The agency also posted a shelter hotline number on the internet and encouraged people to call if they saw someone out on the streets of the nation's capital in need of shelter.
According to the agency's Twitter account, approximately 1,100 people stayed in its shelters on the night of Oct. 29, and the staff was able to provide extra food to 800 homebound seniors in advance, to ensure that they would be fed during the hurricane.
In West Virginia, where the storm brought blizzard conditions when it collided with an arctic blast, Catholic Charities is dealing not only with power outages due to fallen trees, but also ice damage, treacherous roads and more than a foot of snow in many areas.
The agency said that it is working with parishes throughout the state to access capabilities for providing food and shelter to those who have been forced to leave their homes.
Mary Ellen Ros, director of Hudson Valley Services for Catholic Charities of New York, said that the agency's downtown offices do not have phone connectivity but staff members are working to perform a damage assessment.
The group is reaching out parishes to offer support and see what is needed, she explained, adding that it is also working closely with both government and other disaster relief partners.
As in Camden, one of the biggest current difficulties is traveling to the places that were hit the hardest, such as Staten Island, Ros said. The agency is trying to determine the needs of the people in different areas and will also help staff a disaster assistance center that is being created.
Once an initial evaluation is completed, Catholic Charities will be able to provide both immediate relief and long-term aid in rebuilding, she said.
Michelle La Rosa is deputy editor-in-chief of Catholic News Agency. She has worked for CNA since 2011. She studied political philosophy and journalism at the University of Dallas.