When seven feet of storm surge from Hurricane Helene inundated the town of Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island in Manatee County, many homeowners lost everything. Some fared a little better, losing not entire homes but vehicles, and some possessions.
What everyone lost, though, was power and drinking water. To help those in need, the Catholic Charities, Diocese of Venice, Inc., Disaster Response Team was ready. By Oct. 3, Catholic Charities had a fully operational Point of Distribution set up in the parking lot of St. Bernard Parish, distributing water, and food.
Pallets of bottled water and MREs (meals ready to eat) were distributed to any vehicle that came by. Because many lost their vehicles, Catholic Charities staff also went door-to-door through the neighborhood near St. Bernard Parish offering water and food to people in need. They helped 212 individuals on the first day and hundreds more in the following days until they were forced to stop relief operations as the threat of Hurricane Milton loomed.
Before relief efforts were paused, the team, which included volunteers from Holmes Beach, Manatee County and Arcadia, ventured further and further south each day, meeting more and more people in great need.
“The devastation is widespread, and is clearly visible just on survivors’ faces,” said one volunteer. “Everyone greets us warmly; there were lots with hugs, lots of tears.”
Many in need of assistance were families with small children and pets, with the need increasing the longer there was no power.
Beyond food and water distribution, the Catholic Charities on-site team included disaster management caseworkers who were available to help provide other emergency assistance, including financial help and resources from partner charities, as well as from local, state and federal agencies
All Catholic Charities Recovery Operations had to be temporarily suspended until Hurricane Milton passed. For updates, or if you can help and would like to support the work of Catholic Charities, please visit the Catholic Charities disaster recovery page at www.catholiccharities.org
Needs identified prior to the arrival of Hurricane Milton included large fans, air blowers and dehumidifiers. These items, as well as others, will be in even greater need now, after Hurricane Milton. Please visit the Catholic Charities website for updates and thank you for your support.
As Hurricane Helene approached, Bishop Dewane met with members of the Diocesan Emergency Response Team on Sept. 24 and 25, 2024, at the Catholic Center. The first of these meetings was to review and then implement existing emergency plans for all Parishes, Schools and other entities within the Diocese. The storm approaches the region near the second anniversary of the devastating Hurricane Ian. That hurricane caused widespread wind, storm surge, and flooding damage throughout the Diocese. Some of those recovery efforts are ongoing.
