From: Nigel.Allen@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Nigel Allen)
Subject: Catholic Charities' Response to Hurricane Andrew
Organization: NDA
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 08:24:09 GMT

Here is a press release from Catholic Charities USA.

 Catholic Charities' Response to Hurricane Andrew
 To: National Desk
 Contact: Alexandra Peeler, 703-549-1390, ext. 15
          Colleen Curry, 703-549-1390, ext. 13
          or Liam Callanan, 703-549-1390, ext. 14
          all of Catholic Charities USA

   WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Catholic Charities USA is
coordinating information and raising funds to help relieve victims of
Hurricane Andrew.
   So far, the office has received more than 1,000 checks and
hundreds of phone calls offering goods and services.  The office
plans to wire the first money -- $30,000 -- to affected areas
Sept. 4.
   As in past crises, people have been most generous.  A local police
officer walked into Catholic Charities USA's Alexandria offices last
week and offered a $10 bill.  Local parishes are taking up special
collections, holding bake sales, and donating parish funds as well as
goods and services.
   The most pressing need remains cash.  Those who want to contribute
should send checks to:

   Disaster Response
   Catholic Charities USA
   1731 King St., Suite 200
   Alexandria, Va.  22314

   Catholic Community Services (the local Catholic Charities agency)
has set up five service centers at area parishes in Dade County.
Those centers served 25,000 meals last Saturday and Sunday.  Four of
the parish centers have medical facilities and supplies; all are
distributing food, water, and ice in coordination with the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
   The Archdiocese of Miami has established a collection and
distribution center for supplies at St. Mary's Cathedral in downtown
Miami.
   The Catholic Charities branch in Fort Lauderdale, working with
other local agencies, established a food bank and began shipping food
to South Dade County beginning the day after the storm.
   The neighboring Diocese of Venice sent Catholic Charities
personnel to help the Miami agency.
   In Louisiana, Catholic Charities agencies in the affected diocese
will offer residents help with utility bills and other financial
problems caused by the hurricane.  Damage assessment continues.
   Catholic Charities agencies are forming a long-term response plan.
In past disasters, Charities agencies have focused on helping people
who lost their homes, are uninsured, or will not qualify for
government assistance to rebuild or relocate.
   Past experience also shows that trauma counseling will be a major
need.  Local Charities agencies may need counselors from other areas
to help.  Post-disaster trauma often hits people the hardest six to
eight months after a disaster.  Catholic Charities agencies are
around long after the relief trucks go home, offering a range of
social services to people in need.
   Catholic Charities' long-range response depends upon the amount of
donations received.  Help is most appreciated by the people
struggling to recover from the hurricane.
   The Catholic Charities USA's Disaster Response Office, in
collaboration with the U.S. Catholic Conference, represents the
Catholic community in times of domestic disaster.  The office
provides leadership, technical and financial assistance, and resource
development to local agencies that meet community needs after
disasters.
   As the nation's largest private social service organization,
Catholic Charities USA's network of 1,400 local agencies and
institutions provides a range of human services across the country.
Services are offered without regard to religious, ethnic, racial, or
economic background.
 -30-

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