Hurricane Katrina Response

Catholic Charities of the Dicoese of Youngstown reports that as of December 2006 over $480,955 has been collected locally for recovery efforts in response to hurricanse Katrina and Rita.  In addition, volunteers from across the diocese and 23 parishes, the Walsh University Community and other local churches have sent 17 teams of volunteers to Operations Helping Hands and the New Orleans Jesuit Outreach Ministries. 

Currently, volunteers who have rebuilding skills are needed to travel to New Orleans to assist in the rebuilding process.  It is estimated that there are 900 houses in New Orleans that are repairable and sit unused as homewoners await materials and skilled re-builders.  Therefore, Catholic Charities has committedd to providing enough skilled volunteers to rebuild at least two families' houses before Labor Day of this year. 

For more information contact: Father Edward Brienz, New Orleans Disaster Liaison at 330-205-8632 or erbrienz@yahoo.com, or Rick Walker, Catholic Charities Services at 330-744-8451 or rwalker@youngstowndiocese.org

You can also download a copy of the Hurricane Disaster Update(pdf) here.

Rebuild Church - Rebuild Hope

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Youngstown has forwarded over $480,955 in humanitarian relief donations to assist the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  The majority of the money has been seed for immediate assistance and long-term housing reconstruction.  Some of the donations have been forwarded for Catholic schools and parishes' reconstruction.  To date Catholic Charities USA has raised nearly $160 million, with $151.9 million allocated to various dioceses for humanitarian assistance and $18 million allocated for institutional needs.

The REBUILD CHURCH-REBUILD HOPE collection is meant to raise monies for assistance to the Archdiocese of New Orleans and the Diocese of Biloxi to reconstruct and repair church buildings, parishes, rectories and Catholic schools.  To date, (Feb 1, 2007) over $26,000 has been collected and forwarded to the US Bishops' Conference for this collection.

To donate send a check to: hurricane Katrina REBUILD CHURCH-REBUILD HOPE fund, c/o Catholic Charities Office, Diocese of Youngstown, 144 W. Wood St. Youngstown, Ohio 44503.  For more information, contact Brian R. Corbin at 330-744-8451.