The contribution will support medium- and long-term recovery for communities impacted by Hurricane Melissa and other severe storms
SARASOTA, Fla., Nov. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Patterson Foundation is providing a $250,000 contribution to the Center for Disaster Philanthropy's (CDP) Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund. This gift will strengthen CDP's support for medium- and long-term recovery efforts in communities impacted by Hurricane Melissa and other severe storms.
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Oct. 28 as a Category 5 hurricane. With top sustained winds of 185 mph, Melissa was one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record and the strongest to ever hit Jamaica. Before landfall, strong outer bands brought high winds and severe rainfall to Haiti and the Dominican Republic. After crossing Jamaica, Melissa struck Cuba as a Category 3 storm and later weakened over the Bahamas and Bermuda. At least 90 deaths were attributed to the storm as of Nov. 12, with the number expected to rise as officials continue to verify reported deaths and search for missing people. The storm also devastated crops and farmland, straining agriculture throughout the islands. According to the World Food Programme, 10 million people across Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic were already food insecure prior to the hurricane.
"Our hearts are with communities throughout the islands navigating the aftermath of this disaster," said Debra Jacobs, president and CEO of The Patterson Foundation. "Our home region of southwest Florida is no stranger to severe storms, as many of our neighbors continue to grapple with the damage left from last year's historic hurricane season. CDP's work and expertise continue to evolve how funders worldwide approach large-scale disasters like Hurricane Melissa, with particular focus on strengthening communities in the months and years that follow."
CDP is the only full-time resource dedicated to helping donors maximize their impact through expert resources, community-driven grantmaking and philanthropic consulting services. The CDP Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund provides resources to community-based organizations to address medium- and long-term recovery needs, such as rebuilding homes and livelihoods and connecting survivors to disaster case management and legal services to improve their chances of recovering fully after a hurricane. According to CDP's 2025 State of Disaster Philanthropy report, the proportion of disaster funding that went toward response and relief efforts in 2023 was 48.5 percent, while reconstruction and recovery accounted for 12.7 percent. The share of funding allocated to resilience, risk reduction and mitigation was 6 percent.
"We are deeply grateful to The Patterson Foundation's continued leadership and partnership in disaster philanthropy," said Patricia McIlreavy, president and CEO of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. "This gift strengthens our ability to work alongside local organizations and helps communities recover with hope, dignity and agency. It is also an invitation to other donors everywhere to commit to long-term, community-led programs that empower communities to rebuild stronger and safer than before a disaster."
In recognition of CDP's work, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott recently donated $60 million in unrestricted funding to the organization — the largest gift CDP has ever received. Despite this transformative support, the constant threat of large-scale disasters across the globe means that there is a steady need for disaster-related funding. The U.S. has accumulated more than $101.4 billion in disaster damages so far in 2025. Currently, experts estimate that Jamaica alone could face $7.7 billion in property damage from Hurricane Melissa.
Since 2013, The Patterson Foundation has given nearly $8 million to CDP for operations and recovery efforts in the aftermath of disasters around the world. This latest gift is intended to catalyze additional donations from other funders monitoring the medium- and long-term impact of Hurricane Melissa.
To learn more about the Center for Disaster Philanthropy and to contribute to its CDP Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund, visit disasterphilanthropy.org. Please visit thepattersonfoundation.org for more information on The Patterson Foundation.
About The Patterson Foundation
The Patterson Foundation is a fully endowed charitable entity strengthening people, organizations, and communities in ways that foster wide participation around shared quality-of-life aspirations. For more information, please visit thepattersonfoundation.org.
About the Center for Disaster Philanthropy
CDP mobilizes philanthropy to strengthen communities' ability to withstand disasters and recover equitably when they occur. It provides expert advice and educational resources, supports diverse coalitions and manages domestic and international disaster funds on behalf of corporations, foundations and individuals through targeted, holistic and localized grantmaking. Find out more atdisasterphilanthropy.org and onX andLinkedIn.
Media Contact
Branan Jacobs, The Patterson Foundation, 1 941-953-9191 2, [email protected]
SOURCE The Patterson Foundation
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