literally hundreds of people from the neighborhood turned out to distribute hurricane relief supplies, standing for the most part in blazing hot sun, 100 degree temps, for hours for more than a week in our parish. Majority were parishioners, but volunteers from Salvation Army, other nearby churches, and simply neighbors turned out to help, called largely by word of mouth as well as a phone chain. It was supervised by Catholic Charities, joint effort with SA and Red Cross, but continued by CC and SA after Red Cross and FEMA pulled out of town. CC is overseeing continuing contact with storm victims to see to their future needs, and SA (new to our town, this is their first disaster) helping. St. Vincent is continuing with aid w/i our own parish boundaries.
our parish because of size and location and some other factors was chosen for this, as it was for katrina and Rita relief, and at that time too we had volunteers from area churches and agencies, as well as “just folks”. St. Vincent de Paul could never have done this on their own.
