CV NEWS FEED // Chicago-area parishes came together in a strong show of support for victims of Hurricane Helene as volunteers from several local churches delivered essential supplies for those affected in North Carolina.
Chicago Catholic, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Chicago, reported that on October 13, a caravan of cars arrived at St. Mary Monastery in Lemont, loaded with diapers, baby wipes, and cases of water that were donations from GodSEND youth ministry.
These donations, collected by parishes including St. Elizabeth Seton in Orland Hills and St. George and St. Stephen Deacon and Martyr in Tinley Park, will be shipped along with 450 buckets of cleaning supplies through Buckets of Hope, an initiative of the deacon-led ministry Hope’s on the Way.
The collection came together rapidly, according to Deacon John Sobol, GodSEND’s youth minister. When the youth group met on October 8, the members expressed their desire to help the victims of Hurricane Helene.
>> NC RESIDENTS ARE LIVING IN TENTS NEARLY A MONTH AFTER HURRICANE HELENE DESTROYED THEIR HOMES <<
Soon after, Sobol received a message from Deacon Larry Oskielunas, president of Hope’s on the Way, about an upcoming shipment of cleaning buckets to Catholic Charities in Charlotte, North Carolina. Deacon Oskielunas invited GodSEND to contribute, as the group’s member parishes regularly participate in filling buckets for Buckets of Hope.
Hope’s on the Way was originally formed after Hurricane Katrina when a group of deacons organized 11 mission trips to Louisiana to rebuild homes and a school. The Buckets of Hope initiative was inspired by similar ministries run by other Christian organizations, providing a tangible way for people to help disaster victims.
The parishes quickly mobilized, using social media to spread the word about the collection, and raised $2,500 worth of donations during weekend Masses. Before the caravan departed, both the drivers and the supplies said they felt blessed.
“It really was a testament to our youth ministry and our youth, who really are thinking about others and they want to serve,” Sobol said.
Melissa Mangan of St. Stephen Deacon and Martyr Parish praised the youth.
“It’s just wonderful, especially to see the spirit of these young kids who really want to give back,” she said. “We realize how much we have and how much we’re blessed with and how quickly that literally can be washed away.”
Hope’s on the Way has delivered nearly 8,000 buckets to disaster-stricken areas, including those affected by storms, floods, and hurricanes. Deacon Oskielunas expressed gratitude for the youth ministry’s contributions.
“We survive by the generosity of the parishes that do bucket campaigns,” he said, encouraging more parishes to get involved.
The group is already planning to fill more buckets to send to communities impacted by Hurricane Milton, continuing their mission to provide relief to those in need.
