Fundraiser continues for The Homestead’s Jamaican workers two months in the dark

UPDATE: Longtime seasonal residents at The Homestead, John and Belynda Hudspeth, offered this Dec. 26 update for their crowdsourcing fundraiser to support 35 seasonal Jamaican workers at the Glen Arbor resort whose communities were impacted by the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa on Oct. 28. Their campaign has raised $48,000. However, the more than 80 people (including children and the elderly) directly impacted by this fund are only in the very early stages of a massive rebuilding process, write the Hudspeths. Click here to read more and for a link to donate. … In the closing days of 2025, we’re updating key stories that the Glen Arbor Sun published this year.

“Two Months in the Dark: Our Friends in Jamaica Still Need Us It has been two months since Hurricane Melissa tore through Jamaica on Oct. 28. While the news cycles have moved on, for the 35 Jamaican staff members who make our seasons at The Homestead so special, the nightmare is far from over. Because of your incredible generosity, we have raised nearly $48,000. To those who have already given: Thank you. Your kindness is a lifeline. However, they are only in the very early stages of a massive rebuilding process.

“The Harsh Reality Imagine your own home today. Now, imagine living there for 60 days without power and without running water- 35 workers are struggling to provide for their families. Over 80 people (including children and the elderly) are directly impacted by this fund. While $48,000 is a testament to the community, it covers very little when divided among 35 families trying to rebuild entire lives from the ground up. Our Goal: $100,000 We are halfway to our goal, but the need is more urgent than ever. We cannot let these wonderful people—who serve us with such warmth every year—face this recovery alone. How to Help Right Now Scan to Donate: Use your phone camera on the QR code to visit the official GoFundMe: gofund.me/meal.past.wide. Every dollar goes directly toward relief, except fee charges, for our Homestead family. We have distributed 91% of the funds to 33 staff members. 96.6% of funds are being distributed, 3.4% has been used for GFM fees and wiring charges. Spread the Word: Put Up a Sign! To reach our $100,000 goal, we need to move beyond our inner circle. Please print this update or create a simple sign with the QR code and post it at: Your workplace breakrooms or bulletin boards. Local churches, synagogues, or community centers. Local schools, local businesses and neighborhood hubs. Coffee shops and gym locker rooms. The spirit of The Homestead is built on the hard work of these families. Now, it’s our turn to work for for those in need. Let’s ensure that when they return to Michigan, they know their community stood by them when it mattered most.”

Original from November

By Ross Boissoneau

Sun contributor

Longtime seasonal residents at The Homestead John and Belynda Hudspeth have started a fundraiser to provide support for the seasonal Jamaican workers at the resort impacted by the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa. They have reached out to their friends, family and fellow residents and guests at The Homestead to support the effort by making a donation at this link.

“I thought someone’s got to step up,” John says. They had come to know many of the Jamaican workers at The Homestead as friends and even extended family members. As one example, he points to one longtime worker he and Belynda have come to know. “Marsha has three-year-old twins. I think this is her 19th year.

“I have such admiration for how they leave their family to come here and work for six months,” he continues. “They fill essential jobs that help this community thrive, working tirelessly to send money back home and build a better life for their loved ones. It’s a life that’s hard for many of us to understand.”

He says many of the workers live on the west side of the island, which took the direct hit from the Category 5 hurricane, ripping apart homes, businesses and killing at least 67 people. Many of the Jamaican workers at The Homestead, who have been stranded as their flights home were canceled, have been unable to reach loved ones on the island. At press time, the effort had raised nearly $40,000. John says the goal is to raise between $50,000 and $100,000.

In addition to the GoFundMe effort, The Homestead and the Kuras family are donating $10,000 to Food For The Poor, directed specifically at assisting the Jamaicans. Jamie Kuras says a friend of his who lives on and owns a business on the island told him that was the most trustworthy organization to which to donate money. “Many of our workers have been coming here to work for years, and we want to do everything we can to help them,” says Jamie.

Bob Kuras, Jamie’s father and President of The Homestead, echoes that statement. “Whenever I see one of the workers, I always ask, ‘How are you? What’s the situation at home?’ They say they just want to continue working so I can keep my mind off it.

“So we are doing what we can here. Chef Greg Miesch has been preparing meals for them, and this contribution is something we can do now to help in what will be a long-term effort to rebuild.”