CCCYO is helping Hurricane Katrina evacuees that are now living in San Francisco.

Approximately 600 families made their way to San Francisco on their own, and nearly 300 families made their way to St. Mary’s Cathedral. While the 300-bed temporary shelter that was set up on the lower level of the Cathedral was never used as an overnight shelter because FEMA decided not to send evacuees to the Bay Area, Catholic Charities CYO staff managed operations of the facility as a temporary service center, working closely with City and non-profit partners to provide support to these displaced families. CCCYO provided referrals, counseling services and direct support such as transportation to hospitals, pharmacies and hotels; purchased mattresses and household items; and provided bus and airline tickets to facilitate the reunification of families.

With the service center now closed, Catholic Charities CYO continues to provide critical services to Katrina evacuees with Red Cross documentation that are resettling in the Bay Area. Services include:

• Temporary Housing: First and last month’s rental assistance, assistance with move-in costs, gas, electric, phone deposits, and household items
• Senior Services: Adult day programs serving frail or chronically impaired elders, a multi-purpose community center, lunches, and social programs
• Child Services: Referrals to Catholic Schools offering free tuition, uniforms, admission, and school supplies for K-8th grade

Those needing assistance should call 415.972.1306.

Notable among these services is the housing assistance that Catholic Charities CYO is providing directly to these vulnerable individuals and families. Entrusted with a generous $100,000 donation by Catholic Healthcare West , and working closely with the Mayor’s Office on Housing, Catholic Charities CYO is paying for six weeks’ rent in temporary City housing.

Catholic Charities CYO also received a grant from The Mechanic's Bank , $4,000 from PG&E and 500 jeans and 100 shirts from Levi Strauss & Co. to provide other supportive services and direct assistance. These significant corporate contributions allow CCCYO to assist Katrina evacuees without impacting other social services for local residents.

Additionally, CCCYO has received more than $7,500 in general contributions to be used for direct assistance for this diverse group of families who are going to be with us for an undetermined length of time.

Here are a few examples of the support we were able to provide the individual evacuee families.

• A man missed his chemotherapy for two weeks. CCCYO staff drove him to the VA Hospital and waited with him during his treatment.
• A couple was separated during the flooding and the wife feared her husband had perished. He was located in S.F., and CCCYO provided a bus ticket so they could be reunited.
• A family was placed in temporary housing that did not have enough beds. CCCYO purchased mattresses and household goods.
• A family was reunited when CCCYO bought 2 plane tickets so that a daughter and niece could join their mother in San Francisco.
• A young woman lost her prescription glasses in the rush of fleeing Katrina. CCCYO bought her a new pair. She is now enrolled in Dominican College.