Baton, Rogue, LA-Tending to the immediate needs of the most vulnerable is the top priority of Catholic Charities USA's (CCUSA) Hurricane Gustav response efforts.
"Gustav packed a powerful punch here in South Louisiana," said Kim Burgo, senior director of disaster response for CCUSA. "Thousands who have been without power for days are struggling to get food, water, and gasoline. Our top priority is to make sure their basic needs are met."
Over one million homes and businesses lost power during the storm. Although electricity is slowly being restored, it is estimated that some parts of the state will not get power back for several more days or even weeks.
To direct critical resources and supplies to hurricane victims, local Catholic Charities are establishing community resources sites throughout the region. At these one-stop distribution sites, families can access food, water, ice, hygiene kits, or other items. For instance, with supplies trucked in from Catholic Charities of Galveston-Houston, Catholic Charities of Baton Rouge served more than 850 people at two sites in Napoleonville, LA. More sites are expected to open this week.
Catholic Charities in Houston, Jackson, and Atlanta are among the agencies offering gas cards and other aid to help stranded evacuees return home. Forced to spend what little resources they had on hotels, food, and gas, many low-income evacuees ran out of money and could not afford to get back. To help evacuees retuning to New Orleans, Catholic Charities staff were at drop off points throughout the city, providing information about available services and offering counseling.
Catholic Charities agencies are very concerned about the financial toll this disaster will have on the working poor's ability to makes ends meet. "With businesses closed, many will not be able to go to work and pay their bills," said Burgo. "When you live paycheck to paycheck, you can't afford to be out of work. We expect many more people are going to need help with basic necessities."
As part of their recovery work, Catholic Charities also are providing crisis counseling, case management, and support to the shelters.
Catholic Charities USA is collecting financial donations to support its Hurricane Gustav recovery efforts.
To contribute to Catholic Charities USA's response efforts:
Call (800) 919-9338
Visit www.CatholicCharitiesUSA.org
Send checks to
Catholic Charities USA
2008 Hurricanes
PO Box 17141
Baltimore, MD 21297-114
Catholic Charities USA is unable to accept contributions of food, clothing, blankets and other relief supplies. Its federal ID number is 53-0196620.
Catholic Charities USA's members-more than 1,700 local agencies and institutions nationwide-provide help and create hope for nearly 8 million people a year regardless of religious, social, or economic backgrounds. For more than 275 years, local Catholic Charities agencies have been providing a myriad of vital services in their communities, ranging from day care and counseling to food and housing. For more information, visit www.CatholicCharitiesUSA.org.
Contact: Shelley Borysiewicz, (703) 236-6218, sborysiewicz@catholiccharitiesusa.org