OUR GRANTS

2026 Overview

Total Grants: 12

Total Funds Distributed: $43,058

When Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica in October 2025, our Peace Corps and Jamaica-adjacent communities stepped up in incredible ways. Thanks to your support, we raised over $40,000 in the weeks and months following the storm – a record-breaking total that surpassed our lifetime giving.

This generosity enabled us to distribute more grants and total funding over the past year than ever before. In 2026, our grant making focused exclusively on immediate hurricane relief and long-term recovery efforts. As always, every grant distributed by FOJ supports fully grassroots projects led by and for Jamaican communities.

Our 2026 grant cycle is now closed. Our 2027 grant cycle will open on January 1st. 2027 focus areas will include education, health, and agriculture.

2026 Grantees:

Bryan Family Foundation | $1,000.00

Supported the distribution of essential school supplies to over 100 students in the parish of Clarendon.

Building Goodness Foundation | $10,000.00

Partnered to support home construction for families who lost their homes to Hurricane Melissa in the parish of Westmoreland.

Crooked River Training Center | $996.00

Funded critical repairs to a section of the Training Center severely damaged by the hurricane. The facility serves approximately 200 community members annually through skills training and professional development.

CX CARES – Shrewsbury School | $1,000.00

Supported roof reconstruction to create a sturdy, storm-resistant facility that now serves as a dual-use Community Center and Emergency Shelter
Epping Primary | $385.00

Replaced recently installed solar lighting essential for institutional safety and security, which was destroyed during the storm.

Geneva Primary | $1,677.00

Replaced essential classroom, teachers' lounge, and administrative furniture destroyed by Hurricane Melissa to restore safety, productivity, and morale.

Jah Works, Inc. | $10,000.00

Partnered to rebuild and replace the community boat dock destroyed by Hurricane Melissa.

Jamaica Diaspora Membership Academy | $1,000.00

Enabled mentees (Jamaican students), parents, and key school personnel—teachers, guidance counselors, and principals—from all 14 parishes to attend a conference focused on post-hurricane recovery and resilience.

RADA Seed Voucher – Peace Corps Partnership | $5,000.00

Provided direct relief and agricultural recovery vouchers to smallholder farmers in northern St. Elizabeth affected by the hurricane.

Rocksteady / Bellas Gate Basic School | $1,000.00

Funded structural repairs following severe water infiltration through the roof slab. As the sole basic school serving children in the Bellas Gate area, preserving this facility was an essential priority.

Walkerswood Basic School | $1,000.00

Funded necessary structural repairs after Hurricane Melissa caused catastrophic damage, requiring the complete replacement of the roof and exterior doors.

Young Women and Men of Purpose – Partnership | $10,000.00

Supported comprehensive shelter restoration, livelihood recovery, and community resilience efforts in Parottee, accomplishing:

• 12 community visits with 50+ volunteers

• 1,000+ care packages & 300+ sanitation packages distributed

• 10 homes cleared of sand & 5 homes built from the ground up

• 3 home roofs and 1 shop roof repaired

• 2 boats recovered from mangroves & repair materials provided to return boats to sea

• 1 community shop restocked & 50 local business vouchers provided

• 60+ hours of individual and group counseling provided

• 111 water tanks distributed

See our historical giving page for more on our past grants.