A Message from the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston: Resources after Hurricane Harvey

First, please know that our thoughts and prayers are with all of you as we join together to support one another in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. As a Catholic school system, we have had varying degrees of damages on our campuses and through the grace of God, all of our situations are manageable. We certainly consider ourselves fortunate to be able to have our students able to be back in a school within a relatively short period of time, despite the devastating and historical damage our city has experienced. 
 
Our school personnel and school families have not all been as fortunate as our school campuses, and many of our students’ and staffs’ families have lost everything due to the impact of Hurricane Harvey in our area. With that being said, we recognize that some families will need great assistance in recovering and other families may be in a situation where they can be of help to their fellow Catholic school families. If you need assistance beyond what your local parish or school can help with at this time, listed below are additional resources for you.
Many of our school’s parents are facing a time in which they are experiencing a disruption in work. Many of these parents may not be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits due to the nature of their jobs. It is possible for them to qualify for assistance if they meet the following conditions:

*no longer has a job or a place to work; or
*cannot reach the place of work; or
*cannot work due to damage to the place of work; or
*cannot work because of an injury caused by the disaster.

An individual who becomes the head of household and is seeking work because the former head of household died as a result of the disaster may also qualify for DUA benefits. https://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/disaster.asp
To file an Unemployment Claim for Disaster Unemployment Assistance in the state of Texas visit: http://www.twc.state.tx.us/jobseekers/unemployment-benefits-services

To access disaster help & resources as well as checking if your area has been declared for individual assistance visit:
https://greatnonprofits.org/org/catholic-charities-of-the-archdiocese-of-galveston-houston
https://www.disasterassistance.gov 
https://txvoad.communityos.org/cms/node/104
To talk to a professional who can help you cope with emotional distress from the storm, call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746.
We do have an online donation option available at www.archgh.org/harveyrelief, and you can specify the Catholic Schools as the recipient of your donation in the designation box.     
 
It is at times like these that we seek to understand why things happen. I ask that you reflect upon the last few days. What spiritual lessons do these moments teach us? Attached to this memo is a piece written by Max Lucado, a Texas author and Christian writer that I hope you will find intriguing. He certainly gives us things to think about in this reflection.
 
Lastly, I want you to know how proud I am of the students, parents, alumni, and employees of our Archdiocese and their volunteerism and selflessness. It has been a true testament to the living of our Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy to witness the love, care, and concern that has been given already. I do hope that you will share photos with us so we can share the story of compassion and Christ in action! You can send that type of information to Leslie Barrera in our office to [email protected]. Thank you again for your support of our Catholic schools. Together we are strong, The Archdiocese of Galveston – Houston strong!
 
In Him we trust,

Debra Haney
Interim Superintendent of Catholic Schools

 What Harvey Can Teach Us