The Outer Banks Community Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund has received a $50,000 grant from the BB&T Charitable Fund to help support hundreds of affected families across Dare County and Ocracoke following Hurricane Dorian.

“BB&T’s mission for our bank has always been to make our world a better place to live, and we are so honored to have this opportunity to help the members of our community and to provide support to the families in need,” said Annalisa Morgan, Albemarle area market president of BB&T.

BB&T’s leadership gift to the Disaster Relief Fund will make a direct impact on the victims of Hurricane Dorian in both Ocracoke and Dare County. The Disaster Relief Fund will help individuals and families with both immediate necessities — including supplies, appliances, temporary shelter — and also long-term recovery, including home repairs.

As the official collection agency for monetary donations post-Dorian, the Community Foundation is soliciting and processing all financial contributions, and then funneling every dollar to the nonprofits on the ground to aid disaster victims. The agencies distributing funds to victims include the Ocracoke Fire Protection Association, Cape Hatteras United Methodist Men and Interfaith Community Outreach.

The groups work directly with disaster victims to first help them apply for any applicable sources of support, such as insurance and FEMA (if available). Then the Disaster Relief Fund, including the BB&T donation, will serve as “last dollars in” to meet any unmet needs, ensuring that philanthropic dollars go as far as possible.

The Disaster Relief Fund has grown to over $875,000 with contributions from more than 4,200 families from across the Outer Banks — and from across the United States and the world.

Yet, says Lorelei Costa, executive director of the Community Foundation, even this large amount is merely a “drop in the bucket” compared to community need, especially on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands.

“So many of our neighbors have lost everything in this storm,” said Costa. “They lost not only their belongings, their medications, their cars, their homes; many have lost their jobs and source of income for months to come, as local businesses rebuild and recover from epic flood levels. The Disaster Relief Fund is in it for the long haul and will help local residents with all of these needs.”

“We are so very grateful to BB&T for this leadership gift,” said Greg Honeycutt, Ocracoke resident and board member of the Community Foundation. “They are truly setting the example for our business community. I hope more businesses will continue to pitch in.”

Costa emphasized that every penny donated to the Disaster Relief Fund will go to local individuals and families in need. Neither the Community Foundation, nor any of its nonprofit partners, are using disaster relief donations for fees, salaries or administrative or operating expenses.

The Community Foundation is gratefully accepting donations to the Disaster Relief Fund for Dare and Ocracoke. Go to www.obxdisaster.org to make a secure donation online, mail your check to OBCF, 13 Skyline Road, Southern Shores, NC 27949, with “disaster relief” written in the memo line or call 252-261-8839 for more information on how to give.

The Outer Banks Community Foundation is a public charity that helps meet local needs across Dare County and the entire Outer Banks. The Community Foundations manages $18 million in 175 charitable funds for individuals and agencies, awards charitable grants to local nonprofits, administers 50 scholarship programs, and provides tailored services to help donors pursue their charitable interests. Since its inception in 1982, the Community Foundation has awarded more than $9 million in grants and scholarships to local nonprofits and students.

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