NEGRIL — Couples Resorts is sharing its latest post-Melissa update with the travel industry.
Although the resorts escaped significant impact and are preparing to reopen on Dec. 1, many of the company’s team members and their families have suffered very difficult personal losses.
To provide immediate help, The Issa Trust Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Couples Resorts, has established the Couples Resorts Community Disaster Relief Fund.
Through support from friends, guests, and partners, over US$300,000 has already been raised, including a US$100,000 cash donation from Couples Resorts.
“For more than 45 years, this has been a proudly Jamaican, family-run brand. When our community is hurting, we feel it deeply,” said Abe Issa, Deputy Chairman of Couples Resorts. “While we’re grateful our resorts were spared major damage, many of the incredible people who make them special have experienced real hardship. Through the Issa Trust Foundation, we’re committed to helping them recover and rebuild their lives.”
Every dollar donated will go directly toward helping affected team members and surrounding communities rebuild homes, replace essential items, and regain stability.
Current relief efforts include …
- Distributing care packages with essentials like food, water, and batteries to affected staff
- Providing temporary housing for more than 100 employees who lost their homes
- Ensuring payment of wages for at least the next four weeks during the recovery period
- Establishing a fair and transparent relief fund based on the level of damage sustained
- Assisting employees with home repairs and rebuilding
- Partnering with local suppliers, World Central Kitchen, and water providers to deliver critical resources
“We’ve been deeply moved by the compassion shown by so many,” said Diane Pollard, President & CEO of The Issa Trust Foundation. “It’s a reminder of how much Couples Resorts means to people who want to give back. This is the just the beginning with a long way still to go, so continued contribution, no matter the size, helps a family get back on their feet.”
Guests, partners, and friends who wish to help can visit IssaTrustFoundation.com to make a donation. Organizers note that 100% of contributions will go directly to relief and recovery for Couples Resorts team members and their communities.
The company says it looks forward to welcoming guests back starting Dec. 1, 2025.
Updates can be found at visitcouples.com/hurricane-melissa.
