Sometimes community comes together connected in unexpected ways and champion a cause bigger than one individual. In late October of 2025, Hurricane Melissa a category 5, hit the Island of Jamaica. This was the strongest storm to make direct landfall on the Island in record history, causing widespread devastation with significant loss of life and to property. 40% of the western part of the Island effected many areas hit small communities that have been almost completely wiped out.
Residents across WNC feel this a little deeper after experiencing Hurricane Helene that hit our region in 2024, When Helene made landfall, it was a Cat. 4 and hit our region as a tropical storm. Many CIHA staff are still dealing with the impact of that storm even more than a year later and as an organization, we endeavor to continue supporting both staff and patients continuing to rebuild.
While over time news coverage capturing scenes of hurricane destruction fades, what many may not realize is how closely Jamaica’s tragedy touched one of our own. Dr. Jeremy Pittman, a member of our CIHA family serving the Dental Clinic, has a deep connection to the Island that was hit the hardest. His wife Fanchon is Jamaican, and has family that lives in the impacted region. Thankfully, they are safe. But like so many others, they are now navigating the aftermath and working to rebuild what was lost.
In addition to Dr. Pittman and his connection to Jamaica, many CIHA staff and patients may remember Shantell McLaggan, who worked at CIHA through the MedServe Fellow Program. Shantell, who poured her heart into the community and served CIHA with grace for two years, is from Jamaica. Her family are located in the northern Island region and thankfully are safe.
Dr. Pittman turned to his coworkers to launch a donation drive. CIHA’s demo kitchen was transformed into a temporary collection center and staff continue to drop off essentials like paper towels and cleaning supplies, water, hygiene products, canned foods, anything and everything to help. As donations began gathering here at CIHA, Dr. Pittman developed his own system to ensure supplies were reaching the people who needed them most. Each week, he travels to Florida, loads a large duffle bag with donated items, and personally carries them on his flights. His wife helps distribute and ships supplies so they can be transported to Jamaica to families still recovering. In addition to the donations being collected, CIHA leadership is exploring ways to support Dr. Pittman in various ways to get donated items to Jamaica efficiently and effectively.
This month, Dr. Pittman and his family will return to Jamaica to continue offering support on the ground. They will spend time with community members, help with relief efforts, and lend their hands and hearts where they are needed most.
Stories like this reveal who we are at our core. CIHA is so much more than a workplace. It is a community that shows up for one another, lifts one another, and recognizes that when one of us is impacted, all of us are connected.
Thank you to all those who have already donated and if you feel inspired to contribute, donations are still being collected in the demo kitchen at the back of CIHA’s Café and will continue to be transported directly to Jamaica through Dr. Pittman’s efforts. Every item donated becomes part of a larger story of kindness — a story that began with one of our own taking action for families thousands of miles away, and a story that every CIHA employee has the opportunity to be part of.
ᏗᏆᏤᎵᎢᏳᏍᏗ — like family to me.
It is who we are, and it is who we continue to be, together.