The Chicago Bears announced Aug. 22 a donation of $200,000 to Catholic Charities' work to support those impacted by severe storms and flooding across the southern suburbs of Chicago and northwest Indiana.
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary, Indiana, will each receive $100,000 to aid in their efforts to help address immediate and ongoing needs in the affected communities including food, clothing, housing assistance, and other resources to help in recovery while many families are still without power, displaced from their homes, and begin to consider rebuilding plans.
On Aug. 11, high winds, heavy rain, and tornado activity swept through northwest Indiana and east Chicago causing severe damage to homes and other buildings. Gary, Indiana, was reported as being the hardest-hit city.
NIPSCO, one of Indiana's largest natural gas and electric companies, reported nearly 400,000 outages after the storm. The company described the storm as the most destructive ever to strike its service area, causing historic damage to the electric system and producing its largest power outage ever.
As of Aug. 24, roughly 10,000 individuals remain without power in Gary.
"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," Bishop Robert J. McClory of the Diocese of Gary said in a statement.
"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," he added. "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."
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary Executive Director Terry Seljan said: "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."
He explained that currently their focus "is on helping our neighbors access the support and resources they need to stabilize so they can begin to recover and move forward."
He added: "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."
Sally Blount, CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, also expressed her gratitude.
"We deeply value and respect the long-standing philanthropic leadership of the Chicago Bears organization. As one of our region's largest human services providers, we are honored to be entrusted with distributing this critical funding," she said.
"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," she said.
