By ALEX RASKIN, US SPORTS NEWS EDITOR and ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: 11:08 EDT, 29 October 2025 | Updated: 11:12 EDT, 29 October 2025
Atlanta Falcons owner and Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank is donating $1.5 million to Hurricane Melissa relief efforts.
The Arthur M. Blank Foundation is making the donation through World Central Kitchen, Team Rubicon, and CARE USA, with aid aimed at Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean impacted by the storm.
'World Central Kitchen provides nourishing meals and fresh water in times of crisis, and Team Rubicon specializes in on the ground disaster response and recovery,' the foundation said in a statement. 'The Foundation's pre-investment for CARE USA's Humanitarian Surge Fund aids in providing rapid deployment of resources for disaster relief and will be activated immediately.'
Blank offered a separate, personal statement.
'Jamaica and the Caribbean hold a special place in my heart, filled with meaningful family memories,' Blank said.
'The impact of Hurricane Melissa is profound, but so is the resilience of people in this region. We're humbled to support Team Rubicon and World Central Kitchen with an initial grant to help address immediate needs in the community with disaster relief and nourishing meals. While the road ahead will be long, our hearts are with those affected, and we hope our support brings comfort and strength along the way.'
Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is donating $1.5m to Hurricane Melissa relief efforts
A motorist rides under heavy rain in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
People walk through Santa Cruz, Jamaica on Wednesday after Hurricane Melissa
Melissa was grinding across Cuba on Wednesday as a Category 2 storm after pummeling Jamaica as one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
At least one death was reported in Jamaica, where Melissa roared ashore on Tuesday with top sustained winds of 185 mph (295 kph). A tree fell on a baby in the island nation's west, Abka Fitz-Henley, a state minister, told Nationwide News Network, a local radio station, adding that most destruction was concentrated in the southwest and northwest.
Melissa had top sustained winds of 105 mph (165 kph) and was moving north-northeast at 14 mph (22 kph) according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. The hurricane was centered 45 miles (70 kilometers) northwest of Guantánamo, Cuba, and 205 miles (335 kilometers) south of the central Bahamas.
A hurricane warning was in effect for Cuba's Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Holguin and Las Tunas provinces as well as the southeastern and central Bahamas. Authorities said about 735,000 people remained in shelters in eastern Cuba.
Blank's Atlanta-based foundation is involved in several areas, including Atlanta's west side, preserving democratic rights, environmental concerns, youth development and mental health initiatives.
The 83-year-old Queens, New York native is worth a reported $11.2 billion. Unfortunately for him and Falcons fans, the team is just 3-4 this season
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