CTLPA Hurricane Melissa Student Relief Fund

In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, the Caribbean continues to grapple with unprecedented devastation across multiple islands, with Jamaica among the countries severely impacted. Student affairs practitioners students , faculty, and staff across the region have experienced significant emotional, financial, and infrastructural hardship, including the loss of homes, family members, livelihoods, and other essential resources.

For many affected students, the crisis extends beyond immediate humanitarian needs. The financial burden of rebuilding their lives has created growing uncertainty about their ability to meet tuition, housing, and other educational expenses, placing their continued enrolment and academic progress at risk.

In response, the Caribbean Tertiary Level Personnel Association (CTLPA) is seeking to partner with the ACPA Foundation to establish a restricted Hurricane Melissa Student Relief Fund. The proposed fund would provide targeted financial assistance to students and staff across the Caribbean who have been directly affected by the hurricane, helping them remain enrolled and continue their educational journeys during the recovery period.

Beyond addressing the immediate crisis, the initiative is envisioned as a sustainable emergency-response mechanism that could be reactivated in future disasters affecting the region. Through collaboration with local higher education institutions, CTLPA would help coordinate the identification of students and staff in need and support the transparent and accountable distribution of assistance.

The initiative seeks the ACPA Foundation’s support in establishing the fund, providing guidance on the campaign and fund-management process, and collaborating on donor mobilization and awareness efforts. Together, ACPA and CTLPA can help transform collective compassion into meaningful support, enabling students and their families to rebuild, recover, and remain connected to higher education.