Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh, Inc.—in collaboration with Choate Construction, Juba Aluminum Products, and Dominion Realty Partners—has stepped forward to receive donations made from individuals, corporations, and others on behalf of the families of the 3 deceased victims and 1 injured victim of the March 23 scaffolding collapse at the Charter Square Building on Fayetteville St. in Raleigh, NC. This comes in response to an outpouring of community support in which many have voiced an interest in donating. Catholic Charities will serve as the custodian of these donated funds and will manage their distribution.
Donations are being collected online at CatholicCharitiesRaleigh.org.
In the coming days and weeks, Catholic Charities will meet with each of the families and work toward meeting their needs, beyond what will be covered by their employer. Catholic Charities will distribute all of the funds received to assist the four families.
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh Executive Director Gary Skinner said, “The suffering of these four families is simply unimaginable. The men who died and the man suffering from his injuries were working hard to provide for their families. We pray that those in the community would respond generously to assist our brothers and sisters in need. Of all the challenges these families face, perhaps we can at least alleviate some of the financial hardship.”
The day of the accident, Most Reverend Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh, issued a call to prayer for the victims and their families, saying, in part, “I ask all Catholics and people of good will in the Diocese of Raleigh to join me in prayer for the three construction workers who died earlier today [March 23] as well as for their families. May we also pray for the worker who was injured and rushed to the hospital and for those who are providing his medical care. Please keep in prayer all those in the construction industry who routinely take great risk to provide a service benefiting the entire community.”
Catholic Charities is well-known for its fiscal responsibility and management of donor funds. Catholic Charities and Bishop Burbidge assure the community that every donation will go directly to the victims’ families.