Aid Still Needed in Weeks to Come

Images of the tent cities may fade from television screens and life for some may come a little closer to normal in the coming weeks. But aid workers say help will still be needed for those who were dealt physical and emotional blows when their homes or belongings were destroyed in the earthquake.

“This is a long haul,” said Jim Stratton, director of community services for Catholic Charities. “We think this emergency distribution of water isn’t going to be needed a week from now. Food, maybe a couple of weeks. But where are these people going to live? That’s the question. There was a shortage of affordable housing before the earthquake. This isn’t going to go away in a few weeks.”

Catholic Charities, the huge nonprofit group that serves the poor in centers across Los Angeles County, is one of many organizations asking for donations of time, goods or money in the wake of the Northridge quake. It needs volunteers in Glendale to help victims complete federal disaster assistance forms. Bilingual volunteers--speakers of Spanish, Russian, Armenian and other languages--are especially in demand, Stratton said.

In Simi Valley, Canoga Park and the San Fernando area, volunteers are needed to sort and distribute food, water, clothing and blankets, and to load and unload trucks.

The organization is also taking donations of diapers, blankets, non-perishable food, adult absorbent undergarments and cash, Stratton said.

For more information, call Stratton at (213) 251-3501.