Ways to Get Involved

Items of Critical
Need for Relief Efforts

Imagine having just survived one of the biggest storms of your lifetime.  Imagine walking out of your shelter to discover that your home, car, personal possessions...everything you own is either damaged or completely gone!  Now, eight months later, you continue to struggle just to find the basic necessities for yourself and family.  Imagine how excited you would feel, leaving temporary housing and moving into your new apartment.  But that excitement will soon evaporate as you open the door to an empty home.  You have no beds for your children to sleep in, no couch to sit upon, you don't even have a table and chairs for your family to sit around and share a meal together.  Imagine being in your kitchen ready to prepare dinner.  You look around, but find no mixer, bowls, or even utensils to work with.  Eight months have passed since the tornados, storms, and flooding occurred in the spring of 2011, but the rebuilding has only just begun! Many of our neighbors across southern Missouri continue to deal with this unimaginable situation.  Many are still struggling to find the basic necessities and to provide some permanency for their families.  Many are still in need of your help!  Want to get involved?  Below is a list of items needed to assist the survivors of these devastating tornados, storms, and floods.

Joplin, Missouri
Relief Efforts Items Needed:

• Trailers, R.V.s, and motor homes to be used for temporary housing
• Building supplies
  • siding, flooring,  lumber, and electrical wire
  • plywood, plumbing supplies, and HVAC unit
• Skilled labor
  • licensed electricians, plumbers, and HVAC installers
• Gift cards
  • Lowes, Home Depot, and Sutherlands, are needed for building supplies
  • Wal-Mart, Gap, and Target, are needed for clothes and personal hygiene products
• 1/2 or 3/4 ton truck for transporting construction materials and supplies
• Furniture
  • couches, chairs, and end tables
  • Kitchen table and chairs
  • Chests, dressers, shelves

Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri hosted a Christmas Toy Giveaway for the parents of 130 children who are CCSM clients and Joplin tornado survivors. CCSM disaster case managers identified 46 families with the greatest need. Parents were allowed to choose gifts for their children.

Students from St. James Academy in Lenexa, Kanas, and McAuley High School in Joplin, Missouri wrapped the gifts. Donations and toys were received from Midwest Machinery in St. Louis, Missouri; St. George Parish, Trinley, Illinois;

St. James Academy, Lenexa, Kanas; Gamma Phi Beta and Delta Nu sororities at Missouri State University; USF Holland Trucking Company; and employees from a Schnucks Supermarket in St. Louis, Missouri.

Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri Seeking
Disaster Case Managers for Joplin, Missouri Office

Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri was established in 2009 and seeks to improve the lives of the vulnerable by providing quality, compassionate social services that meet local needs. CCSM has immediate openings for the position of Disaster Case Manager for our office located in Joplin, Missouri. The applicant must have a willingness to work in a fast paced social service, faith-based environment serving families from low to impoverished backgrounds.

 DONATE NOW