At 63 years old, Ms.T and her longtime partner had already weathered more than their fair share of storms—literally. In April 2024, a powerful tornado destroyed their mobile home, leaving them with nothing. Thanks to support from FEMA and WV VOAD, they were able to rebuild a small, one-bedroom cinderblock house—a place of peace and safety they had worked so hard to reclaim.
But just months later, on February 6, 2025, disaster struck again. Fast-rising water from Blue Creek flooded their home, forcing Ms.T to be rescued out of a window by the Pinch Volunteer Fire Department’s swift water team. Two feet of water filled the home, damaging walls, flooring, and their heat pump, and leaving behind dangerous mold.
Because this was a small, localized event, there was no federal disaster declaration—yet the damage and emotional toll were very real.
That’s when neighbors, volunteers, and the broader community stepped in. With the help of the American Red Cross, cleanup began. They took shelter in a small camper while they waited, once again, to rebuild.
Catholic Charities West Virginia was honored to walk alongside them during this time through our Disaster Case Management program. Thanks to the generosity of the West Virginia Catholic community, we were able to provide essential materials for recovery: new flooring, sheetrock, mold remediation supplies, paint, and funding to repair their heat pump.
Today, Ms.T and her partner are back in their home—safe, warm, and surrounded by reminders of a caring community that refused to let them face hardship alone.
At Catholic Charities, we believe that every family deserves the opportunity to recover with dignity. Your prayers and support make that possible. Thank you for helping us turn crisis into compassion.
To learn more or to donate to our services visit: www.ccwva.org.
