New Orleans. According to Arthine Vicks, Executive Director via cell phone, the Catholic Deaf Ministry in New Orleans had a lot of damage to their Church and Center. All staff members are safe, but some of them lost everything they had. All of them are staying in temporary homes outside of New Orleans . The office is also in a temporary location outside of New Orleans . Checks should be made payable to Blessed Seelos Parish Deaf Community and sent to Blessed Seelos Parish, Deaf Community, 3053 Dauphine Street, New Orleans, LA 70117 -6724. They will be forwarded to temporary headquarters. Funds will be used for the Church and for individual Deaf families most in need.

 Gulf Port , Mississippi. According to Greg Crapo, Executive Director ( September 4, 2005 ), "The Deaf Center survived better than most.  We have some roof damage and lost all our trees.  We will be without power for some time as our area was devastated pretty badly.  Any donations would be much appreciated.  I am writing to you from home as I have power, but no internet connection yet.  I am writing this on Sunday night, but do not know when it will send.

We are in the process of finding our staff and deaf clients and determining the needs they have right now.  Money will be the biggest thing we can use, as goods are beginning to flow in, we just need money to purchase them.  Anything you and yours can do to help would be a God Send.  Many of our churches have been completely destroyed and almost all suffered damage of some sort." Make checks payable to de L'Epee Deaf Center, Inc. and mail to: de L'Epee Deaf Center, Inc., 1450 North Street, Gulfport, MS 39507-2103.

Baton rouge , Louisiana . William Dugas, Executive Director of the Catholic Deaf Center asked that I share the following message with you:

Dear friends in Christ:

We are all fine here in Baton Rouge . But our neighbors next door from the New Orleans  and Gulfport area are not. We have thousands of displaced evacuees on the local, state and national level. Here are some suggestions for you to do. If there is a shelter in your area that has taken some evacuees from these areas, check and see if there are deaf people in the shelters. The deaf people we are finding the shelters here are lost and confused. Many people were put on buses and planes and did not know where they were going. Many are separated from families. Get the local deaf agencies or yourself to go to see how they are doing. Please pray for the displaced deaf people and those who are serving them at this hour of need.

There is a coordinated effort with the local deaf churches and deaf agencies to help with the disaster. Many have come by my office that lost everything. Anything you send would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!" Make checks payable to " Catholic Deaf Center " designated "Hurricane Katrina Relief" and send them to: Catholic Deaf Center, C/O Bill Dugas, 2585 Brightside Dr., Baton Rouge , La 70820

Additional Resources

ARTICLES FROM: 2005, Vol. XXVIIl, No. 2
Faith in Deaf Culture
Founder of the National Catholic Office for the Deaf Dies in St. Louis
And the Journey Begins
A Meeting Between Brother Roger of Taize
Knights of Columbus Award NCOD a Grant
Religious Sign Project Committee Meets
Hurricane Katrina
What I have Seen and Heard
Spirituality for the Deaf
NCOD Executive Director Position
Articles and Photographs from Previous Issues

Our Churches Respond 

Greek Orthodox Church

Hurricane Relief      
 

By Dee Nicolaou

Hurricane Katrina Relief Chairperson 

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…” Isaiah 43:2 

The devastation and destruction wrought by hurricanes in our Metropolis of Atlanta that encompasses eight states and sixty-seven parishes for the past two years is almost unimaginable. The distress and need of all our brothers and sisters affected by these natural disasters is immense. We prayed that God would give us the wisdom, strength and resources to alleviate the sufferings of our poor brothers and sisters. 

Distributions centers were set up in the Biloxi, Mobile, Baton Rogue and other areas to help all those in need. Supplies were shipped from all over the United States to these distribution points. Dee Nicolaou, the Metropolis of Atlanta Philoptochos (friends of the poor needy and suffering) President was appointed by His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta to be the Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Chairman, and as the contact point and liaison between IOCC and the Red Cross, as well as our Archdiocesan agencies who wished to offer their aid and to distribute collected funds in a timely manner.   

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese set up the Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Fund, which is being used to address the needs of the Greek Orthodox communities, as well as for assisting the general relief efforts through out the South. The Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Fund has collected funds in excess of $900,000. In addition to this fund, the Archdiocese, the National Philoptochos Society and Leadership 100 has made a generous contribution of  $250,000 to International Orthodox Christian Charities for their efforts to help our fellow man Orthodox and Non - Orthodox.  

To date, the Archdiocese and the Metropolis of Atlanta has distributed over $500,000 to our fellow Orthodox brothers and sisters in Christ with more claims being processed everyday. In order to help as many people as possible, it was necessary to set guidelines. The current guidelines were established to help those with the most needs first. The guidelines are as follows: 

1.To help those who have no insurance or lack of necessary coverage

2.To help those who have total loss of income

3.To help those who need money for rent or temporary housing

4.To help those who cannot pay their insurance deductibles 

The Greek Orthodox National Philoptochos Society are humbled and grateful to be able to assist a number of our Orthodox brothers and sisters with temporary housing expenses, as well as the purchasing of major necessary appliances, through their donation of $98,000 towards the Katrina Disaster Relief Fund.

Philoptochos’ help is far from over as the crisis is ongoing and continuous to help to provide the hope, the trust, and the confidence that the lives of these families will be improved with their support and assistance. The rebuilding of this hope, this trust, and this confidence may be accomplished through the National Philoptochos Society Adopt a Family Project. 

This voluntary project addresses the immediate, short, and long-term needs of primarily the Orthodox victims of the Gulf Coast tragedy. After a long and arduous process to locate all the families in need, a list was compiled with information about the families, along with a registry of their basic needs. The needs are vital, necessary and large beyond imagination. Most of the families have lost everything we take for granted on a day-to-day basis. The needs include sheets and towels, dining and kitchen implements, small appliances, kitchen, bedroom and living room furnishings, clothing, bedding, toys, books and calling cards.

The churches or Philoptochos chapters (approx 500 in the United States) would like to assist and support this project by sponsoring a family, they can do so with a donation of the actual item(s)in need or a gift card to stores, such as, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Bed Bath and Beyond, Circuit City, Belk’s, Sears, JC Penney's, Dillard’s, Old Navy, Winn-Dixie Food Stores, Toy's R Us, Home Depot, Lowe’s, or an American Express gift certificates. 

Also, we are working with people who have special needs to see that their needs are met. We are sending depends, wheelchairs, bath and tub supports, lifting recliner chairs, walkers and any other medically necessary items.  

While the devastation was great and many people were impacted by this tragedy, there has been an overwhelming national response of love and concern from all religions that are united in our mission to help the less fortunate. Thank you for letting the Greek Orthodox Church be part of this special commission to rebuild the Gulf Region.