Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

A local nonprofit specializing in water purification and a Louisville parish are actively aiding Hurricane Helene survivors. Their efforts, coordinated through St. Michael the Archangel Church in Erwin, Tennessee, and with Glenmary Home Missioners serving the parish, extend to small communities in Virginia affected by hurricane-induced mudslides.

Hurricane Helene struck near Florida's panhandle on September 27, causing widespread destruction across nearly 800 miles into the Appalachian mountains. The faith community of St. Michael is mourning at least three members lost to floodwaters, with one individual still missing. Sister Larraine Lauter of Mount St. Joseph noted that many of the mission parish's 150 families are Hispanic and Latino.

"Pray for all concerned. They all know each other and it’s a lot of pain," Sister Lauter said during an interview.

Sister Lauter co-founded Water by Women and has distributed over 6,000 water filters to hurricane survivors in Erwin and parts of Virginia. She emphasized that recovery will be a long-term process, with clean water being a critical need.

Water by Women provides Sawyer PointOne water filtration systems capable of supplying families with clean water for years. U.S. military veterans assist in delivering these filters via helicopter to areas where roads have been destroyed.

With colder weather approaching, St. Michael's members also require jackets, coats, and blankets. Epiphany Church in Anchorage is gathering these items for distribution.

Tim Grove from Epiphany expressed satisfaction with parishioners' response as they prepare shipments of cold-weather gear to St. Michael.

"We wanted to do the most we can to help Sister Larraine help others hit hard by the hurricane," Grove stated.

While recovery efforts continue, Sister Lauter requests prayers for those grieving within the St. Michael parish community in Erwin.

"It’s important for us as Catholics to reach out to the affected churches and see how we can support them," she concluded.