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Diocesan Catholic Charities to share Mobile Response Center vehicle

Elizabeth A. Elliott | Catholic Herald Staff Writer

Representatives from Ford Motor Company present a Mobile Response Center vehicle to Catholic Charities USA Aug. 22. Catholic Charities in Arlington will use it one week a month to help the homeless and poor. ELIZABETH A. ELLIOTT | CATHOLIC CHARITIES

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Dominican Sister Donna Markham (center) speaks to the press about the Mobile Response Center vehicle at Catholic Charities USA in Alexandria Aug. 22. Kevin Trainor (back left), director of sales for DeJana Truck and Utility Equipment and Elizabeth McAdam, community relations manager for Ford, look on. ELIZABETH A. ELLIOTT | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Thanks to a partnership with Catholic Charities USA and Ford
Motor Company, Catholic Charities in Arlington, Washington and Baltimore will
be able to provide curbside assistance to area homeless and poverty-stricken
communities for one week each month.

Representatives from Ford Motor Company presented Catholic
Charities USA with a Mobile Response Center vehicle at a press conference in
Alexandria Aug. 22.

“We are grateful to Ford for their support of our mission to
provide service to individuals and families in need,” said Dominican Sister
Donna Markham, president and CEO of Catholic Charities USA. “The Mobile
Response Center vehicle will allow Catholic Charities to reach people who need
basic necessities during times of disasters, as well as people in the D.C.,
Baltimore and Northern Virginia regions who struggle with homelessness every
day.”

The vehicle, a 26-foot retrofitted Ford F550 cab and chassis
outfitted by Dejana Truck and Utility in Baltimore, will deliver supplies, such
as water, hygiene products, grocery gift cards and snack packages directly to
the needy. During the winter, coats and blankets will be distributed.

Inside, the vehicle has shelves to store sleeping bags and
blankets, folding tables and large quantities of bottled water. Locking compartments
have drawers that are accessible from the interior and exterior for ease of
handing out supplies.

There are two gas-powered generators and external power stations to
allow 80 mobile phones to be charged simultaneously to enable communication with
friends and family.

The Mobile Response Center vehicle eventually will be deployed to
Houston to assist the victims of Hurricane Harvey, according to Patricia Cole,
vice president of communications for Catholic Charities USA.

Later this year, specialized trailers with washing machines and
dryers will be available to attach to the vehicle, according to Cathy
Hassinger, director of community services for Arlington’s Catholic Charities.

When it is not being used for disasters, it will rotate weekly
between Catholic Charities USA, and Catholic Charities in Arlington, Washington
and Baltimore. 

Also present at the press conference were Msgr. John Enzler,
president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington; Bill
McCarthy, executive director of Catholic Charities of Baltimore; Kim Burgo,
senior director of disaster response operations for Catholic Charities USA; and
Art Bennett, president and CEO of Arlington’s Catholic Charities.

Bennett said a big problem in the Diocese of Arlington is transportation,
so it is better that they can go where the people are.

“I also think this will be a way of mobilizing the communities
and parishes,” he said.

There will be a special focus on bringing services to rural parts
of the diocese including King George, Westmoreland, Northumberland, Orange,
Madison, Page, Shenandoah and Frederick counties.

“Pope Francis wants the church to be a field hospital (that) goes
out and meets people where they are. This vehicle will help us do that,” said
Bennett. 

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