Catholic Schools and Parishes Reach Out to the Victims of Hurricane Harvey

PENSACOLA, FL, August 30, 2017– Schools and parishes in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee are rallying to the aid of Texans and those in Louisiana who have been impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, which came ashore as a category 4 storm Friday, August 25, and caused record-breaking flooding throughout the region. An estimated 30,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Houston, alone, and the numbers of homeless throughout southeast Texas continue to grow.
An emergency collection will be taken by parishes within the diocese during the month of September, and these funds will be used to support the humanitarian recovery efforts of Catholic Charities USA, which works with a variety of agencies nationwide to help people through both the immediate and the long-term process of recovery and restoration after a natural disaster.
“Fortunately, Catholic Charities and parishes in Texas were prepared for such a catastrophe,” said Bishop William A. Wack CSC, of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. “The Church is privileged to have people on the scene connected to Catholic Charities who immediately started to mobilize to assist people in their quest for safety and, soon, in recovery of their property and lives.”
Additionally, four Catholic elementary schools in Pensacola have teamed up with area businesses in an outreach called “Trucks for Texas.” Donations of kitchenware, flashlights, diapers, baby formula, pet food, air mattresses and other items will be accepted starting at 7:30 a.m. Friday, September 1 at the following Pensacola schools: St. Paul Catholic School, 3121 Hyde Park Rd., Sacred Heart Catholic School, 1603 N. 12 ^th Ave., Little Flower Catholic School, 6495 Lillian Hwy., and St. John the Evangelist School, 325 S. Navy Blvd. The trucks will leave for Texas on Saturday, September 2. For more information visit the following FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-Flower-Catholic-School/752772701480910
Those wishing to donate to Catholic Charities of NW Florida may do so here: http://ccnwfl.org/  Or at Catholic Charities USA : https://catholiccharitiesusa.org/