News

Money remains best way to help

By Patricia Kasten
Compass Associate Editor

	Hurricane Katrina
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	Helping hurricane survivors Donations may be made online at www.catholiccharitiesusa.org or by sending checks to the Diocese of Green Bay, P.O. Box 1506, Green Bay, WI  54305-1506. Checks should be issued to the "Diocese of Green Bay" and note "Hurricane Katrina" in the memo.

Locally, the best way to help survivors of Hurricane Katrina remains to donate funds to the relief effort.

Many already have and, as of press time, the Diocese of Green Bay had received nearly $50,000 for relief efforts in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. That was mostly from individuals and will increase as parish collections - taken around the diocese Sept. 10-11 - are tallied.

Catholic Charities - which works with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) - along with the Red Cross and Salvation Army, rely on financial gifts to meet people's immediate needs. As of Sept. 12, Catholic Charities USA had sent $890,000 to affected areas of the South.

Karen Johnston, diocesan director of Catholic Charities, understands that there is a desire to send material goods, or to go down to help personally. However, it is still difficult to get supplies into many areas, and they need to be organized by trained relief personnel.

"Emergency vehicles are running out of gas," Johnston said, noting that the few supplies still left in the region need to go to the most needy. If unorganized - but well-intended - people arrive on the scene, they tax the fragile emergency system. She knows of trucks with supplies being rerouted (using more gas), or simply dropping supplies where they can, once undamaged roads or gasoline runs out.

Johnston counsels patience - and generosity. "This isn't going to be fixed soon. This is a long-term thing."

The refugee departments of all Catholic Charities' agencies - including Refugee and Immigration Services (RIS) of the Green Bay Diocese - have been alerted to prepare for evacuees who need both short- and long-term housing. Some may even relocate to others parts of the country. (However, most are expressing a desire to stay closer to the South than Wisconsin.)

Since RIS has worked with refugees from wars and natural disasters around the globe since the 1960s, they have an extensive network ready to activate as requests come in.

Nationally, Catholic Charities USA launched Operation Home Away from Home, a housing program for Katrina evacuees, on Sept. 8. Local Catholic Charities will assist.

Likewise, local counselors are prepared to provide counseling and mental health services, either locally or nationally.

Catholic Charities offices across the diocese continue to compile a data base of volunteers and offers for housing, food, and other supplies to be called into service as the needs unfold. Call any branch office, or the Green Bay office at (920)272-8234 or toll-free at 1-877-500-3580 to make an offer.

Johnston said there have been many offers already. "We have the good will of a lot of people, offering home, mobile homes and such. People have been pretty generous."

She added, though, that while there have been "sporadic requests" for help from people who have come up here on their own - for gas cards and temporary housing - these people want to get back home as quickly as they can.

The problem is, she added, that many don't have homes "back home."

Monetary donations, cash or checks made out to local parishes and earmarked for Hurricane Katrina, are still being collected by parishes to be sent to the Diocese.