Earlier this month, Karidat contributed to the relief efforts after Typhoon Mangkhut on the island of Rota. From September 15th to 18th, Saipan-based Karidat staff traveled out to help distribute direct aid in the form of vouchers for food and household items to those most devastated by the storm.
Some had lost roofs to their homes; for others, entire rooms had been destroyed, leaving behind only a fraction of what they owned before. Flooding had ruined the living spaces of many others, because of the damage to windows from the high winds. Dozens of homes were damaged, or entirely ruined to the point of being uninhabitable.
All in all, on Karidat’s first trip to Rota we were able to assist 21 families, serving a total of 112 individuals with direct food/household assistance. Rota has done a remarkable job with their clean-up efforts by quickly clearing roads and restoring power to homes and businesses.
Karidat has just learned that our grant application for an additional $10,000 to help the victims of Typhoon Mangkhut has been approved by Catholic Charities USA. This along with the recent donation of $5000 from McDonalds, and the generous donations from the parishes on Saipan and Tinian, the Mercedarian Sisters, and other private individuals, means that we will return to Rota in order to provide even more assistance, but donations are also still welcome.
Thank you to all who have already donated to this effort. All of the money which was collected from the parishes and intended for storm relief on Rota have gone directly to people in need; travel expenses for Karidat staff were covered by other funds.
Thank you for your continued generosity and support and God bless the people of Rota.
