Monroe County Students Raise Relief Funds for Caribbean Hurricane Victims

Students from Coral Shores High School’s Interact Club spent Tuesday outside the Publix in Islamorada gathering donations for Caribbean communities affected by Hurricane Melissa. By the end of the day the group had collected nearly $400 in cash along with a substantial array of donated goods. The Upper Keys Rotary clubs and the Key Largo Rotary club committed to match the cash donations two to one and to forward collected funds to Rotary districts working in Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

With the match, the roughly $400 in cash will be increased to about $1,200 for direct deployment through Rotary channels. The donated goods will be coordinated with local Rotary partners to reach communities where needs are greatest. The Islamorada emergency management director emphasized that recovery timelines will be long and underscored the value of established local partners and boots on the ground in delivering aid efficiently.

For Monroe County residents the drive illustrates how small local actions can be multiplied through partnerships to support international disaster response. Many households in the county have family ties to the affected nations, and community organizations here regularly contribute to both immediate relief and longer term recovery. Cash matched and routed through Rotary districts supports purchasing locally where possible, which can speed relief and support regional economies as they rebuild.

The drive also serves as a learning moment for students on community response and civic engagement. Organizers directed residents wanting to contribute further to keysrotary.org for details on donations and coordination. As recovery work shifts from emergency response to rebuilding, local clubs and volunteers say sustained support will be necessary to address infrastructure, housing and livelihoods in the hardest hit areas.