The Catholic Response to Superstorm Sandy: A Six Month Report

May 23, 2013 www.TrenTonMoniTor.coM

A Special Supplement of

Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, N.J.newspaper of The roMan caTholic Diocese of TrenTon, n.J.

The CaTholiC Response To supeRsToRm sandy

Ken Falls photo Sr. Joanne Dress photo

Craig Pittelli photoKen Falls photo

Sr. Joanne Dress photo

Mar

y M

orre

ll ph

oto

For the love of Christ impels us… (2 Corinthians 5:14)

a six-monTh RepoRT

Oct. 29, 2012 - April 29, 2013Hurricane Sandy, Diocese of Trenton

SuperStorm Sandy: a Six month reportS-2 | May 23, 2013 The MoniTor

By Lois RogersFeatures Editor

Six months out from Superstorm Sandy, only those who go looking for the wreckage or those affected by it have a true picture of what the events of Oct. 29, 2012 wrought on the

area it sliced through.Tracking the hideous storm by going zip-code to zip-code as

some studies have done, brings the situation into especially sharp focus along the length of the Ocean County coastline where some of the worst damage occurred.

There, countless houses, businesses and tourist attractions still tip precariously off their foundations or stand mired in mold as their owners struggle against the tide of paperwork and regula-tions that followed in the wake of Sandy to reclaim their property and their lives.

This is the story of how a parish in one of the zip codes most badly damaged by the storm rallied immediately, offering unceasing help, consolation and inspiration to thousands of storm victims.

the day after the storm, reaching to date, more than 3,000 families whose lives, homes, jobs and communities were dealt bitter blows by Sandy.

Located on just a bit of a promontory on the spit of land that connects the mainland to the Man-toloking Bridge and the bridge to devastated sec-tions of the barrier island including the catastrophi-cally damaged borough of Mantoloking, the parish opened its doors and its arms to all those in the area impacted by the storm within hours of Sandy’s departure.

With the support and approval of the pastor, Father Albert Ricciardelli and the parish staff that first weekend, a corps of volunteers led by parish-ioner Christie Winters,

swooped in to assist the beleaguered community.What began as a spontaneous relief effort on a

parish level soon transformed into a comprehensive and ongoing full-time recovery effort knit together by way of sheer faith and will power from the fabric of Catholic social teaching as Winters, a lay Vincentian, aptly put it.

“We were able to set the gears in motion because of (parish) experience with St. Vincent de Paul,” she said during a recent interview. “Because of that

Jersey strongVisitation Parish volunteers reach out with lifelines of faith, hope, consolation

Weathering the Storm The 08723 zip code of Brick is a 12.9 square-mile

area criss-crossed by small streams and estuaries and bounded by Barnegat Bay and the Metede-conk River. One recent study indicates that when these bodies of water swelled under the pressure of Sandy and overflowed their banks, the area sus-tained 28 percent of the overall damage inflicted by the Oct. 29 storm.

In this badly impacted area, a lifeline known as Visitation Parish has been in motion steadily since See Visitation | P S-3

Taking the Lead – During a staff meeting, volunteers listen intently as Christie Winters, Visitation Relief Center project director, gives an update on the various services the center provides to hurricane victims. Jeff Metzner photo

By Rayanne BennettExecutive Director of Communications

“There are 8 million stories in the Naked City . . . “

The famous line from the 1948 crime drama comes to mind when we consider the human drama that began to unfold Oct. 29, 2012 with the arrival of Superstorm Sandy

to the Jersey shore. Every person, every family and every community in the most impacted areas of Monmouth and Ocean Counties have a life-changing story, one more gripping than the next.

Over these past six months, like many media outlets, The Monitor has dedicated many pages of coverage to the storm. We reported primarily on the ways that our Catholic commu-nity was engaged in survival, relief, recovery and rebuilding, mindful, all the while, that these stories were but the tip of the iceberg of all that was happening within the Church in response to the storm.

Running through all of the stories, those published and those yet unreported, is the common thread of the Catholic community coming together in response to the tragedy – from individuals and families who donated funds and goods to the relief effort, to parishes who opened their doors to survivors and collected emergency supplies, to youth groups who went out to help residents clean up, and now to the legions of parish volunteers and Catholic social service staff who are helping folks rebuild their lives.

We have also seen this understanding of being one family in Christ put into action across the country, as Catholic organizations, schools and families reached out to us with immeasurable love and support that continues to this day.

A review of the funds donated to the Diocesan Hurricane Relief Effort underscores the expansive response to the call for help. Of the $1 million that was sent in, about half was col-lected in parishes of the diocese, many of whom were dealing with their own needs caused by the storm. The other half was given by dioceses across the nation, and many individuals and groups. Together, they formed a massive Catholic network in support of the victims.

To mark the six-month anniversary of the storm’s devastating toll, we have elected to tell one of these countless stories – that of Visitation Parish in Brick, and its witness to storm victims from the very first day. What we see with this parish, and the massive outreach effort it has put together, is that it embodies the same dynamic that has been seen in every story – one of compassion, unity, cooperation with civil entities and coalition-building with other social service agen-cies and resources.

In Visitation Relief Center, we also see the Church’s com-mitment to staying the course with the families who continue to struggle under the burden of reclaiming their lives. And just as that is happening in Brick, so too is it happening in the more than 30 locations throughout Monmouth and Ocean Counties, where parishes and social service programs continue to operate help sites, and share with those in need the gifts that have been given by others.

On behalf of Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., and our Office of Catholic Social Services, I thank the men, women, teens and children, the dioceses and the groups, all who have reached out to help in the relief and recovery effort simply because their love of Christ compels them. What has been done in Christ’s name, could not have happened without each and every act of generosity and compassion. As you will see in the pages that follow, you have made a real difference in the lives of people who have truly suffered. And you have sent a message, loud and clear, that we are truly one family in Christ.

A uniquely Catholic story

SuperStorm Sandy: a Six month report May 23, 2013 | S-3 www.TrenTonMoniTor.coM

experience, we knew how to organize.”The gears would turn quickly, crank-

ing the operation up from an emergency soup kitchen and distribution center in the church basement and direct outreach to the flooded neighborhoods, to become the Visitation Relief Center housed in a rented, one-time garden center next door to the campus.

In rapid succession, partnerships arose with the Trenton Diocese on many levels, including the Office of Catholic Social Ser-vices, which oversees the Hurricane Relief Effort in conjunction with Catholic Chari-ties and St. Vincent de Paul Society, and the diocesan Department of Property and Construction.

The week after the storm, the Catholic Charities U.S.A. disaster relief team led by Gabe Tischler, disaster relief coordinator, was on site offering “on the job” training. It was gratefully ac-cepted said Winters and Vicki Cottrell, pastoral and busi-ness administrator in Visitation Parish, who noted that their volunteers had no experiences in hur-ricane relief.

The scores of volunteers evolved into teams of “war-riors” who helped storm victims cope with ever emerg-ing and shifting needs. Soon there were “warriors” at the help desk, food “warriors” continu-ing to stock and dis-tribute an estimated 450,000 pounds of food and clothing, warriors helping victims prepare their taxes, FEMA applications and the like. There were “Eco Warriors” fanning out into neighborhoods to help clean up the muck that had mired the wetlands, said Winters and Cottrell.

As efforts continued, some 14 other

parishes and faith communities from the immediate area, Knights of Columbus councils and local scout troops as well as the business community – locally and from around the state and nation – and chari-table organizations, joined in.

Damaged homes were cleaned and gut-ted. Some 42 displaced families got help with finding housing. Bills were paid, gift cards provided, Christmas presents for 286 children who lost all their material posses-sions to the storm were purchased.

“All of the warriors are fighting for the families,” said Winters one recent Wednes-day as she and Cottrell sat in what they refer to as “the quiet room” carved out of the old walk-in florist’s refrigerator in the heart of the Visitation Relief Center.

Volunteer teams had been pouring in to assist from all over the state and the nation, they noted. Just outside the door of the St. Vincent de Paul office, the place was bus-tling: volunteers from Americorps, in from Hawaii to New Orleans to Virginia to New York, were stocking food pantry shelves as a FEMA crew worked on nearby wetlands.

A group from United Parcel Service was finishing up painting the newly refur-bished second floor which would house the offices of the Catholic Charities Emergency

Response Unit first activated after 9/11 and reactivated in the wake of Sandy.

The painting came just after other volunteers finished framing walls to divide the offices for 10 additional Catholic Chari-ties caseworkers. Downstairs, volun-teers also framed out sleeping quar-ters for up to 30 “rebuild” volunteer teams expected to roll in from across the nation this sum-mer to help rehab damaged homes.

Over at the front desk, volunteers, many of whom had their homes dam-aged by Sandy,

were assisting families as they applied for help with meeting their needs. About 15 first-time applicants still trickle in a week’ said Winters.

She explained that these latecomers are largely families and individuals too proud to seek help right away and those who took a while to realize they couldn’t handle the situation by themselves.

The constant action and assistance, begun the day after the storm, never stops, Winters and Cottrell reflected. It only increases.

By the NumbersIn the first few days following the hurri-

cane, Winters drew upon her years of experi-ence as a lay Vincentian to create intake forms that could help people get the help they needed. “Because of St. Vincent de Paul, we knew how to keep the numbers,” she said.

“We knew how to build our data bases. We had the paperwork and we were able to see the need,” said Winters.

“Lots of people have said, ‘where’s the Catholic Church in all this,’” said Winters. “I tell them ‘right where we’ve always been.’ We’ve always had a large social service network in place and what we do, we do on a daily basis. You can go from zip

Meeting of the Minds – At the Diocesan Chan-cery, Lawrenceville, Daughter of Charity Sister Joanne Dress, diocesan executive director of Catholic Social Services, right, gets an update from Vicki Cottrell, pastoral and business adminis-trator in Visitation Parish, left, and Christie Winters, relief center project director. Mary Stadnyk photo

Ever Grateful – Denise and Jim Smith and their three children will never forget the assistance they received from their parish community after the hurricane severely damaged their home. The Visita-tion Relief Center helped the family to obtain temporary housing as well as basic living necessities. Rosemary Daniels photo

Visitation Parish beacon of hope for manyContinued from P S-2

See Relief | P S-4

“All of the warriors are fighting for the families.”

At The Ready – Hurricane relief volunteers Kate Gioglio of Sacred Heart Parish, Bay Head, pictured left, and Chele Ehrola of Visitation Parish, stock shelves and organize supplies in Visitation Relief Center. Jeff Metzner photo

To read more stories on the Catholic response to Sandy, go to: TrentonMonitor.com and click on News/Hurricane Sandy.


code to zip code with St. Vincent de Paul and there is coverage.”

FEMA surveys taken after the storm showed that over 20,000 homes in Brick, Toms River and the Barrier Island, all within 10 miles of Visitation Parish, were damaged by Superstorm Sandy. Of these an estimated 60 percent sustained serious damage that rendered them unlivable said Winters.

Because of the record keeping process, Visitation Relief Center was able to show: that more than $1.5 million in goods had been donated; that the “Warriors” had established policies and procedures ensur-ing this help reached those who needed it and that there was a firm commitment and process in place to help families not only now but in the future.

And because of the record keeping, oth-

ers were able to see the need as well, said Winters and Cottrell. To date, the Visitation Relief Center has received two major grants – $120,000 from the Robin Hood Founda-tion and $75,000 from the Catholic Cam-paign for Human Development.

Those monies are specifically dedicated to building the sleeping quarters that will be used for volunteers coming in from around the country, a delivery truck, tools for the tool lending library, which has become such a vital help to so many hom-eowners, and salaries for temporary staff to assist at the center.

Winters said that when they realized the need for help would be ongoing, she spent a month combing Brick for available space “that the National Guard wasn’t using or FEMA wasn’t using … and then I opened my eyes and looked and there was the

garden center at the edge (parish property) empty and looking for a tenant. Father Ricciardelli said go for it and the Trenton Diocese responded very quickly with legal help to get the lease going.

“The reaction was immediate. The dio-cese helped push things along and the lease was ready in a week,” Cottrell said.

The Help Never Stopped

Denise and Jim Smith and their three children are just one example among hundreds of those who received help on an ongoing basis by Visitation Parish and its support team.

Long time parishioners, they survived Sandy, which swamped their house in the

Relief Center’s prepared to offer ongoing assistanceContinued from P S-3

See Visitation | P S-5

Rebuilding a Home and Lives – Smith family members examine damage to their prop-erty from Superstorm Sandy. Photo courtesy of the Smith Family

From Treasure to Trash – Piled in the Smith’s yard are possessions that were de-stroyed in the hurricane. Photo courtesy of the Smith Family

Faith First – In the midst

of challenges resulting from the hurricane,

the Smith family has chosen to

remain positive and dedicated

to their Catholic faith. Rosemary

Daniels photo

“FEMA surveys taken after the storm showed

that over 20,000 homes in Brick,

Toms River and the Barrier Island, all

within 10 miles of Visitation Parish, were damaged by

Superstorm Sandy”


Baywood section of Brick with four feet of water, pushing the floors and foundation up, lifting the house off the foundation and creating what Jim Smith describes as a vacuum that sucked up everything from baseball bats, mitts and pictures of people from as far away as Lavallette inside.

Six months later, he reflects: “It did amazing things to our house.”

They narrowly escaped the incoming flood.

The family had found safe harbor with friends and fellow parishioners Charles and Barbara Dealmeida and their three children.

Other Visitation parishioners in simi-lar situations also sought refuge in the Dealmeida household arriving in differ-ent intervals and before long, 13 children, eight adults and two dogs were sharing the two story, Colonial, three-bedroom house.

When they were able to venture out-side, they saw a landscape in such disor-der, that the families sprinkled a bottle of holy water on the ground around the house and prayed for God’s protection.

As the families huddled together in the house where they would remain for 65 days, 10 days without electricity, they could only imagine how badly the area had faired.

The day after the storm, fearing the worst, the families were surprised to “suddenly see a little vehicle pull up and people get out with coffee, hot chocolate, gloves, clothes and things to make you smile,” Smith said.

“They said, ‘Hi, we’re from Visitation Parish. We saw you guys and we’re here to help. They listened to us, they talked to us. They watched us cry and cried with us. The Church showed up for each of us. Once they knew we were there, they were consistently checking,” Smith said.

“They took our information, they called us on cell phones asking what we needed. They showed up with meals and canned goods and helped the families stay afloat.”

Throughout their time in the refuge the support never wavered, the assistance never flagged, Smith said. “The Church took better care of us than the Red Cross and the government. It’s been beautiful what they’ve done.”

Remaining steadfast, the Visitation Re-lief Center would see to it that the Smiths were among the scores of families assisted with temporary housing.

Just before Christmas, mindful that Ri-ley, 10, the youngest of the three Smith chil-dren, had to be hospitalized for a time in Robert Wood Johnson Children’s Hospital, New Brunswick for an ongoing lung condi-tion, Visitation volunteers went searching for a house the family could rent.

They contacted another Visitation Par-ish family who offered to let the Smith family live in their bungalow in the Cherry Quay section of town until their own house is restored.

Reflecting on all the support the family has received from their parish, Smith says: “From all the people who call to check on us and just say hi, to finding us this house to stay in, from everything that’s hap-pened, we’ve learned one thing: you have to pay it forward.”

Onward Catholic ‘Warriors’

By all accounts, as summer approaches, the long-range plan for the Visitation Relief Center is progressing well.

Maria Nikolatos, program director for Catholic Charities Disaster Response Program with offices in the second floor, described the impact of the storm on the Brick area as “very overwhelming. This is a unique area. You don’t realize that there are miles and miles of coastal road here. The impact has been severe.”

There have been a lot of new challenges to meet, she said, and it has become clear that “this is not going to go away in a year.”

Catholic Charities counselors have responded to some 800 calls for help and face-to-face meetings have been held, mainly with people trying to find housing, she said. At the six-month mark after a disaster, the requests for help often come from “individu-als who thought they had it under control and put off seeking help because they felt other people needed help more.

“These are people who have reached their limit and are completely over-whelmed,” Nikolatos said.

It’s important to be there for them, Nikolatos said. As the media coverage abates, she worries about these folks falling off the radar screen. “We need to keep the doors open. So many people think every-thing is ok because the boardwalks are ok. That’s what we’re hearing from a lot of our families.”

At the Visitation Relief Center, the volunteer teams expected from all over the country who will take part in the ongoing effort to salvage homes, were to begin roll-ing in May 15.

From the sense of expectation in the cen-ter, it’s clear to see that everyone is on the same page about keeping the doors open.

The warriors plan to continue taking care of the supplies that continue to flow in, from bedding to home goods to tools.

And Father Ricciardelli finally thinks things are steady enough at this point that he asked that the center close down on Sun-days to “keep the Lord’s day,” Winters said.

Visitation Relief Center’s been a steadfast presence in BrickContinued from P S-4

Beautifying the Landscape – FEMA volunteers dig a trench to plant trees around the Visitation Relief Center.

Helping Hand – Chele Ehrola, a member of Visitation Parish and volunteer with the Visitation Relief Center, as-sists Hurrican Sandy victim Jeremy Lopez of Brick with clothes and supplies.

Feeding the Hungry – Volunteer and help desk coordinators, Phyllis Nagy and Darren O’Neill, organize food supplies in Visita-tion Relief Center. Jeff Metzner photos

To read more go to ... Voices of the Storm on The Monitor website at

TrentonMonitor.com


O n Oct. 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy (now more correctly called Superstorm Sandy) hit the New Jersey shore causing tremendous damage to shore

communities. In the Diocese of Trenton, all four counties were affected with Ocean and Monmouth Counties most severely impacted.

inquiries about donations that were needed and where they could take them started pour-ing in. Diocesan personnel con-nected donors and needs using infor-

mation published on diocesan websites. Many of our parishes further inland

partnered with specific shore parishes/com-munities and began deliveries of supplies. Other parishes became drop sites for whole counties and provided transport of supplies to shore communities.

Donations came from all over the coun-try. Groups offering to bring trucks and vans full of supplies were encouraged to contact help sites before arrival and check to be sure that specific donations were still needed.

ConsolidationSeveral weeks after the storm hit, a move-

ment toward consolidation of sites that were providing basic needs occurred. Items being stored in churches and schools were moved to community sites where people from various religious, civic and business groups came together to provide help to thousands. Eventually, these sites closed and the next phase of disaster response began.

Phase TWO: Diocesan Collection

On Nov. 8, 2012, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., sent a letter to all parishes in the diocese asking that pastors of par-ishes which had not been severely impacted by Hurricane Sandy conduct a special col-lection at all Masses on the weekend of Nov.

17-18 for those parishes that were. Bishop O’Connell indicated that the collected funds would be used to provide relief in the form of food, clothing and supplies, as well as financial assistance to affected individuals and families who live in Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

Donations received from the parishes, individual donations, and donations from other dioceses and groups were placed in the Diocesan Hurricane Relief Fund to be used for this purpose. Parishes that were affected by the storm and received direct donations were able to retain those funds for use locally.

Diocese of Trenton, Long Term Recovery Plan

The Diocese developed and published its long-term recovery plan Dec. 1, 2012. The plan outlined the Catholic social service agencies in the Diocese, the services they would provide and information on hotlines to access these services.

Coordination of Financial Assistance from Diocesan Hurricane Relief Fund

Diocesan Catholic Social Services agencies and, in particular, the parish–based St. Vincent de Paul Conferences and various parish social concerns groups accepted the invitation to work with the Diocese to coordinate financial assistance. A process for distribution of Diocesan Hurricane Relief Funds was established with trainings, forms and lines of communication. All financial assistance included protocols for assessment, collection of back-up documentation, and support services from the Diocesan Office of Catholic Social Services. Financial assistance was provided by the local St.

Compiled by Daughter of Charity Sister Joanne Dress

Executive Director, Office of Catholic Social Services

The Catholic response to Hurricane Sandy

Phase One: Parishes

Our parishes responded immediately to the needs of those devastated by the storm. Outreach services that existed pre-Sandy were opened to residents providing food, clothing, personal hygiene items, blankets, flashlights, batteries, etc. – all items that would help keep them warm, fed and dry.

Family members and neighbors took in those whose homes were destroyed. Tem-porary shelters were set up in churches, schools, parish halls and community cen-ters. Hot food was prepared and distributed by parishes, local restaurants and commu-nity organizations.

Help SitesThe diocese immediately set up Hur-

ricane Relief hotlines and published over 20 “help sites”: lists of parishes and Catholic social service agencies who were provid-ing hurricane relief. These help sites listed phone contacts, addresses and lists of need-ed donations. People calling our diocesan phone or email help lines were connected with the closest resource. The diocese orga-nized assistance through its networks if the help requested could not be addressed by a local parish.

Donations/VolunteersAlmost immediately, offers of help and See Many | P S-7

Mighty Task – At Our Lady of Perpet-ual Help, Highlands, volunteers unload the generous donations of food items, clothing and other necessities to be given to people impacted by the hur-ricane. Sister Joanne Dress photo

Assisting the Cause – In photo at far left, a volunteer from St. William the Abbot Parish, Howell, organizes donations food and other goods to be distributed to areas hard hit by the hurricane. Craig Pittelli photo

How to Help – Many needs still exist across the Diocese, and the majority of the original relief fund has been distributed. If you would like to support the Long-term Recovery Plan for Superstorm Sandy victims, go to www.dioceseoftrenton.org/hurricanerelief or send a check made out to the Diocese of Trenton to 701 Lawrenceville Road, P.O. Box 5147, Trenton, NJ, 08638-0147 (please note Hurricane Relief in the memo). For more information, call Sister Joanne Dress at the Hurricane Relief Line: 609-406-7417.

DISTRIBUTION BY NEED:

Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 30,455 .00

Clothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,069 .18

Personal Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,826 .93

Cleaning Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,275 .00

Household (Furnishings) . . . . . . . . . 316,501 .18

Rent, Security, Mortgage . . . . . . . . . 304,433 .55

Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61,585 .88

Emergency Medicine . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,960 .75

Special Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51,739 .40

TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 833,846 .87

Vincent de Paul Conference, the parish social concerns group or the Catholic social service agency. Transmittal and intake forms were submitted to the diocesan Office of Catholic Social Services and reimbursed within a 3 to 10 day period through the assistance of the diocesan Finance Department.

Parish Social Concerns Groups, St. Vincent de Paul Conferences and Project Paul

Four parish social concern groups, •26 St. Vincent de Paul Confer-ences and Project Paul are work-ing together with the Diocese to distribute financial assistance from the Diocesan Hurricane Relief Fund (for a list of the parishes that are distributing diocesan funding, go to www.dioceseoftrenton.org/hurricanerelief). As of 4/29/2013 these groups have •met with and assisted 953 fami-lies affected by Hurricane Sandy, distributing $833,846.87 from the Diocesan Relief Fund. The funds were distributed according to requests received. (See chart for specific allocations.)The St. Vincent de Paul Society •also received money from the Robin Hood Foundation, the Hov-nanian Foundation and donations given to individual conferences by parishioners.More than $92,035 in non-mone-•tary items have been distributed.(SVDP)More than 13,050 volunteer hours •have been given for Hurricane Relief (SVDP-approx.)

Project Paul – Keansburg (Report submitted by Sal Cortale, executive director)

In the past, Project Paul has used networking and donations to try to help those clients that fall through the cracks of eligibility for available

assistance programs. The speed of Hurricane Sandy and the immense impact upon the poor of our com-munity revealed more and more immediate gaps in getting assistance to those most affected. The fund from the Diocese of Trenton allowed us to reach out to help bridge those gaps in a most timely and efficient manner

As of today, Project Paul has brought “home” all its services to the 211 Carr Avenue building. We stand as a “Sandy victim” that has returned, re-built, and re-created. Standing strong again in the neighborhood, we contin-ue to witness to the result of coopera-tion, working to assist others because so many have generously assisted us.

Going forward:

We are working to strengthen the •infrastructure that supports the Client Services program: specifi-cally, the income from the thrift shop and furniture storeWe are waiting as our clients •return home and need basics such as housewares and furniture We are ready to encourage and •assist our clients as they strive to regain a fragile balance in recov-

ery mode, by providing network-ing and publishing employment related opportunities.We are aware of the shortage of •available housing and, because this issue is even more critical now, we will continue to provide assistance for rent and utilities.

Our neighbors include those whose jobs depend on the reopen-ing of local businesses, who used all resources in order to survive in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane before the Red Cross or other assis-tance could arrive, who lost every-thing all at once, who are still waiting to bring their families home.

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton

Catholic Charities is working as part of the Diocesan Long Term Re-covery plan. The agency offers im-portant services that supplement and complement services offered through the parishes, and include case manage-ment, trauma counseling and financial assistance. Catholic Charities has been an active participant of the Long Term Recovery Groups of both Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

(Report submitted by Marlene Lao-Collins, execu-tive director of Catholic Charities, and Robert Hodnett, Disaster Response Program)

Services provided to date:

Disaster case management has •been or is being provided to 393 families.$325,756 has been provided in •direct financial assistance to families.Approximately $82,000 worth of •gift cards have been distributed.227 counseling sessions have been •provided to people suffering from storm-related trauma.

We have provided the following ser-vices to or with parishes:

We have partnered with Visita-•tion Parish, Brick, to provide case

management and counseling services on site at the parish and now at the parish’s relief center.We have connected Visitation with •the Children’s Health Fund (CHF), which is providing a mobile health unit onsite at the Visitation Relief Center every Saturday.Through CHF, compassion fatigue •training was provided to the staff and volunteers of Visitation Parish and St. Barnabas Parish, Bayville.

Catholic Charities has not accessed the diocesan fund. They have received and are utilizing the following funding:

State contract to provide disaster •case management statewide until October, 2014 ($8.7 million).Robin Hood Foundation to pro-•vide mental health counseling ($62,000).Robin Hood Foundation to hire •a resource specialist to identify existing resources and help develop others ($75,000).Wakefern Corporation has given •CC $30,000 worth of Shop-Rite gift cards. OceanFirst Foundation - $50,000.•

Diocese of Allentown, PA - $72,000.•

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Trenton is the managing agency for the statewide delivery of Disaster Case Management services, funded by the Department of Homeland Securi-ty’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). A grant of $8.7 mil-lion will be used to coordinate disas-ter case management amongst the five Catholic Charities in New Jersey.

Disaster case management dif-fers from other individual disasters assistance programs at federal and state levels. It is available to anyone who has been impacted by Sandy, regardless of the amount of funds or assistance that may have already been received, and regardless of prior


Many hearts, hands join to help those in need

DISTRIBUTION BY AREA:

Ocean/South . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 134,958 .73

Ocean/North . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136,842 .45

Monmouth/Bayshore . . . . . . . . . . . 357,926 .86

Monmouth/Coastal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50,967 .78

Monmouth/Central . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94,413 .47

Monmouth/West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,193 .01

Burlington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,544 .57

Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50,000 .00

TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 833,846 .87

*money forwarded to parishes as seed money .

As of 4/29/13 • 953 families served

Providing Outreach – Bolger School, Keansburg, was a designated outreach center where folks from the Bayshore area could access basic necessities. Ken Falls photo

Heartbreaking Sight — An extensively damaged home in Ortley Beach. Monitor photo by Mary Morrell

Prayerful Hope – After having been closed for two weeks following the hurricane, the communities of St. Joseph School and Monsignor Donovan High School, Toms River, celebrated their return to the class-room Nov. 12 with a Mass in St. Joseph Church. Craig Pittelli photo

Continued from P S-6

See Church | P S-8


enrollment with FEMA. The case managers will help survivors to de-velop a recovery plan, find resources, and provide one-on-one advice to help find solutions to unmet needs.

Direct financial assistance under this grant is not available, but case managers will make referrals to other sources within Catholic Charities or other organizations that provide it. The grant runs from April 1, 2013- Oct. 30, 2014. If you or someone you know can benefit from disaster case management, please call 877-510-6762 for more information.

St. Francis Community Center, Long Beach IslandReport submitted by Constance Becraft, executive director

St. Francis Center on Long Beach •Island reopened as of Jan. 2, 2013 after relocating to St. Mary of the Pines, Manahawkin. The Center Food Pantry which •also relocated during Sandy is back in the center while awaiting return to permanency in Beach Haven.

During our recovery we have: Restored full service to 60 ~preschool children and their working families; Completed a shortened Prepa-~ratory Basketball program for 125 youths, ages 8-13, and Located our displaced senior ~clients and made arrangements for them to be assisted with food, shelter and household items as needed.

Long term disaster relief services have begun and include:

Case management, financial assis-•tance, information and referral. A case manager, which comes •under the St. Francis Human Con-cerns office, was provided through funding from the Catholic Cam-

paign for Human Development.The Disaster Relief office which •was set up in February has directed more than 100 families to supportive services available within St. Francis Center. St. Francis has provided families •with young children and individu-als, currently residing with elderly family members, long term disaster relief services available throughout southern Ocean County. St. Francis Counseling Center •is offering individual, family and group counseling to anyone affected by Sandy. The services are provided at no cost through grants from Ocean First Founda-tion, Toms River, $10,000 and Holy Name Province, NYC. Ap-proximately 24,000 to purchase EMDR (Eye Movement Desensi-tized equipment and (Counselor and EMDR supplies) will assist with counseling for victims of super storm Sandy. Individual and group counseling services related to Sandy to date approximately 35. Client advocacy continues to be •the main objective. We navigate and advocate for individuals and families filing claims regarding their FEMA applications, building regulations and insurance issues.

Church does much to bring calm after storm

Counseling and supportive •services continue to be offered throughout Southern Ocean County. Many clients displaced by Sandy are living north county waiting to return.St. Francis Center reinstated regu-•lar hours as of Monday 3/11/13. Hours of operation are Monday 9-6, Tues, Wed, Thurs 9-9, Fri. 9-8 Sat, 9-1 closed Sunday until further notice.

FundingSt. Francis Community Center has

received the following funding for Hur-ricane Relief:

OceanFirst: $50,000•Community Foundation of New •Jersey: $10,000Robin Hood Foundation: $105,000•Bishop’s Appeal 2012: $11,000•

Total amount received: $176,000

Visitation Relief Center – BrickReport submitted by Christie Winters, director

Visitation Relief Center is an out-reach program of Visitation Parish, Brick. We have established a “Relief Center” in a building located next to the parish complex. We have invited various organizations to partner with us and offer services at the Relief Center.

Actions taken to date include:Obtained Long term Relief Center •721 Mantoloking Road, Brick.Received a grant for $120,000 •from the Robin Hood Founda-tion for construction of volunteer housing, hire volunteer, help desk and driver coordinators, along with funding to buy a truck.Distributed more than $1,5 mil-•lion in goods donated to Visita-tion Relief Center.

WarehouseBrought on a volunteer ware-•house coordinator Established a volunteer Ware-•house Team

Community Garden

Working with Rutgers and Mon-•mouth/Ocean County food bank for donation of cucumbers and tomatoes.

Cleaned up Visitation Relief •Center property to prepare for planting seedlingsGathered many pots for our fami-•lies to be able to have their own tomato plants because the land around houses affected by Hur-ricane Sandy is not plantable in most placesWorking with Brick Township •Parks and Recreation to plant new tree line along Relief Center.

Tool Lending LibraryBuilt out storage for more tools•Grant from Catholic Campaign •for Human Development to buy tools for teams and families to use for rebuilding – ($75,000)

Help DeskHired a Help Desk Coordinator•Built a Help Desk Team•

Eco WarriorsBuilt a volunteer team to help out •with cleaning up our wetlandsCleaned up Dingy Park National •ReserveCleaned up Gale Road•Working with Brick Township for •local forest and wetland clean upsHelping to replant dune grass •along the beaches

Volunteer CoordinationWorking on Visitation Volunteer •sign up sheetHired volunteer coordinator•Almost fully booked for the year •2013 with Catholic Rebuild teams

Food BankBuilt new shelving to store food•Obtained three deep freezers and •one fridge to help with the dona-tion of fresh goods.Partnered with Monmouth ocean •county food bank and ocean county hunger relief

PartnersSt. Vincent de Paul Society

Providing case management•Helping with direct financial as-•sistance to our familiesHelping with donation of goods•

Catholic Charities

Providing case management for •our familiesRenting our office space•

Hope and Healing

Started support groups for •children and teens affected by hurricaneHelping our families daily with •consoling and support

Children’s Health Fund

Providing free health care for •families in our area

American Red Cross

We are providing office space •one day a week for our families to meet with the American Red Cross for intake and granting money.

Continued from P S-7 Moral Support – St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Red Bank, along with other churches in northern Monmouth County, held a special program that was geared toward help-ing those affected by the hurricane in early December. The program featured presentations by Mel Bennett, a licensed counselor who deals with anxiety disor-ders, and psycholo-gist Joseph Colford. Rosemary Daniels photo

Vocation of Service – Ten men who are second-year candidates in the diocesan dia-conate formation program assisted with hurricane relief efforts in Visitation Relief Cen-ter, Brick, April 27. Among the tasks the candidates performed included removing tree branches and debris on about four acres of property; cleaning trees and shrubs from an area where a walk-way is planned to be built, and reinstalling approximately 40 feet of six-foot-high fencing and support posts. Photo courtesy of Deacon-candidate, John Isaac

Documents

The Catholic Response to Superstorm Sandy: A Six Month Report