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Conntact: Roger Conner (703) 236-6218 (301) 252-7912

Impact More Devastating than Expected; Community Distribution Centers Set Up by Catholic Charities; Funds Desperately Needed

Alexandria, Va. - Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) provided additional updates today in its work to reach out to and provide life-sustaining services to the ever-growing numbers of individuals and families devastated by the Southern storms and tornadoes.

Washington, DC - Catholic Charities agencies in Texas are bracing for Hurricane Ike this weekend -- while disaster relief efforts to assist Gulf Coast residents hit by Gustav continue.

"Forecasters are predicting that Ike will pack winds of 105 mph coupled with tides of 20 feet above normal," explained Kim Burgo, CCUSA's Senior Director of Disaster Response. "Authorities warn that Ike will bring certain death to those remaining in the Galveston area. Due to the size of the storm, thousands of people may need to be evacuated."

"We are coordinating relief efforts

Baton Rouge, LA - Catholic Charities USA this week launched a new pilot program in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services aimed at helping victims of disaster quickly access critical services and resources and provide the ongoing support and care they need to recover.

"This program is designed to help the most vulnerable rebuild their lives suddenly uprooted by disaster," said Kim Burgo, senior director of disaster response for Catholic Charities USA. "People may have lost their jobs or their homes severely damaged.

Baton Rouge, LA-Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is collecting financial donations to help communities along the Gulf Coast recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Gustav. Donations will be used to fund local Catholic Charities agencies' emergency and long-term humanitarian relief efforts.

Catholic Charities initial recovery work will focus on directing critical resources and supplies to hurricane victims.

Local Catholic Charities plan to open community resource sites throughout the impacted region where families

Alexandria, VA-Catholic Social Services (CSS) of the Diocese of Brownsville, TX, helped nearly 30,000 victims of Hurricane Dolly in the first two days of operation at its four community resources.

These sites-which are expected to remain open through Saturday-are located in Cameron, Hidalgo, and Wilacy Counties. They are providing water, food, clean up buckets, rakes, shovels, gloves, personal care kits, and other items to meet the community's needs. Volunteer physicians at the sites are also addressing the medical needs of victims.

'By combining all the resources of local

Alexandria, VA-To deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Dolly, which is has already started to make landfall along the Texas Gulf Coast, Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is gearing up its response efforts, collaborating with the local Catholic Charities agency and the Diocese of Brownsville to preposition supplies and prepare to open shelters if needed.

'Catholic Charities USA is working with Catholic Social Services to ensure our network's response will be aiding the most vulnerable populations, including a large migrant population,

Alexandria, VA - In the year since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast, more than one million hurricane victims have received assistance by the Catholic Charities network. As hundreds of thousands of evacuees were forced to evacuate and were unable to return home for months on end, more than 110 Catholic Charities in the Gulf Coast and well beyond have reached out to help and comfort those in desperate need. These recovery efforts are detailed in a new report, Blessings after the Storms: Catholic Charities 2005 Hurricane Ministry, from Catholic Charities USA.

Alexandria, VA -More than 300,000 victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita-including 87,000 children and 10,000 seniors-have received assistance by the Catholic Charities network, with aid to Gulf Coast residents coming from as far away as Maine and Washington State.

To date, Catholic Charities USA has allocated more than $69 million to 76 local Catholic Charities agencies and other Catholic organizations responding to the needs of families affected by the hurricanes.

"Catholic Charities agencies across the nation have made a difference in the lives of hurricane victims when

Catholic Charities agencies nationwide are working to meet the immediate needs of hurricane victims, as well as planning long-term recovery efforts. Click on a state to read a snapshot of these local efforts.

LOUISIANA

Catholic Community Services of Baton Rouge, LA (Updated Oct. 17) Catholic Community Services continues to partner with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New Orleans which has been welcomed in Baton Rouge since Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast.