Hurricane Helene Response
Support Hurricane Helene Disaster Relief
CCUSA, as the official domestic disaster relief agency of the Catholic Church in the United States, has launched a dedicated Helene disaster relief campaign. All donations received for disaster aid will be allocated to the Catholic Charities agencies providing critical relief — including shelter, food and other humanitarian aid — to those most in need.
Contact us for other tax-deductible ways to give.
In late September, Hurricane Helene tore through communities in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee. It left a devastating toll in its wake, with more than 200 dead and hundreds still missing. The storm washed away homes and highways and decimated power and water systems. Catholic Charities agencies are springing into action to provide immediate disaster relief with necessities such as water, food and shelter. They will stand by their communities through the long-term recovery.
Share your support for Hurricane Helene disaster relief.
Catholic Charities Response
Catholic Charities USA is providing direct support to Catholic Charities agencies in East Tennessee, Charlotte, South Carolina, Northwest Florida, St. Petersburg and Venice as they support their devastated communities.
Get the latest updates from the affected regions.
- In East Tennessee, access has opened to each of the Catholic parishes in affected communities, along with main supply routes to these areas. Catholic Charities of East Tennessee has set up distribution sites in several parishes. Other parishes have set up collection sites to offer support.
- Florida Catholic Conference in Florida is working closely with FEMA and Florida Emergency Management to send supplies to affected Catholic Charities agencies in Florida and small communities in need, including 25 semi-trailer trucks of relief supplies en route to Catholic Charities St. Petersburg and a delivery of a storage container, porta-potties, forklift equipment and semi-trailer trucks of clean-up supplies to a town on Florida’s Barrier Islands.
- Catholic Charities St. Petersburg distribution sites are open, with the Florida Catholic Conference and Catholic Charities USA coordinating supply needs. In its first 24 hours of operation, the distribution centers have served nearly 700 people.
- Catholic Charities of South Georgia is distributing supplies with support from the Knights of Columbus. The distribution site, a Catholic church in south-central Georgia, is the only parish in a 30-mile radius that has power and communications. CCUSA is helping to source in-kind materials for distribution.
- The Disaster Medical Team from Catholic Charities Diocese of Toledo is on-site at the Catholic Charities St. Petersburg distribution site, providing wellness checks, supplying medication and offering CT scans and other medical tests if needed by disaster survivors.
- CCUSA is working with partner agencies and donors to supply in-kind donations to affected communities to include pallets of tarps, water, cleaning kits and hygiene kits, baby items, sleeping bags, sleeping pads and two-person tents.
- Disaster Case Management staff from eight Catholic Charities agencies are on standby to support on-the-ground efforts.
- Immediate disaster funding from CCUSA is being sent to agencies and communities affected by Hurricane Helene.
- Several tractor-trailer loads of water are en route to Catholic Charities of East Tennessee and Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte.
- A truck load of cleaning kits, diapers, children’s activity kits, oral rehydration products and blankets is en route to Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg.
- Hygiene kits are being sent to Catholic Charities of South Carolina.
- Catholic Charities locations in Acadiana (LA), Biloxi (MS), Ocala (FL), and Raleigh and Wilmington (NC) have been established as hub locations to distribute goods regionally.
- Tarps, cleaning kits and hygiene kits are being sent to the Ocala warehouse.
- 10 tractor-trailer loads of hygiene kits, quilts and baby kits will be distributed to regional hubs for distribution.
- Solar lights are en route to Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida (Pensacola area) as are blankets to both Pensacola and Catholic Charities of South Carolina.
- The Catholic Charities Acadiana mobile response center is en route to Catholic Charities, Diocese of St. Petersburg.
- Many Catholic Charities agencies outside the affected areas — including Houston, Raleigh and Sacramento — are assisting with technical needs, case management and other support services.
- Catholic Charities USA Disaster Response Team members will be on the ground in Tampa and Charlotte in coming days to support disaster relief and recovery efforts by local Catholic Charities agencies.
Help those whose lives have been upended by Hurricane Helene.
News
Hurricane Helene brought catastrophic damage to the Southeast, devastating entire communities, killing more than 100 people and leaving millions without power. Read the national release announcing the fundraising effort by Catholic Charities USA to support its member agencies and the communities they serve.
‘People are in shock’: Catholic Charities USA in Alexandria sends supplies to areas impacted by Helene: DC News Now
October 3, 2024
Archdiocese of Baltimore sets up relief fund for victims of Hurricane Helene: Catholic Review
October 1, 2024
Catholic Charities runs relief for hurricane victims: Aleteia
October 1, 2024
North Carolina Catholics mobilize with relief as state emerges from Helene’s floodwaters: National Catholic Register
September 30, 2024
Huge swath of Florida confronts Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact: The Catholic Spirit
September 30, 2024
Relief efforts underway in western North Carolina; flooding caused by Helene devastates region: Catholic Standard
September 30, 2024
Catholic Charities USA launches disaster relief donation campaign to support victims of Hurricane Helene: Catholic Vote
September 30, 2024
Florida dioceses seek help as state reels from massive Hurricane Helene: Catholic News Agency
September 27, 2024