Emergency Services

 Help for Different Types of Emergencies

Catholic Charities of Central Florida’s Emergency Services address several forms of emergencies that individuals and families may experience.  Emergency Services are covered by two foundational programs:

1.   Emergency Financial & Food Assistance
2.   Disaster Preparation & Recovery

Emergency Financial & Food Assistance

The Emergency Financial & Food Assistance program serves clients who are facing financial difficulties due to an unexpected financial emergency.  The crisis generally involves the loss of a job, unexpected medical expenses, car repairs, a family dissolution or unexpected expenses due to natural disasters or a death in the family. The program may provide Financial Assistance with rent/mortgage and/or utilities and referrals to other services within the community.

Food Assistance is also available through Catholic Charities of Central Florida’s regional Food Pantries located in Orlando, Cocoa, Daytona, Leesburg, Winter Haven and Lakeland.

Disaster Preparation & Recovery

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, in 1990, directed that a disaster response office be established by Catholic Charities USA to coordinate the Catholic Church’s responses to disasters in the United States and to disburse disaster relief funds to local Catholic Charities agencies.  The goal was to develop within each diocese, particularly in high-risk, natural disaster prone areas, the capacity to respond to disasters by the formation of trained response team.

The Bishops of the State of Florida organized disaster response and recovery across diocesan boundaries through a cooperative partnership.  This Mutual Aid Agreement enables a coordinated response to disasters affecting any or all of the dioceses in Florida. In the event of a Presidential-declared disaster affecting part or all of Florida, each Bishop may direct Catholic Charities to engage in fund and materials raising activities for disaster response and recovery.

Catholic Charities of Central Florida’s involvement with Disaster Response & Recovery in Central Florida includes:

• Published Emergency Procedures for the Workplace.

• The Orlando headquarters has the capacity to organize the collection, packaging, and distribution of large amounts of food, water, and personal care items from each of the five regional offices, including the Agape Food Bank in Lakeland, FL.  

• All sites are able to provide direct services in the aftermath of hurricanes, tornadoes and floods, including licensed Critical Stress Management counselors available to assist with posttraumatic stress issues.  

• Emergency Communications trailers with satellite communications capabilities are available to be deployed anywhere in the state to reach devastated areas. 

Non-Discrimination Policy

No person shall, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age or disability be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to unlawful discrimination under any program or activity receiving or benefiting from federal financial assistance and administered by the organization.