The Chicago Bears announced $200,000 in donations to support communities impacted by severe storms and flooding across Chicago's south suburbs and Northwest Indiana, with $100,000 provided to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and $100,000 to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary. Both organizations are helping address immediate and ongoing needs in affected communities, including food, clothing, housing assistance and other recovery resources where many families remain without power, displaced from their homes and face a long rebuilding process.
Residents in Cook and Lake Counties affected by the storms who need assistance can contact Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago at 312-655-7700 or visit catholiccharities.net for information about available resources, locations and hours. Northwest Indiana residents can contact Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary at 219-886-3549, option 2, email Outreach@catholic-charities.org or visit catholic-charities.org for assistance. Donations to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago can also be made at bit.ly/CatholicCharities-Help, and donations to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary can be made at e.givesmart.com/events/QeW/.
As cleanup and recovery efforts continue across the region, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago is working directly with families throughout affected communities in Illinois.
"We deeply value and respect the longstanding philanthropic leadership of the Chicago Bears organization," said Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago CEO Sally Blount. "As one of our region's largest human services providers, we are honored to be entrusted with distributing this critical funding. An unexpected expense of even a few hundred dollars can amount to a crisis for an individual or family already living on a very limited budget. This funding will make a big difference to families affected by the storm."
Across Northwest Indiana, communities including Gary and Hammond continue to recover from significant storm damage and flooding, with Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary helping address both immediate needs and longer-term recovery.
"We are very grateful for this generous gift from the Bears, which will immediately benefit many people in need who have been impacted by recent storms and provide for ongoing recovery efforts," said Bishop of the Diocese of Gary The Most Reverend Robert J. McClory. "Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary has been responding to local needs from day one. The support from the Bears and many other partners will help elevate efforts to reach the most vulnerable in our communities. I encourage everyone to continue to pray, reach out to our neighbors who are suffering, and support efforts by Catholic Charities and others to assist those in need."
"The devastating impact of the storms across Northwest Indiana has turned lives upside down for thousands of families, leaving them to face unexpected challenges and uncertainty," said Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary Executive Director Terry Seljan. "Right now, our focus is on helping our neighbors access the support and resources they need to stabilize so they can begin to recover and move forward. We are incredibly grateful to the Chicago Bears organization for their generous support and for the care and concern they have shown for our Northwest Indiana community. Their commitment is a powerful reminder of what can happen when people come together to help their neighbors in times of need. We hope others who are able will join them in supporting the Storm Relief Fund and helping bring relief, hope and healing to families across our Region."
