The Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada has set up a fundraising effort to provide financial help to member publications in the Gulf Coast area affected by Hurricane Katrina.

The money raised for the Hurricane Katrina Publication Assistance Fund will be available to publications to replace equipment, cover insurance deductibles and finance expanded news coverage because of the hurricane.

“All of us in the Catholic Press Association feel deeply the pain of our sisters and brothers in the Gulf states affected by Hurricane Katrina and want to extend whatever assistance possible to the publications affected by the disaster,” said a resolution approved Sept. 8 by the CPA executive committee.

Contributions to the fund are tax deductible.

“This is one way we can help the Catholic press in the affected area to continue communicating to the public,” said Helen Osman, CPA president and editor of The Catholic Spirit diocesan newspaper in Austin, Texas.

“We can help them get the resources to do their jobs,” she told Catholic News Service Sept. 9.

“How are they going to set up shop again? They can’t use their old offices. Their revenue stream has been shattered,” she said.

“We hope that as soon as the money comes in, we can turn it around to those who need it,” said Osman.

People and organizations wishing to contribute to the fund should sent a check payable to the CPA and earmarked for the Hurricane Katrina Publication Assistance Fund. Contributions should be sent to: Catholic Press Association, 3555 Veterans Memorial Highway, Unit O, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779.