After Hurricane Melissa, Hubert and Family Finally Go Home
17 Feb 2026
February 17, 2026 – Black River, St Elizabeth: “This is the first time in my 64 years that I am homeless,” said Hubert Samuels emphatically, recalling the morning Hurricane Melissa tore through Black River last October.
The powerful system, which intensified to a Category 5 hurricane at its peak, left parts of St Elizabeth devastated. Homes were flattened, roofs torn away and entire communities displaced. Samuels’ multigenerational household was among them. Their family home in Black River was destroyed, forcing him to find temporary shelter for his wife, daughter and granddaughter.
Since the storm, the family has not lived under the same roof. Samuels and his wife stayed with a niece in Black River, while his daughter and granddaughter sought refuge at the community shelter in Slipe District. Months passed in uncertainty as they waited for news of what could be salvaged.
Now, with reconstruction nearly complete, that waiting is over.
Samuels’ home was rebuilt through a partnership between N.C.B. Foundation and Food for the Poor Jamaica, supported by funding from the Foundation’s annual Grant a Wish programme. In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, the Foundation committed resources to support long-term recovery in the hardest-hit communities, including Black River, where widespread structural failure left many families displaced for months.
Standing at the front of his rebuilt home watching the final coat of paint dry, Samuels’ voice shifts from strain to relief. “As soon as mi get mi house key, my family is coming right back home,” he said. More than anything, he is looking forward to having his family together again under one roof.
“Black River received one of the most devastating blows from the hurricane. The level of destruction required more than short-term relief,” said Perrin Gayle, CEO of N.C.B. Foundation. “By working with Food for the Poor Jamaica, we are helping families return home safely, with stronger structures that are better able to withstand future weather systems.”
According to Kivett Silvera, Acting Executive Director of Food for the Poor Jamaica, homeowners must demonstrate legal rights to their property through ownership documents, tax receipts or long-term lease agreements to qualify for rebuilding support. Priority was given to homes originally constructed by the charity and located directly along the storm’s path, including areas where damage was intensified by tornado activity. Samuels’ home met those criteria.
The rebuilt structure includes a loft to provide additional sleeping space and a larger patio where the family can gather. Structural upgrades such as hurricane straps and reinforced fastenings, replacing traditional nails with screws, improve the home’s ability to withstand hurricane-force winds.
Silvera noted the importance of local partnerships in recovery efforts. “Many of our donors are internationally based. Having a Jamaican partner like N.C.B. Foundation provide this level of support makes a meaningful difference for families rebuilding their lives.”
With keys finally in hand, Samuels is all smiles. “I appreciate every single bit of help that I am getting now. I feel so comfortable and I am not even in my house yet.”
After months apart, the Samuels family is preparing to do what once seemed uncertain — go home.
(L–R) Kaysia Vaughan, Head of Group Marketing and Communication at NCB, Kivett Silvera, Acting Executive Director, Food for the Poor Jamaica; homeowner Hubert Samuels; Perrin Gayle, CEO of N.C.B. Foundation; Sharon Williams, Director of N.C.B. Foundation; and Jennifer Phillips, homeowner, gather in Black River, St Elizabeth, for the official key handover marking the Samuels family’s return home after Hurricane Melissa destroyed their original dwelling.
Hubert Samuels celebrates receiving the keys to his rebuilt home, ending months of separation from his wife, daughter and granddaughter following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.
Sharon Williams, Director, N.C.B. Foundation, applies a final coat of paint as Hubert Samuels prepares to welcome his family back into their restored Black River home.
Lloyd Richardson, Head, Financial Centre Mandeville, supports reconstruction efforts in Black River, underscoring the role of corporate and community leaders in long-term hurricane recovery.
Perrin Gayle, CEO of N.C.B. Foundation, participates in hands-on preparation ahead of the official handover to Hubert Samuels and his family, reinforcing the Foundation’s commitment to rebuilding lives as well as homes.
Deep caption options:
After Hurricane Melissa intensified to a Category 5 system and destroyed his Black River, St Elizabeth home, Hubert Samuels is finally returning home with his family. The house was rebuilt by Food for the Poor Jamaica and funded through the N.C.B. Foundation Grant a Wish programme, which has been mobilised to support long-term recovery in some of the island’s hardest-hit communities.
