Disaster Relief Fund

Preparing for tomorrow’s disasters – TODAY!

The Catholic World Mission Disaster Relief Fund

Nobody can predict when a disaster may strike. This year we responded to the urgent need in Haiti. In previous years we focused on earthquake relief in El Salvador, flood relief in the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, and sending emergency food, medicine, and supplies to the Philippines.

Although good people like you rapidly answered the call of our needy brothers and sisters, it takes time to process all the donations and deliver the assistance. In the case of Haiti, several weeks passed before our help could reach them. This caused us to consider a new plan to be more proactive by setting up a disaster relief fund.

The CWM Disaster Relief Fund will accumulate donations to be held in reserve for emergencies such as the earthquake in Haiti. This fund will only be used for the designated purpose of special disaster relief and it will be available from the first day that a disaster occurs. If you would like to be a part of this new effort, please respond using the enclosed prepaid envelope.

Haitian Orphan with Lay Missionary

In the six months since the terrible earthquake in Haiti there has been significant progress at House of Mary, Mother of All Children orphanage outside of Port-au-Prince. You may recall that Catholic World Mission chose this orphanage to help with their urgent needs following this recent disaster.

Thank you again for your gift which was critically important. Their orphanage had just been opened a few weeks before the earthquake hit. Suddenly, in addition to a handful of orphans, they accepted over 60 refugees including two families to live on the orphanage property! Thankfully, most of those refugees have been able to either return to their homes in Port-au-Prince or are living with family. The orphanage is now home to 8 children, the most recent 3 were orphaned in the earthquake.

Cleaning up at the House of Mary, Mother of All Children orphanage outside of Port-au-Prince.

Your donation helped with building projects and was instrumental in providing food for the refugees, children, and employees right after the earthquake hit. However, there is still much to be done. They are currently building a security fence around the property before they can begin work on a school for the children.

At Catholic World Mission we work hard to stretch every donation dollar as far as possible. An independent audit prepared at the end of our fiscal year 2009-2010 showed that 92 cents of every dollar went directly to help the poor.

You have been so generous to help these poor orphans. Unfortunately, we never know when or where disaster will strike next, but we know from experience that it will strike. That’s why we have developed the Catholic World Mission Disaster Relief Fund. Please take a moment to look over the highlighted section of this letter and prayerfully consider becoming a monthly contributor to this critical new fund.