Washington D.C., Apr 9, 2010 / 04:10 am
A collection initiated in January by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to help victims of the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti has raised nearly $59 million dollars to date.
Since Cardinal Francis George and Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York made an appeal for donations the day after the natural disaster, the USCCB has collected $58.7 million in aid from American Catholics.
“I cannot even begin to say how thankful we are to all the people who have so selflessly given to help the people in Haiti,” said Archbishop Dolan, who is chairman of Catholic Relief Services (CRS). “It is an amazing example of love and faith in action.”
“CRS, with over 300 staff on the ground in Haiti, started helping people immediately,”Archbishop Dolan related. “They have been providing food, temporary shelter, hygiene kits, water and sanitation services around the clock for tens of thousands at parishes, makeshift camps, and other sites throughout the Port-au-Prince. In the long run, CRS will be there with the Haitian people to help them rebuild.”