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.

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The Joplin Globe - December 21, 2011

By Wally Kennedy This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

JOPLIN, Mo. — Jim and Janet Gaither were at church when the May 22 tornado leveled their home at 2323 S. Pennsylvania Ave.

“The only thing that was left was the cook stove and the cast-iron tub,” Jim Gaither said. “That was it.’’

The Gaithers had purchased the house as their retirement home. They had fixed it up, purchased new appliances and were preparing to have the final electrical work done on May 25. Because the house had not passed its electrical inspection, they had not acquired insurance.

The Gaithers lost everything — except their faith.

Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri (CCSM)

Disaster Update

When Southern Missouri was ravaged by the spring storms, thousands of individuals and families were drastically affected in Joplin, South Central and Southeast Missouri. Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri (CCSM) responded and continues to help those survivors of the tornado and floods.  CCSM’s mission statement,” Motivated by the love of Christ, we seek to improve the lives of the vulnerable by providing quality, compassionate social services which meet local needs” is what drives our organization and dedicated staff. Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri provides help and creates hope for individuals and families regardless of religious, social or economic background.

Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri has been on the ground in Joplin since the tornado on May 22, 2011 providing disaster case management services, supplying needed items to survivors through the CCSM Donation and Distribution Center, coordinating volunteers from all over the country and managing home repairs and rebuilding projects. To date CCSM has assisted over 9,500 disaster survivors in Joplin through its diverse operations.

The case management office at 826 S Main has seven disaster case managers and a case manager supervisor assisting the tornado survivors. The case managers listen to the survivor’s story, help identify the client’s needs, locate resources and guide the clients in the development of a long term recovery plan that will lead to self sustainability. To date CCSM case managers have assisted over 3000 families during the immediate response and long term case management process.

The Donation and distribution center has distributed over 4800 Tons of relief supplies that have been distributed to disaster survivors; Items include personal hygiene supplies, clothing, household items, furniture, appliances and over 82 tons of food.

CCSM has coordinated and placed over 5000 volunteers from all over the country on cleanup and repair projects. Over 265 home received clean-up services and over 80 homes have been repaired. Three donated RV’s were given to disaster survivors who were homeless or living in dangerous conditions. One donated mobile home is being used as a temporary shelter.

In response to the needs of CCSM’s clients who are receiving case management services, our organization has become a leader in the repair and rebuilding effort. Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri is collaborating with seven churches in Joplin to help families rebuild and restore their lives. Ignite Church, Emmanuel Lutheran, Royal Heights Methodist, Byers Avenue Methodist, Spring Hill Baptist Association ,First Presbyterian, and St Peter the Apostle Catholic Church are working with CCSM to repair and rebuild homes.

Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri is working to help people restore and rebuild their lives and hopefully heal from the traumas they have experienced in Joplin and flood areas of southeast Missouri.

Contact information: Maura Taylor, Executive Director, 417-413-9790 cell

Click to read article

Click here to view the video on CBS

 Amy

A Success Story

By her case manager: Linda Robinson

Amy first came to Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri (CCSM) immediately following the May 22^nd EF5 tornado that devastated our community. At that time, essential needs were met such as food, water, clothing and immediate financial assistance. She was living in the direct path of the destructive tornado at the time of the storm. Amy had recently lost her job and was living on unemployment benefits only.   Because of the financial difficultly she was having at that time, she was in the process of being evicted from her home and had planned on moving to another location the weekend following the tornado. However, because of the loss of so many properties in the Joplin area, both homes were destroyed, leaving Amy without a place to live. Amy did not have rental insurance to replace any of her belongings and she did not qualify for FEMA assistance.

During the tornado the home she was living in sustained heavy damage to the roof, windows were blown out and structural damage occurred. Her hands were injured trying to hold the closet door shut where she was seeking shelter. At one point Amy believes she blacked out because when she regained consciousness she was lying on the floor in another room. Her truck was drivable but received heavy damage.

At this point, Amy had no place to go. She resorted to living in a tent. The tent became Amy’s ‘home’ for the next six months. She endured extreme Midwest weather conditions throughout the summer months and then frigid fall temperatures. On November 4^th she came into the office very ill. CCSM placed Amy in a local motel and provided motel assistance for her until an appropriate housing situation could be reached.

On, November 21^st a 31-foot Four Winds motor home was donated to CCSM. Knowing the perfect candidate for this wonderful donation, Amy took possession of the motor home on November 30^th and is now the proud owner of her new home. Her exact words were, “With all your help, I will never be homeless again”. Amy also stated this was a dream come true, since her background brings her from the hills of Montana.

Now that Amy is living in her new home, she has recently turned 62 years old and will be able to start receiving her social security income monthly. She recently got her old job back and is now working part time to supplement her income. In addition, to placing her in a new home, case management is now working with her on her long term recovery plan which includes needed dental work.

It has been a blessing to assist Amy in the process of rebuilding her life.

Amy’s Thank You to the Donor

Dear Donor,

Words cannot adequately express my gratitude for your generosity. You have given me a new lease on life for which I will be forever grateful.

Not only have you given me hope for the future, but you have brightened the lives of my two grandsons who have missed “going to grandma’s house.”

Thank you so much. May God continue to bless you and your family.

Merry Christmas.

            Amy 

Amy and Linda

Amy - Thumbs up

October 17, 2011

Catholic Charities in Joplin for long haul; bishop blesses operations

By Kelsey Ryan Globe Staff Writer

JOPLIN, Mo. — Bishop James Johnston Jr., of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, blessed and dedicated the Joplin operations of Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri on Sunday.

“It’s a source of great joy for me and holy pride, if there is such a thing, to see these buildings be ready to serve this community for the coming years,” Johnston said. “There’s still going to be a lot of need, and there are so many people who want to help. In order to help people, you have to have some organization, so this is an example of love organized.”