Checkout cheer

Gratitude, relief and excitement rippled through In Town Supermarket in Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth, on December 18, as JN Money covered grocery bills for several customers still reeling from the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa.

Santa Cruz remains one of several communities in western Jamaica where residents are still grappling with damaged homes, disrupted livelihoods and strained household finances following the hurricane.

Throughout St Elizabeth, many residents also depend on agriculture, small trade and daily informal activities. However, the hurricane’s damage has translated into reduced earnings and rising costs.

Against that backdrop, JN Money partnered with In Town Supermarket, one of its agent locations in the area, to deliver immediate, practical relief at cashier counters. For shoppers, the unexpected assistance meant food on the table without added worry, at least for the day.

For one of the beneficiaries, the intervention was timely and the assistance arrived when she needed it most.

“The money I have wasn’t enough,” said Marvalee Braham. “I was going to sort out some things [and there are] persons I owed, so thank you very much.”

Another shopper, Lornalin Carby, also expressed her overwhelming appreciation, noting that “it’s been a long time I haven’t received anything like this”.

Reflecting on the experience of the hurricane, she added, “Melissa did us so bad, but we have to be grateful.”

Evona Blair, a JN member for over four decades, was also all smiles as her groceries were fully paid for at checkout, describing the gesture as a welcome surprise for which she was “very grateful”.

For employees at In Town Supermarket, witnessing customers’ reactions was also uplifting and a clear reminder that even a small act of kindness can have a big impact, especially for community healing from trauma.

“I really appreciate JN Money being here because you’ve put smiles on our customers’ faces and that made me happy and has also made my Christmas,” shared Nadia Beadle, cashier supervisor at the JN Money agent location.

Holiday Hope’

The activity in Santa Cruz formed part of JN Money’s ‘Holiday Hope’ initiative, designed to provide timely, human-centred support during the holiday season, particularly in communities facing prolonged recovery after the major hurricane. In Town Supermarket was the first of the agent locations in severely affected parishes where the JN Money team has planned visits to surprise shoppers with covering the cost of groceries, food and hardware items.

Sanya Wallace, assistant general manager of the JN Money Group, emphasised that the impact was intentional. She said the goal for JN Money is not only to ease financial pressure,but provide encouragement and hope to individuals, families and communities navigating uncertainty.

“Through the Holiday Hope initiative, we want to bring some comfort and holiday cheer during this challenging time, while showing our continued commitment to communities,” she said. “We hope these random acts of kindness will serve as a meaningful gesture of support and encouragement for all, especially those trying to return to some level of normalcy at this time.”