived to hand out 1,000 meals.
Where do the funds for the Bluefields Villas Foundation (d/b/a Bluefields Environmental Protection Association) come from?
In the past, nearly all funds came from a 2% community fee paid by visitors to Bluefields Bay Villas & Suites, and projects have been modest in size. Given the scope of what needs to be done, and given the role that BVF would like to play in the rebuild, the Board is accepting and encouraging donations from past visitors and other friends of Jamaica interested in ensuring that their money reaches the neediest and forgotten with the lowest possible overhead. BVF has zero administrative costs other than international wire fees – all work, including accounting and administrative work, is performed on a voluntary basis.
Why is private money needed when residents have insurance and the Government of Jamaica to handle the costs of the rebuild?
Very few residents of Jamaica have home insurance. The Government of Jamaica is set to receive a disaster payout of US$150m to cover rebuild costs, however this will not be enough. The damage caused by Hurricane Beryl was just under $1b according to the National Hurricane Center, and that storm cannot compare to Hurricane Melissa in its intensity. Entire schools and churches are gone, and the second largest airport and many hospitals are in disarray. In addition, there is the matter of repairing roads, the water grid, the power grid, and the communications system. We expect that the government will not be able to repair all of the infrastructure that it is responsible for, much less have the resources to help private residents to recover.
How can I contribute or encourage others to contribute?
To minimize transfer costs, we suggest the following methods to send money for both staff support and the general community fund:
(1) Venmo to -Moncure (specify “staff support” or “community fund” in memo)
(2) Zelle to 202-415-5276 (legal name Mary Rachel Moncure on account, and this will go to the community fund unless otherwise specified by e-mail to [email protected])
(3) Wire or ACH to Bluefields Environmental Protection Association, and this will go to the community fund unless otherwise specified by e-mail to [email protected]
Account Name: Bluefields Environmental Protection Association
Account Address: 726 N Washington St, Alexandria VA 22314 USA
Bank Name: Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Company
Bank Address: 100 S Fairfax St, Alexandria, VA 22314 USA
Routing: 056001066 (for ACH or wire, B&H only has one routing number)
Account: 47106300
(4) We have set-up a GoFundMe (https://gofund.me/48503c238), however they take large fees and take a month to distribute the funds. This is the least preferred option.
Mary Rachel Moncure is the Treasurer of Bluefields Villas Foundation (d/b/a Bluefields Environmental Protection Association with EIN 27-1391451 and TRN 002-155-443). She is committed to the highest degree of transparency and accuracy in reporting, and all U.S. donors will receive a tax letter. NOTE – the Bluefields Villas Foundation board has voted to accept staff support into the Foundation as a designated fund. Given the extent of the disaster, and given that staff are supporting extended families too, it is appropriate to administer ALL support through the Foundation.
When does Bluefields Bay Villas & Suites plan to reopen?
As one of the two hardest hit luxury resorts on the island of Jamaica, we are still assessing the damage and determining dates for a grand reopening. We expect this to be gradual as different properties sustained different levels of damage. We hope to provide a schedule within the week, following a site visit by our Kingston contractors and calls with our insurers. Bluefields Bay Villas & Suites has the obligation to reschedule all bookings at no additional cost to the client. For clients wishing to cancel who hold travel insurance, please be in touch and we can promptly provide a letter for use in seeking a coverage payout. For those wishing to cancel who do not hold travel insurance, please be in touch and we will get back to you as soon as the Board has managed to meet and determine a policy on this issue.
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