KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Azan family is providing much-needed relief to the people of St Elizabeth whose lives and livelihoods were ravaged during the passage of Hurricane Beryl.

Speaking with Observer Online on Monday, Milade Azan, the director of Azan Supercentre Limited in Crossroads, said the family-led initiative has already seen the dispatch of two truckloads filled with essential supplies including lumber, zinc, generators, chainsaws, water, hammers, nails, and other necessities.

Noting their contributions, Azan said “It’s from our heart. It’s not for any other reason. We are very compassionate people and it’s a method of us giving back to the people of Jamaica, the people that support us and we have to help them in their need.”

“I have some very dear friends down in St Elizabeth and as a result we saw it within our company that we should try and help the people in St Elizabeth. My grandson-in-law has started a fund and he is the orchestrator of all of this,” he told Observer Online.

According to Azan, his company is now preparing to send two more trucks loaded with a variety of food items and additional water.

He said the total value of the contribution thus far is estimated to exceed $5 million.

Azan also highlighted the collaborative nature of this effort, noting donations from other corporate entities.

“I must also tell you this is basically a corporate help. We have gotten a lot of donations from GraceKennedy, a lot of donations from Amalgamated Distributors, a tremendous amount of bedding and etcetera from LP Azar Limited, also Cal’s Distributors. It’s an effort that we have negotiated and requested of them for donations and without hesitating they all came forward,” he said.

“I want to thank them on behalf of the Azan family and the people of St Elizabeth. May God continue to bless them all and prosper them. Thank you very much,” he said while expressing his gratitude.

St Elizabeth is one of the hardest hit parishes from the hurricane. It suffered extensive damage to residential and commercial buildings as well as severe devastation to farming communities.