PORTLAND, Maine — A special collection held Feb. 11-12 at Catholic churches throughout the Diocese of Portland raised $56,500 to support the long-term efforts of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) as they provide aid to victims after the widespread destruction of Hurricane Matthew.
The hurricane first made landfall in Haiti on Oct. 4, 2016, eventually devastating areas in the Caribbean and the southeast coast of the U.S. More than 1,000 deaths and massive damages were attributed to the storm.
“Allow me to express my gratitude to the many people in our parish communities for their generosity in helping to provide crucial relief and humanitarian aid in this time of devastation and suffering,” said Bishop Robert P. Deeley. “Please join me in continuing to keep the thousands of individuals and families affected by this tragedy in our prayers.”
The funds will be used to continue and expand the relief work of CRS and CCUSA. The response has included providing emergency shelters, hygiene kits, hand-washing stations, financial assistance to families, and living supplies like kitchen utensils and buckets. Work to rebuild destroyed homes and restore lost agricultural fields is expected to take years to complete.
Those who wish may still donate at www.crs.org or www.catholiccharitiesusa.org, by phone at 1 (877) 435-7277, or by mail: Catholic Relief Services, Attn: Hurricane Matthew Relief, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21297-0303.
