Catholic Charities USA Update on Japan Quake/Tsunami Impact

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Mar 15, 2011, 03:33 ET

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA), among the country's largest human services and disaster response organizations, continued to express its ongoing support and prayers today for the people and places of Japan so devastatingly impacted by the most powerful earthquake and tsunami to ever hit that nation. It also reported--through its contact and preparation over the weekend with Catholic Charities agencies in Guam, American Samoa, Hawaii and the U.S. Western coast—that fortunately those territories and states did not experience any major disaster impact.

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"As the news out of Japan continues—and the concern of nuclear explosions and leaks grows—the severity of the situation deepens our awareness and increases the need for a global response," said Kim Burgo, Senior Vice President of Disaster Services and Response for CCUSA. "We must be ever-vigilant in our prayers and ever-mindful of the human need that will be with the people of Japan as they begin the lengthy process of recovery."

Caritas Japan is the affiliated Catholic organization handling disaster response in Japan. Catholic Relief Services (www.crs.org), which handles international disaster response, is the primary U.S.-based organization receiving donations to pass along to Caritas Japan. Numerous individual Catholic Charities agencies from cities around the country are receiving donations directly which will in turn be channeled through either Caritas Japan or Catholic Relief Services to assist with relief.

SOURCE Catholic Charities USA