Press Release (January 10, 2005)

CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES OFFER HELP
TO  VICTIMS OF ASIAN TSUNAMI
www.catholicrelief.org


Soon after the release of information about Catholic Relief Services' pledge of support for the victim of Asian tsunami, announced a day after the disaster, the agency increased its commitment to a minimum of $25 million (and probably much more, depending on needs). CRS' $25 million funding for relief and rehabilitation will focus primarily on India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, but is likely to address the effects in Burma, Somalia and Madagascar. The agency’s financial commitment may increase as further assessments shed light on the gravity of the situation and time for recovery.

“We must brace for the commitment this emergency asks of us and be as generous as we can,” said Ken Hackett, CRS president and CEO. “Right now the immediate needs for clean water, medical care, shelter and food are critical; we can only expect that the aftermath and recovery will take place over a long period of time. It’s especially important that we don’t overlook the impact of trauma among the survivors, who are grieving under life-threatening circumstances.”
Initial use of funding will facilitate the following CRS relief efforts, which will evolve as necessary:

  • In India: Working with Caritas to provide life-saving food, medicine and shelter in the worst affected districts of Tamil Nadu/Pondicherry, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and the Andaman and Nicobar islands; supporting ten diocesan partners to organize and manage 93 relief camps sheltering over 125,000 people along the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh coastlines; providing displaced persons with cooked food three times a day, and with clothing, clean water and medical assistance, as required; providing resources to partners for distributing dry food rations, medicine, oral rehydration solutions and water purification tablets in remote areas.

  • In Sri Lanka: Providing cooked food and dry rations, non-food items, and mobile medical assistance; purchasing and distributing soap, water cans, kitchen sets, and bed sheets/sarongs for displaced persons; and providing technical support for local partners.

  • In Indonesia: Collaborating with other agencies for the delivery of survival kits, including kitchen utensils, hygiene items, blankets, sleeping mats, water storage cans and plastic sheeting to 755 families in Aceh.

  • In Thailand: Assisting the needs of poor fishing communities effected by the tidal waves in six southern provinces.

To learn more about CRS’ tsunami relief efforts or how to support these efforts, visit: www.catholicrelief.org.

Catholic Charities USA’s members — more than 1,400 local agencies and institutions nationwide — provide help and create hope for over 6.5 million people a year regardless of religious, social, or economic backgrounds. For more than 275 years, local Catholic Charities agencies have been providing a myriad of vital services in their communities, ranging from day care and counseling to food and housing. For more information, visit www.catholiccharitiesinfo.org.

Established in 1919, Catholic Charities of Los Angeles has served millions of people, regardless of their race, ethnicity, income, gender or religious belief. During the past fiscal year (July 1, 2003 - June 30, 2004), in more than 50 offices and community centers, the agency provided over 1,286,000 services to approximately 242,000 different individuals. People in need come to Catholic Charities for emergency food and shelter, low-cost before-and-after-school childcare, immigration and refugee assistance, psychological services, computer and jobs skills training, and other supportive services. Poverty doesn't discriminate. How could Catholic Charities?