Jamaica’s KFC franchise holder commits $18 million in hurricane relief

The Jamaica KFC franchise owner is sending funds to several government organizations and nonprofits, as well as direct relief to charities.

Restaurants of Jamaica, which franchise Pizza Hut and KFC on the island, has committed $18 million in relief for Hurricane Melissa, which has devastated the Caribbean.

According to Jamaica Observer, the funds will be distributed to the Jamaican government through the official Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) hurricane relief fund, as well as Food For the Poor Jamaica. The franchise holder will also provide direct assistance to several homes, shelters, and charities within its KFC Harvest Outreach Programme.

The charities include the Salvation Army Corps in St. James, Westmoreland, and Trelawny; Manning’s Boys Home and St. Matthew’s Mother’s Union in St. Elizabeth; and Hanbury Home for Children, Windsor Lodge Children’s Home, and Friends in Need in Manchester.

ROJ will also target primary schools in the country with the initiative, serving schools that were previously impacted by Hurricane Beryl and now have to recover again from Hurricane Melissa.

Mark Meyers, the Managing Director of ROJ, said that the company is “committed wholeheartedly” to supporting Jamaica’s recovery from Melissa. He said that along with assistance, ROJ will provide “food, in-kind donations, and recovery support to help families and institutions rebuild what has been lost.”

“Jamaica is our home, and we are deeply committed to helping our people rise again,” he said. “While we support the ongoing national relief efforts, one of [our] main priorities also remains assisting the members of our own ROJ family, many of whom have been negatively impacted. We have already begun to activate our internal relief programmes to support those members of our team who are most in need at this time.”