Catholics' giving to Katrina victims surpasses $500,000

Catholics in the Albany Diocese have donated more than half-a-million dollars to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The exact amount as of Sept. 20 -- $509,933 -- represents donations given to collections in 53 percent of diocesan parishes. The remainder of the parishes have not yet reported the totals from their weekend collections to the main office of diocesan Catholic Charities.

There is no way of knowing how much money Catholics have given to other charities, such as the Red Cross, on their own. One-hundred percent of the money given to Catholic Charities goes directly to areas affected by the hurricane.

VOLUNTEERS

Within 90 minutes of arriving in the Gulf Coast last week, volunteers from diocesan Catholic Charities were helping Hurricane Katrina survivors fill out Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) aid applications.

Sister Maureen Joyce, RSM, executive director of Catholic Charities, reported that the three social workers -- Cheryl Girard-Schulz, Heidi Moak and Carrie Woodard -- had a quick orientation session during lunch with the director of Catholic Charities in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Then they were immediately dispatched to help survivors get prescriptions filled, locate missing relatives, request help in relocating and seek a host of other services from FEMA.

Meanwhile, a fourth volunteer -- Jill Lein, a nurse from Community Maternity Services in the Albany Diocese -- was matched up with a medical team aiding survivors with healthcare needs.

Shelters

The volunteers expect to be moved soon to any of the 100 shelters set up throughout the city to assist people.

Shelter staff need help in determining which survivors are simply traumatized by their circumstances and which ones have serious, ongoing mental health issues.

Sister Maureen explained that the condition of some persons with mental or developmental disabilities could deteriorate rapidly when they were out of a structured environment and unable to get their medications.

Help wanted

With volunteers of all skill levels and fields heading to the Gulf Coast, Sister Maureen added, Catholic Charities officials are desperately seeking people with experience in coordinating large numbers of volunteers.

"One of the problems is where [volunteers] can stay," she added, noting that the Albany Diocese has only sent four volunteers because Catholic Charities of Baton Rouge didn't have room for more.

The four are sharing one small room at a retreat center. At the three-story center, one floor is filled with volunteers, another with evacuees and a third with the State Police who are patrolling the area.

The Albany volunteers will return Oct. 5, and another four will be sent to replace them.

SURVIVORS

In addition, diocesan Catholic Charities is helping three survivors who came to the area in the past week:

* an older woman who plans to relocate to Albany because her son lives here and who is looking for a place to live;

* a single man currently staying in a hotel who is hoping to find work and an apartment; and

* a young woman who caravaned up from New Orleans with five friends, each of whom stopped in another state. She is planning to stay with her parents temporarily but wants to return home. Her main concern is that her car's transmission was damaged during the trip.

The evacuees will be matched with parishes in the Diocese that are willing to sponsor them. Bishop Howard J. Hubbard has asked each parish to assemble a team of parishioners to assist survivors.

OTHER AID

Sister Maureen hopes that parishes will "twin" with Gulf Coast parishes to provide financial help. She noted that, without their weekend collections, hurricane-affected parishes can't even pay their staff.

Catholic Charities has also created a brochure for survivors here and in the Gulf Coast, stating, "Catholic Charities and the people of the Diocese of Albany, New York, would like to welcome you!"

The brochure lists possible needs and how Charities can help -- emphasizing the common wish of many survivors to eventually return to their homes.

(To help with hurricane relief, contact diocesan Catholic Charities at 453-6650. Donations can be made payable to Catholic Charities, with "Hurricane Katrina" in the subject line, and sent to 40 N. Main Ave., Albany 12203. Also, the Little Sisters of the Poor at Our Lady of Hope Residence in Latham have requested donations for the aged displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Their order's facility in New Orleans, La., was destroyed by the storm, and its elderly residents have been moved elsewhere, leaving all their possessions behind. Donations can be sent to Little Sisters of the Poor, Hurricane Relief, 1 Jeanne Jugan Lane, Latham 12110.)

(9/22/05) [[In-content Ad]]