Lima Leads Community in Sending Relief to Jamaica

Story by Francis Tuffour

In response to the devastating hurricane that struck Jamaica last year, the Lima church led a large-scale community relief effort that resulted in the shipment of a full 40-foot container of humanitarian supplies to the island. Courtney Simons, a member of the Lima church and an associate professor at Wright State University–Lake Campus, coordinated the initiative.

The relief shipment included essential food items, clothing, sanitary products and cleaning supplies. Support for the effort was widespread, with generous donations from the Lima, Piqua and Bellefontaine churches and the surrounding communities.

The largest contribution came from Beckman & Gast Co., a food company based in St. Henry. Under the leadership of Operations Manager Paul Moorman, the company donated a substantial amount of canned food and provided significant financial support to help offset the container’s shipping costs.

Moorman says, “Since the founding of our company nearly 100 years ago, the principle of stewardship has been part of who we are. This project was a natural fit. We were able to develop a plan to help people in great need while also promoting the value of stewardship.”

Simons states, “The generosity shown by Beckman & Gast Co. was truly instrumental in making this effort possible.”

Wright State University-Lake Campus also played a key role in supporting the initiative. The university’s Outreach Department, led by Dane Daniel, organized a food drive that collected several boxes of nonperishable items for shipment.

“This partnership reflects what can happen when universities and communities work together to serve others,” says Daniel.

One especially moving story from the outreach effort featured Brynn Leyman, an 11-year-old sixth grader at Celina Elementary School. After learning about the hurricane’s impact on Jamaica, Leyman remembered that her second-grade teacher was from that country. Motivated by that personal connection, she organized her family and members of her community to donate several boxes of supplies.

“Brynn’s initiative reminds us that compassion has no age limit,” says Carl Brooks, pastor of the Lima district of churches.

The effort stands as a powerful example of how faith organizations, educational institutions, businesses and individuals can work together to respond meaningfully to global crises.