11/07/2025
🌴 Support Families in Jamaica Affected by Hurricane Melissa
“Devastation surrounds us, but our spirit remains unbroken. Westmoreland, you're not alone — we'll rebuild, revive, and rise stronger than ever 💔➡️💪🏽” - Soyaine
The recent hurricane in Jamaica has left families facing conditions more severe than we can imagine. They've faced widespread flooding, destroyed homes, no power, and limited access to clean water and basic supplies. In particular, mothers and their newborns are struggling to meet essential needs.
Vermont Doula Company has connected directly with trusted local birth workers, not through government or hospital systems, to ensure our help goes straight to the families who need it most. We have spoken personally with them via phone, WhatsApp, and FaceTime to coordinate support.
We are partnering with:
🇯🇲 BAM Moms Club, led by Dr. Soyini Gordon-Mitchell, medical doctor, educator, and mother. Their mission: “to facilitate the social, physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing of pregnant women and empower mothers during pregnancy and the postpartum period.”
🇯🇲 Soyaine’s Doula Services, whose vision is: “Supporting new life with love & care 🌸💕 Experienced doula providing personalized prenatal, birth, & postpartum support — empowering families to thrive.”
🌎 Why Jamaica? Why Now?
You might ask why we are focusing on Jamaica, while families in the U.S. face challenges like reduced access to SNAP benefits. While we deeply care about local families, this hurricane has created an immediate and urgent crisis in Jamaica, with little attention in the news and very limited outside aid.
As birth workers, we are part of a global birthing community. Supporting parents and newborns worldwide is not just charity, it’s part of our mission to nurture, protect, and empower families wherever they are. Right now, these communities need us more than ever, and together, we can make a direct, tangible difference.
“In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, countless families across Jamaica — especially mothers and their little ones — have been left struggling to survive.” - Soyini
🍼 How You Can Help
We are collecting both financial donations and physical items to get urgent aid into the hands of families.
Priority items include:
- Solar-powered items: chargers, lights, bulbs, power banks (used is fine as long as it works)
- Hygiene products: soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, wipes, hand sanitizer
- Sanitary pads and menstrual care products
- Prepared or canned formula (must be new and unopened)
- Diapers and baby wipes
- Clean blankets and sheets
All other items can be gently used, clean, and in working order.
📦 Drop-Off Information
📍 Vermont Doula Company
30 Farrell St, South Burlington, VT
🕗 Drop-Off Hours: 8 AM – 2 PM (someone will be there)
🪣 Items can also be left outside in the clearly marked bin anytime
🗓 Collection Window: November 7 – November 30
🚢 First Shipment Leaves: Next Friday — let’s get supplies to families as soon as possible!
💗 Financial Donations
Your contributions help:
Cover shipping costs to get supplies to Jamaica. (Supplies are being sent directly to these birth workers homes, they need to pay for private boat carrier services from the US to Jamaica due to the current lack of infrastructure)
Provide direct support to BAM Moms Club and Soyaine’s Doula Services for urgent local needs
💻 Donate here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=XU47DFRZYKQGE
Every item and dollar helps ensure parents and babies have what they need to stay safe, nourished, and cared for in this critical time.
🌞 Join Us in Action
Let’s show that care knows no borders. Every small act of giving adds up to real impact. Together, we can make sure no mother or baby is left behind.
