“Replanting Hope — The Uplift East Seed Drive”

When Hurricane Melissa tore through Western Jamaica, it didn’t just damage homes—it wiped out entire fields, small farms, backyard gardens, and with them, the livelihoods of many families who depend on the land to survive. As we traveled across Westmoreland and parts of Trelawny during our relief missions, we saw firsthand how deeply this loss has affected the people, especially the farmers who now face the reality of starting over from bare soil.

This is what inspired the Uplift East Seed Drive.

We believe that true recovery means more than handing out care packages—it means restoring independence, dignity, and the ability to provide for one’s family. Seeds represent life, renewal, and a fresh start. So, we are collecting:

Vegetable seeds

Ground provision seeds

Fruit tree seedlings

Fertilizers

Soil amendments

Basic farming supplies

These will be donated directly to farmers and rural households who lost their crops during the hurricane.

But the Seed Drive goes beyond the west.The devastation revealed something deeper—the belly of how fragile our food systems are, and how important it is for all of us to play a role in food security. The rising cost of food across the island is a shared challenge. Planting even a small backyard garden can ease the strain on families and help build a more resilient Jamaica.

We are encouraging Jamaicans everywhere to plant, share seeds, exchange seeds, and grow something—no matter how small. If each of us contributes, we can help rebuild not just the farms that were damaged, but the agricultural strength of our nation.

The Seed Drive is our way of saying:Let’s grow hope together.