What to know
- Hurricane Melissa devastated western Jamaica on Oct. 28, killing dozens and leaving thousands without homes.
- Harmonies of Hope, a benefit concert on Dec. 10 in Toronto, aims to raise funds and morale for hurricane-affected communities.
- Toronto-based CEO and Ambassadress Reetu Gupta of the Gupta Group has donated $55,000 to Harmonies of Hope, and previously contributed $50,000 in emergency kits through Global Medic.
- Gupta says even small contributions can bring hope, emphasizing a shared humanity and encouraging collective support for disaster relief.
As community leaders, artists, and Jamaican Canadians prepare to come together for a benefit concert supporting Hurricane Melissa relief, a new wave of donations from a prominent Toronto-based family is helping to fuel recovery efforts.
Real estate development company and hoteliers The Gupta Group has announced a significant contribution to the Harmonies of Hope relief effort, aiming to boost on-the-ground recovery on the island following the catastrophic hurricane.
Read More
CEO and Ambassadress Reetu Gupta told Now Toronto that the foundation mobilized quickly after hearing news of the devastation, initially donating $50,000 worth of emergency kits through Global Medic. But after a conversation with Harmonies of Hope leader and Toronto Metropolitan University Chancellor Donette Chin-Loy Chang, she decided to extend her support even further.
“I just said, ‘I’m all in. Whatever I can do to help, I’m right there with you,’” Gupta said.
Gupta shared that she has always felt a deep connection to Jamaican culture, especially growing up in Toronto, and felt a strong desire to help on a humanitarian level.
“I see so many similarities between the Indian culture and Jamaican culture. And at the end of the day, I feel like we are all the same. And if one human is suffering, all of us are suffering,” she said.
She made the decision to give an additional $55,000 directly to Harmonies of Hope, which will distribute proceeds among three established charities: Food for the Poor Jamaica, Helping Hands Jamaica, and the Sandals Foundation.
Reflecting on her contribution, Gupta stressed the need in Jamaica is much greater than her contribution but hopes it can bring some sort of assurance to those affected by the disaster.
“Jamaica needs so much help,” she emphasized. “If it can give one person hope, if it can make one person feel that somebody outside of the island cares, sometimes that hope and that inspiration and knowing that there’s love for you somewhere, that really makes a big difference.”
Gupta called on business leaders across the country to step up in moments of international crisis, emphasizing that it’s not just a responsibility, but a moral duty.
“I feel that it is my duty to be able to give back, and I believe that I’ve been put on this Earth for service,” she said. “If you’re expecting people to come and to buy goods from you and to support your business, then I feel like there should also be the other expectation that when someone needs help, why can’t you be that person to do that?”
The devastating Hurricane Melissa tore through the western parishes of Jamaica on Oct. 28, leaving 45 people dead, 18 missing, and thousands without homes. Harmonies of Hope, which is to be held on Dec. 10 at the Meridian Performing Arts Centre, is the latest of many local efforts to help out the island still reeling from the billions of dollars worth of damage and widespread displacement. Led by Chin-Loy Chang and businessman Wes Hall, it aims to rally the diaspora for a one-night-only concert featuring a lineup of artists like Jully Black, Sean Jones, Quisha Wint and many more.
For more information, visit Harmonies of Hope’s main event page, or to purchase tickets directly, visit Ticketmaster.
