SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., Oct. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Now that
many of the wildfires are contained and families are returning to their
homes to assess the damage, Catholic Charities is helping families rebuild
their lives.
"Often the general perception from those not directly impacted by these
wildfires is that once the shelters are closed, the fires are put out, and
the national media has gone home, we can breathe a sigh of relief because
the disaster is 'over'," said Ken F. Sawa, CEO of Catholic Charities, which
serves people regardless of religious affiliation in San Bernardino and
Riverside Counties of Southern California. "But for Catholic Charities, our
work is just beginning. A 'second wave' of assistance will be required to
help families, whose homes were destroyed or damaged or who may have lost
their jobs, transition from short-term crises to long-term stability."
As a second responder here, Catholic Charities' niche in disaster
response is helping fire victims regain stability--addressing the needs of
the community's most vulnerable populations and filling in the gaps in
service. Following the 2003 wildfires, the agency helped hundreds of
low-income families recover and rebuild their lives.
"We know from the fires four years ago, as soon as families have had
the opportunity and time to adequately determine their needs, they begin to
contact agencies for help," said Sawa. "Over the next few days and weeks,
we expect a dramatic increase in people seeking help."
Catholic Charities stands ready to assist evacuated families to make
the transition from their evacuation locations--shelters, private
residences, hotels, RVs, and parks--back into their homes or other
temporary housing and provide them with vital services and support, such as
food, store vouchers, medicine, counseling, assistance with FEMA
applications, and other services.
"Our goal is to do whatever is necessary and possible so families can
reclaim their lives," said Sawa. "We work closely with families to help
them access the services and resources they need."
Catholic Charities is paying special attention to those in shelters and
low-income families. "These are often people with the least resources and
will have the most difficulty recovering after a disaster," said Sawa.
To help evacuees make the smooth transition out of the shelters,
Catholic Charities staff have been touring Red Cross' temporary housing
facilities, meeting with national and local Red Cross leadership, FEMA
officials, and residents to inform them about how fire victims can access
Catholic Charities services.
Aiding the local Catholic Charities recovery efforts is a team of five
from Catholic Charities USA's Office of Disaster Response, which has been
helping the agency develop its recovery plan, build capacity, and access
tools, resources, and information it needs to respond effectively.
Catholic Charities USA is collecting donations to support the wildfire
recovery efforts. To contribute:
Call (800) 919-9338
Visit http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org
Send checks to
Catholic Charities USA
Southern California Wildfires 2007
PO Box 7068, Merrifield, VA 22116-7068
Catholic Charities USA is unable to accept contributions of food,
clothing, blankets and other relief supplies. Its federal ID number is
53-0196620.
SOURCE Catholic Charities USA
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Related links:
http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org
CONTACT:
Shelley Borysiewicz of Catholic Charities,
+1-703-236-6218, sborysiewicz@catholiccharitiesusa.org
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