Hurricane Helene Response

Catholic Charities USA provides critical assistance to Catholic Charities agencies and the communities they serve — through deployment of disaster experts, technical assistance and direct support; execution of disaster response plans; coordination of in-kind donations; and distribution of basic necessities. 

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. 

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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.

A Catholic Charities staff member organizes diapers for distribution at a Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg location after Hurricane Helene.
A Catholic Charities staff member organizes diapers for distribution at a Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg location after Hurricane Helene.
Cleanup has begun in Hurricane Helene-ravaged Tampa, with households already piling ruined belongings and building materials, including furniture, flooring and appliances at their curbs.
Cleanup has begun in Hurricane Helene-ravaged Tampa, with households already piling ruined belongings and building materials, including furniture, flooring and appliances, at their curbs.
Prepared foods are sorted for distribution at a Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg location after Hurricane Helene.
Prepared foods are sorted for distribution at a Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg location after Hurricane Helene.
Kim Burgo, vice president of disaster operations for Catholic Charities USA, meets with staff of Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg as they begin to implement disaster response plans after Hurricane Helene.
Cleanup has begun in Hurricane Helene-ravaged Tampa, with households already piling ruined belongings and building materials at their curbs.
Cleanup has begun in Hurricane Helene-ravaged Tampa, with households already piling ruined belongings and building materials at their curbs.
Catholic Charities staff organize supplies for distribution at a Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg location in Tampa after Hurricane Helene.
Catholic Charities staff organize supplies for distribution at a Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg location in Tampa after Hurricane Helene.
Canned food lay out on a table for distribution at a Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg location in Tampa after Hurricane Helene.
Canned food lay out on a table for distribution at a Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg location in Tampa after Hurricane Helene.

Catholic Charities Response

Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is providing direct support to Catholic Charities agencies in North Carolina, East Tennessee, South Carolina, Northwest Florida, St. Petersburg and Venice as they respond to their devastated communities.

Get the latest updates from the affected regions.

Thanks to the generous support of donors to the Catholic Charities USA Hurricane Helene disaster relief fund, CCUSA has distributed $1.9 million thus far to Catholic Charities agencies in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. All 100% of the funds raised for Hurricane Helene relief are being distributed to local agencies assisting those displaced or suffering because of the storm. Other updates include:

  • Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte has served more than 10,000 people at its distribution site. This includes mobile deliveries and home check-ins. Forty-seven tons of supplies have been given to individuals and families and 5,000 hot meals have been provided thus far. The agency has warehouse space secured through a partnership with the Knights of Columbus and continues to receive supplies for the affected areas.
  • Catholic Charities of East Tennessee has distribution sites set up at parishes in Erwin, Newport and Greenville. Collection sites are located at The Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Knoxville and two other parishes. 
  • CCUSA has sourced six truckloads of water for Tennessee and North Carolina relief efforts. 
  • Florida distribution centers in the path of Hurricane Milton are having to close because of the approaching storm. Milton preparations include moving equipment and supplies into adjacent warehouses for shelter and immediate deployment after the storm passes. 
  • Twenty-five semi-trucks of FEMA supplies have been sent to Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg. Tampa and St. Petersburg are being impacted by both natural disasters. 
  • Catholic Charities Diocese of Toledo is supporting Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg with a disaster medical team doing wellness checks, providing needed medication, providing CAT scans and other tests, as needed by disaster survivors. The team is set up at the CC North Port Richey distribution site.
  • Catholic Charities Diocese of St. Petersburg is using a laundry trailer from Catholic Charities of Acadiana at a distribution site in North Port Richey.
  • Catholic Charities of South Carolina is setting up distribution sites and is seeking to restock its local food pantry with the assistance of CCUSA. Their Columbia site reopened Oct. 1 and offers showers and laundry to the homeless. 
  • Catholic Charities of South Georgia is providing relief assistance to it residents, 80% of whom are still without electricity.
  • 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. 
  • The Florida Catholic Conference is working closely with FEMA and Florida Emergency Management to send supplies to affected Catholic Charities agencies in Florida and small communities in need. That includes 25 semi-trailer trucks of relief supplies en route to Catholic Charities St. Petersburg and a delivery of a storage containers, 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 (CCUSA) coordinating supply needs. In its first 24 hours of operation, the distribution centers 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, including 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.

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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.

READ MORE

After Hurricane Helene, help is on the way to North Carolina. Will it be enough?: America
October 11, 2024

Post-Helene, church in North Carolina vows ‘we’re not going anywhere’: Crux
October 5, 2024

‘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