This hurricane season wrought much devastation to our nation’s shores and to our neighbors in Puerto Rico and other islands. Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens (CCBQ) joined the Diocese of Brooklyn and Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) in prayer and in action for those impacted by hurricanes, including Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Maria and in particular, those impacted in Puerto Rico.
Under the direction of Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Ph.D., D.D., Bishop of Brooklyn, our Office of Mission coordinated the collection of material goods for Puerto Rico relief with the Diocese of Brooklyn. Throughout October, over 56 parishes throughout Brooklyn and Queens collected items from parishioners, and CCBQ brought these items to a collection center located in the Immaculate Conception Center in Douglaston, NY, for sorting and proper packaging for shipment to Puerto Rico. An estimated 32,000 pounds of goods were collected, including bottled water/water purifying tablets, non-perishable/canned food, baby food/baby formula, diapers for babies/adults, flashlights & batteries, first aid supplies, personal hygiene products, sanitizers/cleaning products, and more. Volunteers included staff members from CCBQ, Wells Fargo, Staples, St. Francis Preparatory School, St. John’s University and community members. Caritas de Puerto Rico, the Catholic charity in Puerto Rico, has arranged for distribution of the items to hurricane victims.
In addition, $32,000 in donations from caring individuals in our communities has been collected for Puerto Rico relief.
Earlier in September, CCBQ joined CCUSA to raise funds for those on our mainland who were impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, helping families and individuals with shelter, food, and immediate and long-term recovery needs. CCUSA established a text-to-give option for hurricane relief: text CCUSADISASTER to 71777 or visit www.catholiccharitiesusa.org. Donations are still being accepted by CCUSA for disaster relief.
See coverage of our Hurricane Relief Collection for Puerto Rico:
See additional coverage on our Press Page!
