Joanna Gardner, social ministries communicator for Catholic Charities, Diocese of Camden, is a recipient of a Catholic Relief Services (CRS) 2015 Egan Journalism Fellowship.
She and the three other selected fellows will travel with CRS to the Philippines for one week in October to report on the aftermath of the 2013 Super Typhoon Haiyan and to witness firsthand the work of CRS and its partners’ support to thousands of people facing the effects of climate change and poverty.
In a country like the Philippines which is prone to natural disasters, CRS is working with the local church, communities, partners and government to provide support to mitigate a storm’s impact.
“The challenges facing people in the Philippines illustrate the tremendous impact of climate change, especially on poor communities,” said Paul Eagle, CRS’ communications director. “We’re excited for our fellows to use this opportunity to draw attention to something so important, especially on the heels of Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment.”
“The fellows were selected based on their demonstration of their commitment to the church’s mission of charity, the quality of their coverage and their motivation to report on the Catholic Church’s service to the poor and marginalized around the world,” CRS in a statement announcing the fellows.