{"id":15528,"date":"2016-08-16T17:57:00","date_gmt":"2016-08-16T17:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/amid-louisiana-floods-victims-become-helpers-95698\/"},"modified":"2016-08-16T17:57:00","modified_gmt":"2016-08-16T17:57:00","slug":"amid-louisiana-floods-victims-become-helpers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/08\/amid-louisiana-floods-victims-become-helpers\/","title":{"rendered":"Amid Louisiana floods, victims become helpers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/p>\n

Baton Rouge, La., Aug 16, 2016 \/ 11:57 am (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- In southern Louisiana, the flooding is perhaps unprecedented. And the local Catholic Charities is stepping up to help, even as its own staff is affected by the disasters.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is something that we\u2019ve never experienced before,\u201d David C. Aguillard, executive director of Catholic Charities of Baton Rouge<\/a><\/strong>, told CNA.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re the disaster capital of the world down here. We\u2019ve had oil spills, rig fires, tornados, ice storms, hurricanes, floods,\u201d he said Aug. 15. \u201cThe thing about this is it\u2019s such a widespread area. This is basically all of south Louisiana from the Mississippi border to Texas. Everything south of I-10 is flooded.\u201d<\/p>\n

More than 30 inches of rain fell in southern Louisiana beginning on Friday, flooding rivers and waterways. Some rivers won\u2019t recede for two days, and any additional rain would risk more flash floods.<\/p>\n

At least seven persons have died because of the storms.<\/p>\n

More than 20,000 people had to be evacuated from their homes and 12,000 were staying in shelters, ABC News reports. Some shelters were over capacity and lacked sufficient beds, and expanding floodwaters caused evacuations at some shelters that were supposed to be safe havens. Some people still need to be evacuated from their homes.<\/p>\n

President Barack Obama has declared a federal emergency in the affected areas.<\/p>\n

Over 40,000 homes are without power, hundreds of roads were closed, and 1,400 bridges need safety inspections before being reopened.<\/p>\n

\u201cRiding Interstate 10 was like riding an elevated causeway through a waterway. It was water on both sides of the interstate,\u201d Aguillard told CNA.<\/p>\n

Normally the agency would be deploying its resources, case managers, and mental health workers. But the impact is so broad, many of its staff are affected, too. They and their families are seeking shelter or trying to leave their neighborhoods.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe water backed up and nothing was draining. In neighborhoods that have never been flooded, people have four, six, twelve inches of water in their house,\u201d Aguillard said. \u201cWe were not spared ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some agency staff feel the same emotions as other victims: shock, trauma, sadness, a feeling of loss; but also a realization that, in Aguillard\u2019s words, \u201cit\u2019s time to get to work and help people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had staff in here who had to evacuate their homes. They\u2019re feeling sad, you can tell, but at the same time they\u2019re here today,\u201d he added. \u201cWe\u2019re going to do everything we possibly can to help people who aren\u2019t as fortunate to have a place to come to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some shelters are inaccessible from Baton Rouge and relief workers comes in from New Orleans. Catholic Charities is now aiding parishes that need toiletries, food, and even coffee. Case managers and mental health professionals are going to the shelters, which are \u201cfull to the brim.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cash, though, is the most useful asset in such a situation \u2013 and for Catholic Charities\u2019 long-term relief work.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the weeks and days immediately after a disaster, there\u2019s a tremendous rush of good will and high energy and compassion. And that is desperately needed,\u201d Aguillard explained. \u201cThat is very valuable. But the fact is, there are people who might take years to recover.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir workplaces might close down. They might be one or two paychecks away from losing their house or their lease. That\u2019s where we come in. We\u2019re here for the long term to help with that recovery process that can take two to five years, sometimes longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are still some people have yet to recover from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot everybody has a savings account. Not everybody has family with resources to help. That\u2019s what we\u2019re here for,\u201d said Aguillard.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe go out and we do the work immediately when it is needed. We just pray and we trust and have faith that the resources are going to come. And we\u2019ve never been let down,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe generosity of people around the country is just overwhelming. It\u2019s phenomenal. It\u2019s very touching when we start getting donations from the state of Washington or Alaska, not only from within our diocese.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baton Rouge Catholic Charities is asking for donations to help flood relief work through its website, www.ccdiobr.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Baton Rouge, La., Aug 16, 2016 \/ 11:57 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- In southern Louisiana, the flooding is perhaps unprecedented. And the local Catholic Charities is stepping up to help, even as its own staff is affected by the disasters.<\/p>\n

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