BYU basketball standout AJ Dybantsa has launched a GoFundMe campaign to support Jamaicans displaced by Hurricane Melissa.
The highly rated forward, whose mother Chelsea is Jamaican, created the fundraiser through his non-profit, the AJ Dybantsa Foundation Corp. Titled “AJ Dybantsa Foundation’s – Jamaica Relief Fundraiser,” the initiative has already raised more than US$26,800 in donations.
According to the foundation, the funds will go toward helping residents in devastated communities who have been left without access to food, shelter, and clean water. The campaign aims to mobilize resources to provide emergency aid, rebuilding assistance, and long-term community support for those most affected by the storm.
Dybantsa, one of college basketball’s most talked-about young prospects, spent part of his summer in Jamaica, where he helped distribute shoes, school supplies, and other essential goods to children through his foundation.
“The whole island is really my home,” Dybantsa said. “If you’re part Jamaican, the whole island cares for you and stuff like that. I just want to help out since I have it.”
The GoFundMe page continues to accept donations as relief efforts ramp up across the island.
The 18 year old, meanwhile, tallied 21 points and six rebounds in his collegiate debut on Monday to lead the 8th ranked BYU Cougars to a 71-66 win against Villanova in the Hall of Fame Series and season-opener for both teams.
The victory extended BYU’s regular-season win streak to nine games, its longest since 2019-20. They host Holy Cross on Saturday
