News

Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri and the diocesan office of Parish and Charitable Services have formed a response team named Disaster Responders Team for Parishes.

Preparedness is an important part of any disaster response.  To prepare for the impact the coronavirus may have on communities within our diocese, each parish is asked to form a Disaster Responders Team immediately.  This leadership team will be responsible for the coordination of services in your parish territory. 

Disaster Responders Teams are tasked with formulating a plan to assist the most vulnerable within their own parish territory during the coronavirus pandemic, especially during community transmission of the virus in the area.

After you have identified the members of this team, their immediate action items are:

• Identify parish territories.     
• Identify those within that geographical area who may be most vulnerable.
• Identify parish or church organizations that could help with charitable response (St. Vincent de Paul Conference; Parish Nurses; Knights of Columbus, Altar Society, etc.).
• Collect names and contact information of individual volunteers willing to help, especially mobile numbers and emails.
• Identify basic needs (i.e., delivery of food, medicine, transportation needs).
• Formulate a plan to contact and support those who are quarantined, self-isolating or in need. This could include families of healthcare professionals and hourly wage earners who have lost work due to closures.
• Create a communication system so all can be properly informed and mobilized.
• Identify non-Catholic organizations to be contacted so you can collaborate with them, avoiding a duplication or a gap in efforts.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has the most accurate and latest information on the coronavirus pandemic on its website, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html. Please refer to it in your planning. Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri has compiled a list of local resources.

Please provide the contact for your Disaster Responders Team to LeAnn Korsmeyer, diocesan director of Parish and Charitable Services, at lkorsmeyer@diojeffcity.org.

Thank you for your diligence in addressing this most immediate health concern.  With calm resolve, let us utilize this opportunity for our parishes to be Centers of Charity and Mercy.  

For any questions, concerns or assistance we can provide, please contact:

LeAnn Korsmeyer
Director of Parish and Charitable Services
Diocese of Jefferson City
lkorsmeyer@diojeffcity.org
(573) 635-9127 ext. 222

Dan Lester
Executive Director
Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri
dlester@cccnmo.org
(573) 635-7719