By Michael Hichborn
First published by The Lepanto Institute; reprinted with permission.
The disastrous effects of Hurricane Helene have not yet been fully realized. 202 men, women and children are confirmed dead while "hundreds" are still missing. Moody's analytics says there may be $15-26 billion in property damage, and Accuweather says that the total damage and economic loss could be upwards of $110 billion.
Catholic Charities is fundraising on the disaster, but many well-informed Catholics wish to avoid contributing to an organization committed to bring illegals into this country for federal funding. As a result, we've been asked by a large number of people for recommendations on where to give. We dropped everything to quickly search for worthy organizations that are actively working on the ground to provide relief to those most impacted by the hurricane.
Here are six organizations we recommend for support in the relief efforts for Hurricane Helene:
THE MARTYRS' WALK
The Martyrs' Walk is a Catholic organization dedicated to building strong Catholic men of faith through an in-person experience of virtual martyrdom and rite of passage. The retreat is best described as an Ignatian Retreat meets Military Bootcamp for men that includes mental, physical, and spiritual exercises & trials that push men beyond their perceived abilities. While this may seem an odd recommendation for relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Helene, the men of The Martyrs' Walk are gathering emergency supplies and planning to convoy out of Charlotte, NC into the areas of Western North Carolina hit hardest by the hurricane. They are bringing chainsaws, trailers of supplies, a bobcat, and other much-needed supplies. You can follow their relief efforts on Facebook, here.
CAJUN NAVY 2016 (PINNACLE SEARCH AND RESCUE)
The Cajun Navy was formed in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans. Hearing the cry for help, hundreds of volunteers with boats assisted with the rescue efforts of thousands of stranded citizens. Since then, the Cajun Navy has assisted in the rescue of thousands of people affected by floods, tornados, and hurricanes. Today, they are working feverishly to assist the victims of Hurricane Helene, and you can follow their activities on Facebook by clicking the link here.
Here is the donation page for the Cajun Navy.
OPERATION AIRDROP
The mission of Operation Airdrop is "to respond swiftly and effectively in times of crisis, ensuring that essential supplies reach those in need when traditional ground transportation is compromised." The organization has a team of volunteer pilots who "fill the gaps in emergency response efforts, delivering life-saving supplies – such as food, water, medical necessities, and personal hygiene items – to isolated areas." You can follow their operations on Facebook, here.
SAMARITAN'S PURSE
Samaritan's Purse is a Protestant, Evangelical organization that was founded for the dual purpose of giving aid and relief to those in great need, while preaching the Gospel. As a Catholic organization, we cannot endorse the preaching done by Samaritan's purse, but their work in disaster relief is solid and free from any attachments to abortion, contraception, condoms, or LGBT support. We are currently still researching Samaritan's Purse and to what extent its protestant evangelizing efforts are funded through donations, but on a short term basis feel comfortable promoting its emergency relief efforts. Currently, Samaritan's Purse has deployed a 20-bed Emergency Field Hospital – designed as an emergency room triage unit, is conducting search-and-rescue operations in Avery County, providing oxygen at different locations to support those who have power at home, and coordinating air relief to deliver basic necessities to those in dire straits using their own helicopter as well as the aircraft of other organizations. You can follow their operations on Facebook, here.
MERCY CHEFS
Mercy Chefs, like the Cajun Navy, was founded after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005. It was founded by chef Gary LeBlanc who wanted to do what he could with the only skillset he had when disaster struck – he cooked for the victims. Today, Mercy Chefs rushes into disaster areas to prepare high-quality, hot meals on a mass scale – up to 20,000 meals a day — for victims, first responders and volunteers. Yesterday, Mercy Chefs wrote that it "distributed meals to Marshall, NC, and Hendersonville, NC. The people we served haven't had access to fresh food and water in DAYS. This on top of experiencing the irreparable destruction done to their home." You can follow Mercy Chef's activities on their Facebook page, here.
WNC REGIONAL LIVESTOCK CENTER (CIVILIAN DISASTER RESPONSE ORGANIZATION)
WNC Regional Livestock Center is a local marketplace for farmers, buyers, and brokers of livestock. WNC is a partner with the Civilian Disaster Response Organization, where they've been working to provide food and supplies to hurricane victims. You can follow their operation by clicking here.
To donate, they are asking for contributions via PayPal or Venmo to @yvonne-cobourn-1 with the memo: "WNC Livestock Flood Relief."
Thank you for helping those in desperate need of assistance and relief! Please continue to pray for those who have died, those who have lost loved ones, and those whose lives have been turned upside down by this disaster.
Reprinted with permission from The Lepanto Institute.