Midwest Flood relief spearheaded by Vincent de Paul Society – An opportunity for Vincentian Family Collaboration.

Calls For Help Echo From Oklahoma, Texas
And Across the Midwest,
All the way to the East Coast!

The national news has been dominated by the epic destruction caused by the severe weather, flooding and tornadoes in Texas and Oklahoma. In reality, the prolonged severe weather conditions across the country have caused FEMA and other disaster relief agencies to enact disaster recovery efforts in Arkansas, Ohio, Kentucky, Nebraska and West Virginia, in addition to Oklahoma and Texas.

“We are in survival mode,” “Everything we had floated away in a matter of minutes,” “Families have been separated,” “Every weather condition is causing another emergency,” “Please help us.” These calls from victims from across the country are being heard both at the local Society of St. Vincent de Paul level and at the National Council, where the Disaster Services Division is busy coordinating the various local responses.

“My Vincentian brothers and sisters, the severity of these storms has created widespread destruction. The damage and the need for assistance is of the same proportions as we provided to the survivors of Hurricane Katrina,” said Elizabeth Disco-Shearer, COO of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Disaster Services Division.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul National Council’s Domestic Disaster Relief Fund was established to assist local Conferences and Councils in providing direct assistance to people in situational poverty as a result of natural and man-made disasters to get their lives back in order.

Given the needs of people in the disaster-impacted areas, SVdP will be providing some initial assistance, and will focus on its primary role of long-term recovery efforts. Immediate needs will require special gift cards that can be used for: temporary housing, prescription medications, gasoline, childcare and other medical needs. Long-term recovery efforts will include Disaster Case Management services and the House in the Box® program. The House in a Box program supplies disaster survivors with critical items to furnish an entire home from the kitchen to the bathroom to the bedroom, including furniture, dishes, towels, pots and pans, utensils, and bed linens. These are the programs that provide individuals with the hope they need for a fresh start on their lives. ($1,500 will provide the House in a Box to a family of four).

“We need your help! Now is the time for our Vincentian members and those who support our Society to make a contribution to the Domestic Disaster Campaign Fund,” said Ralph Hassel, Disaster Services Division Vincentian volunteer and SVdPUSA Strategic Plan Goal 5 Leader.

Please join me, my Vincentian brothers and sisters from around the country in the name of Jesus and in the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul, our patron, as I pray for your assistance in reaching our $800,000 campaign goal to help those in need. Please consider making a contribution to help our brethren across the country that have lost everything. For some, it is the first time in their lives that they have experienced homelessness and a lack of basic necessities. For others, the anguish has been prolonged. If everyone receiving this appeal could contribute $25, we would reach the goal to provide hope and help to the people suffering as a result of these natural disasters.

The Society’s essential elements of spirituality, friendship and service call us to be compassionate toward our fellow human beings (RULE, Part III). Our core values are further outlined to guide us as we prepare ourselves for service: dignity of the human person, the virtue of humility, and the virtue of charity within and outside the Society. We are being called to help our brothers and sisters from across the country as they desperately work to help individuals restore their dignity and rebuild their lives.

Please make a donation to the National Council’s National Domestic Disaster Relief Fund. Your contribution will help to change lives, rebuild homes, provide shelter and emergency daily-living supplies and most importantly, restore hope to those in need!

To donate, visit the National Council’s secure donation page.

Or, if you prefer, you can send a check to:

National Council of the United States
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
58 Progress Parkway
Maryland Heights, MO 63043-3706
(Be sure to write “Domestic Disaster Relief Fund” in the memo field.)

Yours in St. Vincent and Blessed Frederic,

Sheila K. Gilbert
National President
National Council – U.S. Society of St. Vincent de Paul

PS: SVdPUSA provides disaster recovery services to families impacted by disasters regardless of their: religion, race, color, national origin, gender, disability or age.

The severe storms and floods have affected tens of thousands of people.

• Ellis County, TX. (Photo: Texas Department of Public Safety)
• San Marcos, TX. Vincentians assisting families displaced by floods (Photo: SVdP Austin Council)
• Texas Flooding (Photo: David Kramer)
• Houston, TX. (Photo: David J. Phillip/ AP)
• Moore, OK. (Photo: SVdP)

The National Council’s Domestic Disaster Relief Fund is a restricted fund for emergency assistance for local disasters across the country.

To support SVdP’s domestic relief efforts please make a contribution:Domestic Disaster Relief Fund..