Photo courtesy of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh. Original story published 10/22/2024. Updated 11/18/2024.
Hurricane Helene relief support from the Diocese of Raleigh has continued to be generous. As of last week, the diocese received a total of $504,696.03, which has been sent to Catholic Charities in Charlotte to aid recovery efforts.
Russell C. Elmayan, chief financial officer and chief administrative officer for the Diocese of Raleigh, attributes the response to the common bonds we share as North Carolinians and as a people who have seen significant disasters on both sides of the state.
“The Diocese of Charlotte helped us very quickly and very generously when we suffered here in our diocese from hurricanes,” Dr. Elmayan said. “Now we have the opportunity to help them.”
As Hurricane Helene recovery efforts continue, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh is also deeply engaged in supporting affected communities across Western North Carolina.
Below is a brief update on the efforts of Catholic Charities, in collaboration with partners, to bring essential resources and expertise to those in need.
- Donation Collection: Six Catholic Charities offices have been serving as collection points for donated supplies bound for impacted communities in Western NC. This effort was made possible through close collaboration with the Knights of Columbus and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Charlotte. This phase of the response efforts has now ended, and Catholic Charities is grateful to all of the parishioners who stepped up to help our neighbors to the west.
- Staff & Equipment Deployment: Catholic Charities is deploying staff through Catholic Charities USA to assist Catholic Charities of Eastern Tennessee. The first staff member from Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh arrived in Johnson City, Tennessee, on Tuesday, October 15, and they will continue to have a team member on the ground up to Thanksgiving to help expand and train their local services. They also deployed a box truck to Catholic Charities of Eastern Tennessee to expand capacity to deliver life sustaining supplies to survivors in the weeks following the storm.
- Training: In mid-November, Catholic Charities staff will travel to the Asheville area to conduct a Disaster Case Management Training for approximately 70 staff and volunteers. This training, essential for aiding survivors on their road to recovery, will support groups serving communities in Western NC. Catholic Charities has been recognized nationally as a leader in Disaster Case Management and is honored to offer this expertise in response to Hurricane Helene.
- State Coordination: Daniel Altenau, Director of Disaster Services for Catholic Charities, is providing vital support to the group North Carolina Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NCVOAD). His support includes facilitating general calls among nonprofits responding to the disaster, as well as a committee call focused specifically on Disaster Case Management. Through his work with NCVOAD, he is leveraging his experience leading Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh through hurricanes Matthew and Florence to provide support and guidance to organizations working to help families rebuild their lives in Western NC.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support that enable Catholic Charities to provide help and create hope for those affected by this disaster. To get involved or learn more about this work, please contact Daniel Altenau, Director of Disaster Services, at Daniel.Altenau@ccharitiesdor.org.