Catholic Charities workers, neighbors help in hurricane recovery

Published: 2004-08-17

ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- When a single mother and her two daughters knocked on the closed office door at Catholic Charities Orlando Aug. 16 in the aftermath of Hurricane Charley, Jerry Richardville, the agency's director, wondered what they might need. But instead of looking for a handout, Gloria, who asked that her last name not be used, and her two daughters, Jasmine, 9, and Tanya, 11, came bearing gifts of water and ice. The donation couldn't have been more of a surprise or a godsend. Richardville, who was trapped for nearly a day with his family in his own neighborhood, had just been lamenting the challenges he faced communicating with Catholic Charities satellite offices since the main office was without power and had unreliable phone communication. When Hurricane Charley hit the Florida Peninsula Aug. 13, it was a Category 4 storm, with winds reaching 145 mph and a surge of sea water of 13 feet to 15 feet. It devastated the communities of Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte. As of Aug. 17, officials said the death toll in the state had reached at least 19, and thousands of people were left homeless. "It's been very frustrating," Richardville told The Florida Catholic, newspaper of the Orlando Diocese. "Every phone I used whether cell phone or land line has been virtually worthless." Both Catholic Charities Orlando and Daytona Beach remained closed Aug. 16 because of power outages, while Catholic Charities offices in Lakeland and Cocoa resumed normal office hours. "We will not be able to be primary responders," he said, "but we will be there for people long after the Red Cross and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) are gone."

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