As Jamaicans continue to deal with the rippling effects of Hurricane Melissa, a local fundraising concert was held to support the island with Mayor Olivia Chow showing up in full support.
On Thursday, the Jamaica Canadian Association (JCA) hosted ‘Hope For Jamaica,’ a Hurricane Melissa relief show at the Jamaican Canadian Centre in Toronto.
The show featured a stacked lineup of several local, Jamaican and Jamaican-Canadian artists including BLK Orchid, J Stvrr, Tonya P, Fergus Hambleton, Kairo McLean and many more.
Tickets for the event were priced at $25 with all proceeds and donations collected going directly to the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) to aid recovery efforts in Jamaica.
@nowtoronto Olivia Chow joins Toronto’s Jamaican community for hurricane relief concert. #HurricaneMelissa #Toronto ♬ original sound – Now Toronto
“The need is great, and it will take months and years to rebuild,” former JCA President Adaoma Patterson said to Now Toronto. “Many people love Jamaican culture… this is their opportunity to really show their love and support.”
Among those showing their love and support was Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, who took to the stage to reassure attendees that she is standing in solidarity with Jamaicans alongside the rest of the city.
“[Hurricane] Melissa is powerful, but the Jamaican community in Toronto is even more powerful,” Chow said as she spoke to attendees. “Your mayor is with you, The City of Toronto is with you… Let’s do this, let’s show our love to people in Jamaica, because time is tough there, but we can do it.”
During her appearance, Chow said the City of Toronto is also collecting donations, including non-perishable items, in partnership with Toronto Fire and Toronto Police Service. Chow said 12 firehalls across the city will be accepting donations for hurricane relief efforts.
The mayor also said the city has also opened a donation portal online with all proceeds going directly to the Government of Jamaica.
“Give, donate, share what you have, because this is the city where we care for each other, where we stand up for each other and support each other,” Chow said to Now Toronto. “The Jamaican community here in Toronto shows us the way of what generosity of spirit is about, it’s about caring for each other and donating.”
The relief concert is just one of several local efforts that have taken place in Toronto since Hurricane Melissa made its way through the island on Oct 28.
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The government of Canada has also stepped in, announcing $7 million in funding for humanitarian assistance.
Of that, $5 million will support humanitarian partners to provide life-saving assistance, such as emergency food, water, sanitation and health services. The remaining $2 million will be allocated to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) Caribbean Regional Logistics Hub, which is dispatching food and relief items to Jamaica.
