Ripley and Georgetown residents requiring disaster relief funds just got some positive news.
Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio has acquired a $10,000 grant to help victims of torrential flooding that damaged 44 homes and killed three people on July 18. Scott Stephens, Director of Parish Outreach with Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio, said the Ohio Valley Long-Term Recovery Committee would together assess which flood victims need aid and would provide funding to help them with unmet needs.
“I’ll be working with the long term recovery committee and as they assess needs, we have funds to help with housing, home repair, household supplies, etc,” Stephens said in a phone interview. “As those needs are presented, we’ll jump in if there’s a gap and provide some funding for that.”
The grant was acquired through an application from the local Catholic Charities affiliate to Catholic Charities USA, which has two disaster relief funds, one for long-term relief and another for short-term funding, where an organization can apply for money in short time and receive it to help those in need.
According to a press release from Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio, the organization is partnering with other local relief organizations to help “restore homes affected by the flood. This includes short-term projects such as carpeting, painting, repairs and replacing appliances, furniture and other household items destroyed.”
“We sought this assistance because Brown County is part of service area, and we learned that this disaster did not qualify for FEMA relief,” Ted Bergh, CEO of Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio said in the press release. “Traditionally, we look for ways to fill the gaps during disasters in our communities.”