Official statement on oil crisis from Archdiocese of New Orleans

Our Oil Spill Response

Catholic Charities, the Archdiocese of New Orleans, and Second Harvest Food Bank have teamed up to help fishermen in St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes who are unable to work due to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Starting Thursday, May 6, we stationed case managers, crisis counselors, and Second Harvest Food Bank trucks at St. Thomas Catholic Church and St. Patrick Catholic Church in Plaquemines Parish . We are also providing assistance for those interested in applying for food stamps and Medicaid.

On Wednesday, May 5, we partnered with the Santa on the Bayou non-profit in St. Bernard Parish to distribute gift cards and food, as well as to provide case management and counseling to those affected by the oil spill. We were able to reach more than 100 fishermen from St. Bernard who needed our aid. Read more about the distribution:

“Gulf of Mexico oil spill brings charitable response for fishing families” from the Times-Picayune

“Catholic Charities Helping St. Bernard Fishermen and Families through a Difficult Time” from ABC26 News

More long-term services are available to fishermen and their families in St. Bernard Parish through Catholic Charities' St. Bernard Community Center.

To continue to provide these essential services for fishermen who have been affected by the oil spill, we need your help. Please donate today at www.ccano.org or www.no-hunger.org. Designate in the comments section that your donation should go toward our oil spill response.



For up-to-the-minute information on our oil spill response, please follow us on Twitter @cathcharitiesNO, @archdioceseofno, and @2ndHarvestGNOA.

If you or someone you know needs help, please call the Catholic Charities Care Line toll-free at (866) 891-2210.