Trenton Diocese schools mount hurricane support effort for N.C., Florida
December 2, 2024 at 2:49 p.m.
As the new school year got underway, a historic hurricane season began wreaking havoc on the southeastern United States. Diocesan Catholic schools pooled efforts to help those affected.
When Dr. Vincent de Paul Schmidt saw the catastrophic predictions for Hurricane Milton headed for Florida in early October, just on the heels of the devastation of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, he took action.
In Cinnaminson, St. Charles Borromeo School first graders remind Facebook viewers of donations collection for the victims of Hurricane Helene. Facebook photo
“There was so much media coverage saying it would be the worst in 100 years, with potentially bad things happening to a lot of good people,” said Dr. Schmidt, diocesan superintendent of Catholic schools. “Because I have a good relationship with Catholic school superintendents in Florida, I thought our Diocese could help theirs.”
Just days after Hurricane Helene destroyed swaths of North Carolina with historic flooding, Hurricane Milton charged across the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 130 miles per hour.
Double Destruction
The hurricane made landfall as a Category 3 storm Oct. 10 near Siesta Key, Fla. Milton flooded neighborhoods, destroyed homes and ripped the roof off Tropicana Field, home stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team. The field had been set up to shelter first responders. More than 3.3 million customers in the state were without power early Oct. 10.
According to The Washington Post, as of Oct. 21, Hurricane Milton killed at least 35 people: 32 in the United States and three in Mexico. Hurricane Helene’s storm-related fatalities reached 103 as of Nov. 26. The combined cost in damages for both storms has been estimated to exceed $50 billion.
Reaching out to Catholic schools in the Diocese of Trenton, Dr. Schmidt told them, “If you were going to think about doing something like a dress-down day or a collection, let me know – I know where we can send it.”
Donovan Catholic High School, Toms River, students stand behind a table filled with donations collected for hurricane survivors. Facebook photo
Schools rose to the occasion. Five already had begun collecting necessities such as clothing and nonperishable food for North Carolinians: St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel; Donovan Catholic High School, Toms River; St. Charles Borromeo, Cinnaminson; St. Raphael, Hamilton; and St. Peter, Point Pleasant Beach.
Meanwhile, Dr. Schmidt’s communication prompted 15 more schools to respond with dress-down days and other fundraising events. Their efforts yielded nearly $21,000 in cash donations in just a couple of weeks, he reported.
Participating schools included Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville; St. Rose High School, Belmar; Our Lady of Good Counsel, Moorestown; Sacred Heart, Mount Holly; St. Paul, Burlington; St. Catharine, Spring Lake; St. Leo the Great, Lincroft; St. Mary of the Lakes, Medford; Our Lady of Sorrows, Hamilton; St. Ann, Lawrenceville; St. Paul, Princeton; St. James, Red Bank; St. Jerome, West Long Branch; St. Mary, Middletown; and St. Dominic, Brick.
Where the Money Goes
Having visited with Jesuit Father John Belmonte, superintendent of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Venice, Fla., Dr. Schmidt learned that “the real damage was to real people where they lived. They have a list of individuals most impacted by this; so, the money will be going directly to help kids who lost things personally.
“I’m so proud of our schools,” Dr. Schmidt continued. “They answered the call to help kids they have never and will probably never meet. It makes me feel really good, that the mission of Catholic education is beyond the borders of New Jersey. Putting others first – to me, that’s the key.”
To contribute to ongoing hurricane relief efforts, visit https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/what-we-do/disaster-relief/hurricane-helene-response/.
Gina Christian, OSV News, contributed to this story.
The Shades Club of Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, successfully organized the annual Hoops for Hope Tournament! With participation from over 300 students across 30 teams, the event raised over $1,500 for hurricane relief. Facebook photo
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As the new school year got underway, a historic hurricane season began wreaking havoc on the southeastern United States. Diocesan Catholic schools pooled efforts to help those affected.
When Dr. Vincent de Paul Schmidt saw the catastrophic predictions for Hurricane Milton headed for Florida in early October, just on the heels of the devastation of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, he took action.
In Cinnaminson, St. Charles Borromeo School first graders remind Facebook viewers of donations collection for the victims of Hurricane Helene. Facebook photo
“There was so much media coverage saying it would be the worst in 100 years, with potentially bad things happening to a lot of good people,” said Dr. Schmidt, diocesan superintendent of Catholic schools. “Because I have a good relationship with Catholic school superintendents in Florida, I thought our Diocese could help theirs.”
Just days after Hurricane Helene destroyed swaths of North Carolina with historic flooding, Hurricane Milton charged across the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 130 miles per hour.
Double Destruction
The hurricane made landfall as a Category 3 storm Oct. 10 near Siesta Key, Fla. Milton flooded neighborhoods, destroyed homes and ripped the roof off Tropicana Field, home stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team. The field had been set up to shelter first responders. More than 3.3 million customers in the state were without power early Oct. 10.
According to The Washington Post, as of Oct. 21, Hurricane Milton killed at least 35 people: 32 in the United States and three in Mexico. Hurricane Helene’s storm-related fatalities reached 103 as of Nov. 26. The combined cost in damages for both storms has been estimated to exceed $50 billion.
Reaching out to Catholic schools in the Diocese of Trenton, Dr. Schmidt told them, “If you were going to think about doing something like a dress-down day or a collection, let me know – I know where we can send it.”
Donovan Catholic High School, Toms River, students stand behind a table filled with donations collected for hurricane survivors. Facebook photo
Schools rose to the occasion. Five already had begun collecting necessities such as clothing and nonperishable food for North Carolinians: St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel; Donovan Catholic High School, Toms River; St. Charles Borromeo, Cinnaminson; St. Raphael, Hamilton; and St. Peter, Point Pleasant Beach.
Meanwhile, Dr. Schmidt’s communication prompted 15 more schools to respond with dress-down days and other fundraising events. Their efforts yielded nearly $21,000 in cash donations in just a couple of weeks, he reported.
Participating schools included Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville; St. Rose High School, Belmar; Our Lady of Good Counsel, Moorestown; Sacred Heart, Mount Holly; St. Paul, Burlington; St. Catharine, Spring Lake; St. Leo the Great, Lincroft; St. Mary of the Lakes, Medford; Our Lady of Sorrows, Hamilton; St. Ann, Lawrenceville; St. Paul, Princeton; St. James, Red Bank; St. Jerome, West Long Branch; St. Mary, Middletown; and St. Dominic, Brick.
Where the Money Goes
Having visited with Jesuit Father John Belmonte, superintendent of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Venice, Fla., Dr. Schmidt learned that “the real damage was to real people where they lived. They have a list of individuals most impacted by this; so, the money will be going directly to help kids who lost things personally.
“I’m so proud of our schools,” Dr. Schmidt continued. “They answered the call to help kids they have never and will probably never meet. It makes me feel really good, that the mission of Catholic education is beyond the borders of New Jersey. Putting others first – to me, that’s the key.”
To contribute to ongoing hurricane relief efforts, visit https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/what-we-do/disaster-relief/hurricane-helene-response/.
Gina Christian, OSV News, contributed to this story.
The Shades Club of Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, successfully organized the annual Hoops for Hope Tournament! With participation from over 300 students across 30 teams, the event raised over $1,500 for hurricane relief. Facebook photo