New York Stands with the Caribbean
New York is proud to be home to the largest Caribbean population in the diaspora, and their cultures, traditions, and contributions strengthen communities across the state. From Brooklyn to Buffalo, families and neighborhoods maintain close and lasting ties to the islands.
Hurricane Melissa struck the Caribbean in October 2025, causing significant damage across the region and particularly in Jamaica. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the loss of loved ones, homes, and livelihoods.
New York will continue to stand with our neighbors in need, offering support and solidarity as the Caribbean recovers and rebuilds.
Updates and Resources from the U.S. Department of State
How New Yorkers Can Support Recovery Efforts
We understand many New Yorkers want to help after a natural disaster. Below are options for donating but this is not an exhaustive list. New York State does not endorse any entity or organization listed. You may also seek out information about charitable organizations from various national databases including Guidestar, American Institute of Philanthropy, and Charity Navigator.
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The Jamaican government is recommending anyone interested in donating to do so through their Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).
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You may also consider these charities who are organizing assistance:
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Several New York state and local officials are coordinating donation drop-off sites in their communities. Contact your elected official for more information:
- Assemblymember Brian Cunningham – 249 Empire Blvd. Brooklyn, NY 11225
- Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte – 1312 Flatbush Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11210
- Councilmember Selvena Brooks-Powers – 222-02 Merrick Blvd. Laurelton, NY 11413
- Senator Leroy Comrie – 113-43 Farmers Blvd, St. Albans, NY 11412
- Assemblymember Alicia Hyndman – 232-06A Merrick Blvd. Springfield Gardens, NY 11413
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To prevent your donation money from falling into the wrong hands, consumers should take the following precautions:
- Check the legitimacy of the charitable organization: Charities located or engaging in substantial fundraising in New York State should be listed on the New York State Attorney General's database of registered charities. Research before you donate to verify registration by checking the database and other websites such as bbb.org, www.give.org and www.guidestar.org, in addition to visiting the charity’s website. If donating toward relief efforts, visit a site such as disasterphilanthropy.org to ensure your donation is going to help those in need.
- Learn to detect a phony charity: Some scammers will create fake “charities” and try to trick you with names similar to well-known charities. Pay attention to the charity’s full name, web address, contact information, donation policies, etc. Scammers may copy or mimic the name of a familiar, trusted organization to swindle you.
- Designate your donation: Ask how your donation will be allocated between direct services and administrative fees. Unless you designate a specific purpose for your donation, it will go into the organization’s general fund, so make sure to note if you are sending money for a specific purpose (i.e.: “Playground Fund”).
- Be cautious of third-party fundraisers: If a solicitation comes from a third-party company, the charitable organization will receive only a percentage of your donation. If you want to ensure the charity receives the whole amount, donate directly to the charity instead. For more information, access the New York State Attorney General’s website and review the annual “Pennies for Charity” report.
- Pay attention to vague claims: Be on alert for claims without any clear plan, such as “all proceeds go to cancer treatments” or “donations go to veterans who can no longer work.” Instead do some research on the charity before you decide.
- Resist high-pressure tactics: Charity fraud scams can come in many forms, whether by email, social media, crowdfunding platforms, cold calls, etc. Watch out for direct e-mails from “victims” and solicitors who employ heart-wrenching stories, insisting that you donate immediately. It is highly recommended to never provide personal information to unsolicited telemarketers, but instead ask the caller to provide you with the full name of the charitable organization, website address and contact information to research and verify.
- Find out who's behind the crowdfunding request: Online crowdfunding websites like GoFundMe, Indiegogo and Crowdrise make it easy for people to create crowdfunding campaigns. To protect yourself, remember to only give to people you know directly. It’s also important to understand the crowdfunding site’s rules, policies and vetting procedures. It can be helpful to know these ahead of time to determine how they are protecting consumers from potential fraud.
- Never disclose personal information: Do not provide any personal information such as your credit card number, Social Security number or any other personal identifying information in response to an unsolicited charitable request.
- Never give cash: Give your contribution by check or credit card to ensure that you have a record of the donation. Make checks out to the charity, not to an individual. If you choose to make a donation via a charity's website, check that the website is secure and that your computer is equipped with the latest anti-virus protection. Check for the padlock to the left of the URL search bar to ensure the site is secure. Do not send funds to anyone asking for bitcoin or cryptocurrency as these payments typically have no protections against fraud.
- Don’t mail checks from public collection boxes: According to the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, the number of check fraud crimes nationwide has increased since 2020. To avoid this fraud, go directly to the post office to deposit mail. If you need to use a public U.S. Postal Service collection box, try to do so before the last pickup of the day to minimize the amount of time the check spends in the box.
- Double check before you deduct: Donations made to individuals or organizations that are not tax-exempt are not deductible. To find out if a donation will be tax deductible, research an organization’s tax-exempt status at the Internal Revenue Service Tax Exempt Organization Search. Request a receipt and track the status of your donation.