More than 2,400 hurricane survivors passed through the doors of Catholic Charities' Fertitta Community Assistance Center to receive hot meals, clothing, and basic human necessities. The Survivors also found a rapidly assembled crisis taskforce under one roof, with representatives from American Red Cross; Clark County Social Services; Clark County School District; Clark County Health District; Clark County Housing Authority; North Las Vegas and The City of Las Vegas Housing Authorities; HUD; Nevada Mental Health; Nevada Power; Southwest Gas; RTC; Social Security; Veterans Affairs; Nevada Job Connect; FEMA; and United Way of Southern Nevada.
These efforts, combined with the 24 social services that are routinely offered by Catholic Charities, have made accessing aid much easier for hurricane survivors.
However, the magnitude of need quickly outpaced the Fertitta Center 's capacity to handle the growing numbers of new arrivals and donations.
The disaster relief center moved to 2753 S. Highland Drive, Suite 1004 , Las Vegas , to continue processing the hurricane survivors arriving in Las Vegas . Catholic Charities provided more than 3,000 sack lunches to feed the hurricane survivors and disaster relief workers during October. Since the disaster assistance operation started in Southern Nevada on Sept. 7, more than 4,760 people have registered for help, including approximately 215 from Hurricane Rita. The 4,760 figure reflects households with one or more members.
In search of a larger facility to warehouse and distribute donations to the hurricane survivors, Catholic Charities contacted the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, and a 10,000-square foot warehouse located near the Las Vegas Convention Center was donated. On September 26, 2005 , Catholic Charities opened the Operation Open Arms Donation Center for Gulf Region Hurricane Survivors.
Other critical support came from the Nevada Benefits Foundation, which showed up with dozens of volunteers and hundreds of needed items. The City of Las Vegas also granted $25,000 toward the relief effort. Businesses, organizations, hotels, churches and individuals donated thousands of items such as clothing, shoes, household goods, furniture, baby goods, wheelchairs, clothing accessories, toiletry items, food, school supplies, toys and monetary donations.
The Operation Open Arms Donation Center was open Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 3 PM. Hurricane Survivors were allow to walk the aisles and shop for what they needed. On an average day 10 – 20 families would visit the Operation Open Arms Donation Center . They would spend one or two hours shopping. The donation center became a respite place for people to forget about their troubles. In addition, they would meet up with old friends and make new friends from their former home towns in the Gulf Region. More than 400 families were provided with assistance from September 29 through November 16, 2005 .
Catholic Charities Social Services program will continue to administer to the needs of the Gulf Region Hurricane Survivors. During the Thanksgiving holiday hurricane families, seeking assistance, received Thanksgiving turkeys and food baskets. The Christmas Adopt-a-Family gift program will provide toys and clothing to the children of the hurricane families.
