Jamaica’s recovery from Hurricane Melissa received a boost last Wednesday, when the United States Department of State announced an additional US$2.5 million ($394 million) in humanitarian assistance at the American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica (AmCham Jamaica) Business and Civic Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility Awards and 40th Anniversary Gala, held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

The announcement, made during the presentation of the Eagle of the Americas Award to the Bureau for Disaster and Humanitarian Response (DHR) of the US Department of State, underscored the continuing humanitarian partnership between Jamaica and the United States following the Category 5 hurricane that struck the island in October 2025.

The additional funding builds on more than US$22 million in emergency assistance already mobilised by the United States government after one of the most destructive storms to hit Jamaica in recent history. Deputy Assistant Secretary Taylor Garrett accepted the award on behalf of DHR, reflecting on the importance of sustained partnership and resilience in the recovery effort.