Community First
We listen before we act. Every initiative is shaped with, not just for, the people it serves.
Who we are
Board-House Kitchen CIC
Board-House Kitchen CIC is a community-interest organisation rooted in Jamaican and British-Caribbean culture. We use food, stories, and shared spaces to build connection, confidence, and opportunity — especially for young people and communities who are often overlooked.
Cooking with purpose
We believe a meal is more than what’s on the plate. It’s mentorship, memory, and motivation. Through workshops, community kitchens, and creative projects, we turn recipes into tools for resilience.
Our work spans from the UK to the Caribbean, creating bridges between generations, cultures, and communities — always with respect and authenticity.
What we do day-to-day
Youth cooking and life skills workshops
Community kitchen projects and pop-ups
Cultural food storytelling and digital content
Collaborations with schools, councils, and community groups
We centre lived experience, culture, and creativity in every project.
Our values
What guides our work
Board-House Kitchen CIC is built on values that go deeper than just “projects” or “outputs”. These are the principles that guide how we show up.
Cultural Roots
We honour Caribbean heritage, stories, and flavours — using culture as a tool for healing, pride, and progress.
Purpose & Ownership
We create spaces where people feel seen, valued, and empowered to lead, not just receive support.
Why this mission
Why Operation Phoenix matters to us
Operation Phoenix is not just a one-off appeal. It’s part of a bigger commitment to stand with Jamaica — especially in moments of crisis, displacement, and rebuilding.
Ties to Jamaica
Our work is deeply connected to Jamaican culture, families, and communities. When Hurricane Melissa hit, it wasn’t “somewhere far away” — it was home, extended family, and the very communities that inspired Board-House Kitchen CIC.
Beyond the storm
Operation Phoenix focuses on immediate relief, but also on long-term resilience: strengthening community kitchens, youth leadership, and cultural projects that help people recover emotionally as well as practically.
This is about rebuilding with dignity, not just surviving the aftermath.
Our mission
Distribution Plan
A Strategic Framework by Board-house kitchen CIC
1. Guiding Philosophy
Our mission is to deliver timely, targeted, and transparent aid to the communities most affected by Hurricane Melissa. We operate on a principle of "Dignity in Aid," ensuring our efforts are not just about delivering supplies, but about empowering communities, bolstering local economies, and laying the groundwork for long-term recovery. We will work with the community, not just for it.
2. The Three-Phase Operational Plan
We have structured our response to move logically from emergency stabilisation to sustainable recovery.
Phase 1: Emergency Stabilisation (Weeks 1-4)
Objective: To save lives and meet the immediate basic human needs of the most vulnerable populations. Key Activities: Rapid Needs Assessment: Partner with local community leaders and churches in worst-hit parishes (e.g., Westmoreland, St. Elizabeth, St. Thomas, sections of Portland) to identify the most vulnerable families, the elderly, and households with young children. Distribution of "Emergency Survival Kits": Each kit is designed to sustain a family of 4-5 for one week. Contents: High-nutrition non-perishable food (rice, beans, canned goods, milk powder), bottled water, water purification tablets, basic first-aid kit, hygiene items (soap, sanitary pads, toothpaste), baby formula and diapers, and a powerful torch with batteries. Mobile Distribution Points: Utilise a fleet of local 4x4 vehicles to reach remote, cut-off communities. Distribution will be orderly and pre-registered where possible to avoid chaos and ensure fairness. Partnership with Airlines (CRITICAL): This phase relies on the airlift of these pre-packaged kits from the UK via donated cargo space from airline partners. Success Metrics for Phase 1: Number of families reached (Target: 1,000+ families). Timeliness of delivery to isolated communities. Confirmation of needs met through post-distribution surveys.
Phase 2: Community Recovery & Rebuilding (Months 1-3)
Objective: To help families clean and secure their homes while to restore a sense of normalcy and self-sufficiency. Key Activities: "Shelter-Secure" Kits: Shift from survival to stability by distributing kits that enable home repairs. Contents: Heavy-duty tarpaulins, nylon rope, hammers, nails, screws, wire, work gloves, and basic hand tools. "Back to School" Packs: Support the next generation by providing children with school bags, notebooks, pencils, and uniforms to help them return to education as soon as schools reopen. Seeding Local Economies: All non-locally produced items for Phases 2 and 3 will be procured, where possible, from Jamaican wholesalers and retailers to inject capital into the local economy. Community Kitchen Initiative: Leveraging our core competency, we will set up temporary community kitchens in central locations, providing one hot, nutritious meal per day and creating short-term paid roles for local cooks. Success Metrics for Phase 2: Number of households able to make weather-proof repairs to their homes. Number of children supported with school supplies. Number of hot meals served. Amount of funds spent within the local Jamaican economy.
This is about rebuilding with dignity, not just surviving the aftermath.
Phase 3: Sustainable Resilience (Months 3-6+)
Objective: To move beyond aid and empower communities with the tools for long-term food security and resilience. Key Activities: "Seeds for Survival" Programme: Distribute agricultural starter kits to farmers and families with garden space to help them replant crops lost in the hurricane. Contents: Fast-growing, climate-resilient seeds (callaloo, corn, pumpkin), seed trays, small gardening tools, and basic guidance on regenerative farming practices. Water Purification Systems: Install community-level, sustainable water filtration systems in partnership with local NGOs to provide a long-term solution for clean drinking water. Tool Library: Establish a community tool-lending library, providing shared access to larger tools (saws, wheelbarrows, ladders) that are crucial for rebuilding but prohibitively expensive for individual families. Success Metrics for Phase 3: Number of farming/kitchen garden kits distributed. Establishment of at least 3 community water points. Operational and self-sustaining community tool library.
3. Operational Integrity & Logistics
On-the-Ground Partnership: We will not operate in a vacuum. We are formalising partnerships with established local Jamaican NGOs and community-based organisations (CBOs). They provide the local knowledge, workforce, and trust; we provide the resources and coordination.
Warehousing: We will secure a central, secure warehouse in Kingston or Montego Bay through our local partners for receiving, sorting, and dispatching all supplies.
Transparency: Every pound donated will be tracked. We will provide regular, public updates on our website and to our partners, including:
Funds raised and spent.
- Number of kits assembled and distributed.
- Photographic and narrative evidence of distributions (respecting the dignity of recipients).
4. The Critical Role of Airline Partners
Your involvement is the catalyst that makes this entire plan possible and cost-effective.
- Phase 1: Your donated cargo space is the most critical need, allowing us to get life-saving supplies to the island rapidly and free of charge, maximising the impact of every cash donation.
- Phase 2 & 3: Continued support for transporting larger, bulkier items like tools and water filtration equipment will be invaluable.
5. Our Compelling Call to Action for Partners Join us in turning this plan into action. By providing logistical support, you are not just moving cargo; you are delivering hope, enabling recovery, and investing in the future of Jamaica. You are demonstrating a deep commitment that goes beyond business—it's about partnership in its truest sense. Let's help Jamaica rebuild, stronger and more resilient than before.
Work with us
Partner, collaborate, or support
We’re open to collaboration with schools, councils, funders, youth organisations, and creative partners who share our vision for community, culture, and impact.
General enquiries
kitchenboardhouse@gmail.com
For partnerships, press, or project collaboration, reach out and tell us a little about your idea, your organisation, and how you’d like to work together.
Areas of work
Food, youth, culture, storytelling, community
Based in
UK, with deep ties to Jamaica