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Hurricane Melissa Relief: Help Rebuild Homes for Our Orchard Family in Jamaica
- Chris Bick
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Our Mead community has always been built on people - the ones who grow the food, welcome you to the orchard and keep this place running. Two of those people, Fabian and Shaine, recently endured heartbreaking losses when Hurricane Melissa destroyed their homes in Jamaica. We’re sharing their story today in hopes that, together, we can help them rebuild.
Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on October 28, 2025, as a powerful Category 5 storm, causing widespread destruction from torrential rains, fierce winds and severe flooding.
Fabian Veira is our orchard manager and all-around genius at fixing things - he keeps Mead’s tractors, trucks and equipment running. You might have seen him at the PYO farm stand up at the orchard on weekends. He’s back in Jamaica now and focusing on fixing what he can for his extended family and neighbors. Fabian’s immediate family includes his wife, daughter, son and elderly parents, whose home lost its roof during the hurricane.
Shaine Smith is our assistant orchard manager. He runs our Hastings Farmers Market booth every Saturday and pitches in with the orchard hayride on Sundays. Shaine’s home was completely destroyed and is unlivable; he will need to rebuild from the ground up.
We are aiming to raise $15,000 to help these two invaluable members of our team. Funds will be distributed directly to Fabian and Shaine to cover Fabian’s new roof and Shaine’s full home rebuild.
Your support will make a world of difference to these families and help our orchard family recover from this tragedy. Every donation counts. Thank you for helping neighbors in need. ❤️
Meet Fabian: Photo #1 At the Orchard with our famous Apple Cider Doughnuts. Photo #2 Fabian and his family at the Jamaica Zoo. Photo #3 Fabian’s parents with a tarp covering the roof damage. Photo #4 Fabian’s home after Hurricane Melissa. Photo #5 The roof collapsed and is now covered for protection. Photo #6 Detail of the significant roof damage.
Meet Shaine: Photo #1 Shaine at our Hastings Farmers Market. Photo #2 All aboard: Shaine at the helm of our Orchard Hayride. Photo #3 Shaine & his family at their home before the hurricane. Photo #4 Shaine’s house after Hurricane Melissa. Photo #5 Total devastation and complete house collapse. Photo #6 House wreckage & water damage.
Fabian and Shaine’s homes need immediate rebuilding. Your support today matters! Thank you so much.