by The Leaven
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Although the storm may be a rapidly receding memory to some, parishioners in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas have not forgotten that those recovering from Hurricane Dorian still need help.
On Dec. 19, the archdiocese sent relief funds to affected areas in the Bahamas and areas of the United States.
The Category 5 storm barreled through the Caribbean and then up the East Coast of the United States and Canada, hitting northern Bahamas hardest of all on Sept. 1.
Hurricane Dorian was the worst natural disaster in the history of the Bahamas, causing 65 deaths for the island country; 282 are still missing. The 185-mile-per-hour winds and 25-feet storm surge, in addition to causing death and injury, caused an estimated $3.4 billion in damage.
The archdiocese sent one check for $25,235 to Catholic Charities USA for hurricane relief in the United States, and another check for $25,235 to Catholic Relief Services for their efforts in the Bahamas.
Six of the seven Catholic Charities agencies in Florida have provided services to and hosted Bahamian refugees, according to Catholic Charities USA.
Agencies from the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, St. Augustine and Venice have completed their assistance. The Dioceses of Orlando and Palm Beach, and the Archdiocese of Miami, continue to provide social services to 1,500 Bahamian evacuee families.
As of Nov. 14, 2019, these three dioceses determined that post-disaster services will continue until June 2020.
