New Orleans, La., May 18, 2010 / 16:02 pm
BP America, a subsidiary of the petroleum giant whose underwater well is leaking millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, has announced a combined $1 million donation to Catholic Charities in Louisiana to support emergency food assistance and financial aid for families affected by the environmental disaster.
The Archdiocese of New Orleans said that the Catholic Church has been active in relief efforts since April 29 through its Catholic Charities affiliate and Second Harvest Food Bank. Though their efforts have served more than 1,000 individuals and families, need is growing among the people.
Catholic Charities co-president Jim Kelly reported that the agency had committed a minimum of $300,000 in resources before BP’s offer.
“We knew immediately that the impact would be enormous and we would need to respond quickly,” he remarked.