Caritas Poland Provides Relief to Flood-Hit Areas

Heavy rains have devastated parts of Poland, prompting Caritas in various dioceses to join relief efforts and provide aid to those affected. A nationwide collection will be held on Sunday, September 22, to support the victims of the floods.

Caritas Poland has already provided an initial batch of emergency aid, valued at approximately 50,000 euros, to Caritas centers in flooded areas. The organization has also launched a fundraising campaign on its website, emphasizing the urgent need for material assistance, particularly from companies, to provide large quantities of essential items.

Among the most urgently needed items are dehumidifiers, drinking water, generators, wheelbarrows, waterproof boots, hygiene products, and food with a long shelf life. Caritas dioceses in Opole, Świdnica, Bielsko-Žiwiec, and Legnica are working closely with local authorities to coordinate a national aid operation.

In response to the appeal of Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda, President of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, a collection drive will be held in churches across Poland on Sunday, September 22. Archbishop Wojda expressed solidarity with those affected by the floods, assuring them that they are not alone and that the Church is committed to providing spiritual and material support.

The floods have caused widespread destruction, with many houses, schools, kindergartens, and hospitals affected. The road infrastructure has also been severely damaged. While the full extent of the damage to churches, convents, and Catholic cemeteries is not yet clear, it is known that the Franciscan convent in Kłodzko and the local Our Lady of the Rosary Church were among the hardest hit.

The Caritas of the Świdnica diocese has launched a 24-hour canteen to support the homeless, while the Caritas of the Opole diocese is providing meals to flood victims in Racibórz and Nis. Caritas volunteers and employees are distributing drinking water, bread, food, cleaning, and hygiene items in Głochovac and surrounding areas of Nis and Prudnik.

Caritas Poland is coordinating the assistance on behalf of the Polish Church and has already begun providing aid. The organization is calling on the public to donate generously to support those affected by the floods.