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Catholic Charities USA Sends $392,000 Grant for Hurricane Recovery Efforts   

Alexandria, VA—Catholic Charities USA has sent a $392,000 grant to Catholic Charities of Venice in Florida to support the agency’s long-term hurricane recovery efforts, which will include temporary and permanent housing, mental health counseling, budget and financial counseling, job placement and counseling, outreach to migrant farm workers, and other assistance. 

Hurricane Charley devastated the 10-county area served by Catholic Charities of Venice in August.  Many homes and businesses were destroyed by the hurricane’s intense winds, storm surges, and tornadoes. According to reports, about 50,000 families were displaced by the storm. Recovery efforts have been hampered by hits from Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne. 

In the aftermath of Hurricane Charley and the subsequent hurricanes, Catholic Charities of Venice estimated it was aiding 20,000 people a day with emergency assistance that included: distributing food, water, personal care items; providing shelter lodging vouchers, medical assistance, and mental health counseling; helping with the community's clean up efforts; and assisting people in completing FEMA applications. To assist with these immediate needs, Catholic Charities USA sent the agency $20,000 in emergency grants several weeks ago. 

Now attention is being turned to the area’s long-term needs, which the new $392,000 grant will help the agency address.

“This is going to be a long sustained recovery process. It could take possibly two years or more because so many buildings, homes, and crops were devastated,” said Peter Routsis-Arroyo, president of Catholic Charities of Venice. “We need to get people back into their homes, back to work, and feeling secure and safe again.”

“Much of the important work of Catholic Charities occurs in the weeks, months, and even years after a storm like Charley,” said Deacon Gerald Collins, director of disaster response for Catholic Charities USA. “Catholic Charities’ niche in disaster relief is long-term recovery work. Local agencies are there for the long haul, helping individuals and families rebuild their lives.”

Long-Term Recovery Efforts

Temporary and Permanent Housing and Counseling. Even before Hurricane Charley hit the area, affordable housing was in limited supply. Those problems have been exacerbated. In Desoto and Hardee counties alone it is estimated that 60 percent of the residents lost their homes. Catholic Charities of Venice will assist hurricane victims in finding new homes and repairing existing homes that can be saved by offering assistance with insurance deductibles, repair costs, security deposits, rent or mortgage, and utility bills. “Caseworkers will assess each client’s situation to determine what resources are available for them,” Routsis-Arroyo said. “We plan to focus heavily on providing good, safe, and affordable housing.

Outreach to Migrant Farm Workers. The migrant farm workers have been the hardest hit community. Many live in dilapidated homes that were quickly destroyed in the hurricane and most barely get by financially on their wages. “The migrant farm workers will not only need new, safe, and affordable housing, they will need new jobs,” Routsis-Arroyo said. “We will continue to serve them with financial assistance, food and clothing assistance, immigration services and educational programs, but we will also need to address these other issues.”

Mental Health Counseling. The constant barrage of hurricanes and uncertainty has left many in the community, angry, depressed, and frustrated. Catholic Charities will provide mental health counseling to help their neighbors cope. “Counseling is a big issue because people have been traumatized,” said Routsis-Arroyo.

Budget and Financial Counseling. Even for individuals and families with insurance, Hurricane Charley was costly. For the poorest of the poor, the hurricanes have been financially devastating. Catholic Charities will be assisting families in setting up realistic budgets that meet their household obligations and help them repay their debts.

Job Placement and Counseling. With so many crops and businesses destroyed, such as hotels and vacation rental properties, Catholic Charities will be helping individuals find employment. “Workers that were dependent on the agricultural or tourism industries may have to look for work in other job areas. Others who are unable to find employment may need to relocate to another city or state,” Routsis-Arroyo said. 

“What you see in times of disaster on this scale is your faith restored. We’ve had people from all walks of life volunteer time, and donate money, goods and services. There has been an outpouring of generosity to help others who are suffering,” Routsis-Arroyo said.

Catholic Charities USA Financial Support

To date, Catholic Charities USA has sent a total of $502,000 to 10 local Catholic Charities agencies to support their emergency and long-term recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne.  The funding for these grants was made available thanks to generous donations, which came from across Florida and the entire nation to Catholic Charities USA’s 2004 Summer Hurricane Fund.

Catholic Charities USA anticipates it will soon be providing more agencies with emergency relief and long-term recovery grants.  

Hurricane contributions can be made by calling (800) 919-9338; visiting www.catholiccharitiesinfo.org; or sending checks to Catholic Charities USA, 2004 Summer Hurricanes, PO Box 25168, Alexandria, VA 22313-9788. Catholic Charities USA is unable to accept contributions of food, clothing, blankets and other relief supplies. Its federal ID number is 53-0196620.