St. Anthony, Kalihi, school kids pack donated items for Haiyan victims in the Philippines.
Hawaii’s Catholics showed their aloha for the victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan by quickly mobilizing in the two months since the storm hit the Philippines to collect and send basic necessities and raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in aid.
Haiyan, a Category 5 typhoon, hit the Central Philippines Nov. 7. More than 6,000 people were killed, and millions were left homeless, in the wake of its torrential rain and 200 mph winds.
After the disaster, Bishop Larry Silva authorized special parish collections to be taken up in the Diocese of Honolulu for typhoon relief. The diocesan finance office reported Jan. 10 that $198,256.08 has been netted so far through collections from 41 Island parishes. The Korean and Vietnamese Catholic communities also contributed to the total.
More parishes are likely to remit relief collection funds in the next few weeks, said diocesan controller Marvin Choy.
The money collected through these special offertories is being sent to Catholic Relief Services, or CRS, the international humanitarian agency sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. A Jan. 9 CRS newsletter said the agency aims to raise $50 million for short- and long-term recovery in the Philippines.
Catholic Relief Services expects the rebuilding effort — especially in the areas of Leyte and Samar hardest hit by Haiyan — to span three to five years. According to the Jan. 9 newsletter, the agency has already provided 40,000 families with temporary shelter, water and sanitation kits, income assistance and debris cleanup.
CRS has set a goal to help 100,000 Filipino families, or 500,000 typhoon victims, with the donations received from parish collections in the U.S. and through its website, http://crs.org/typhoon-haiyan.
Hawaii Catholic Schools and lay organizations took up their own creative service projects and donation drives to support Typhoon Haiyan victims.
St. Francis School in Manoa garnered more than $2,000 for Catholic Relief Services. Students and teachers held a weeklong, “dollar-a-day” fundraiser, and school groups volunteered their time to collect donations at the St. Francis Lady Hoops Basketball Tournament in November.
Cathedral Catholic Academy contributed $1,000 to CRS by encouraging its students to each donate a minimum of $2 for a “Red Shirt Friday” celebration.
Sacred Hearts Academy in Kaimuki held multiple fundraisers for its “Operation Haiyan” campaign. “Lancer Care” buttons were sold, and lower school students collected spare change in a drive called “Coins for a Cause.” The school also held a “Wake Up and Help” event Dec. 5, where students donated $3 to trade in their uniforms for a chance to wear pajamas on campus. The fundraisers earned $5,000 for the Philippine Red Cross.
Maryknoll School staffer Christopher Ugale designed an “Aloha Philippines” T-shirt in support of relief efforts. About 500 shirts were purchased by Maryknoll families, alumni and members of the Manoa-Punahou Catholic community.
Parishes, schools and Hawaii’s Filipino Catholic Clubs also collected clothing, food, blankets and toiletries for the typhoon victims. Shipping companies generously lent their services to send to the Philippines hundreds of “care boxes” compiled by Damien Memorial School, St. Joseph School in Waipahu, St. Anthony School in Kalihi and others.
Deanna M.B. Arecchi, principal of St. Michael School in Waialua, said the school plans to do subsequent donation drives to support the victims with basic necessities as they continue to rebuild.
“We were hoping to stay in touch with the contacts we have to continue our relationship, and help to provide for them what and when we can,” Arecchi said.
