Wells Fargo Bank Awards $50,000 Grant for Disaster Relief
Wells Fargo has awarded a $50,000 grant to the Outer Banks Community Foundation for the Ocracoke Disaster Relief Fund. The grant will directly support hundreds of households who have been devastated by Hurricane Dorian.
“Our hearts go out to all the families and businesses impacted by Hurricane Dorian,” said Thomas Cline, Wells Fargo’s Region Bank president for Eastern North Carolina. “Wells Fargo is committed to supporting our communities in their time of need, and we appreciate the Community Foundation’s commitment to ensuring that every penny in the Disaster Relief Fund will go directly to hurricane victims.”
“Our neighbors on Ocracoke are still struggling terribly in the aftermath of this hurricane,” said Lorelei Costa, Executive Director of the Community Foundation. “Private philanthropy is now playing the leading role in rebuilding our communities, and Wells Fargo’s donation is a big step forward in meeting our neighbors’ needs.”
Already, dozens of households on Ocracoke have been awarded assistance through the Disaster Relief Fund. Administered in partnership with the Ocracoke Fire Department, the Fund is helping these families with appliances, car down payments, utilities, rent payments, wheelchair ramps, medications and medical equipment, electrical repairs, and much more.
The Disaster Relief Fund has also pledged up to $500,000 toward temporary shelter and home repair needs. In partnership with Hyde County, the Fund is paying for utility hook-ups for 35 temporary trailers for Ocracoke families while their homes are rebuilt or repaired. Additionally, the Disaster Relief Fund has pledged financial assistance to purchase building supplies for home repairs for 60 Ocracoke homes, in partnership the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
These awards, said Ms. Costa, are just the beginning of many grants to come over the next many months.
Relief efforts on Ocracoke are led by volunteers, who are contributing countless unpaid hours to helping their neighbors in the recovery. This includes volunteer case workers, who are working directly with storm victims, and the members of the Ocracoke Fire Department, who are managing disbursements. Beyond Ocracoke, more than 7,700 businesses and families have donated to the Disaster Relief Fund since Hurricane Dorian.
“We have been astounded by the efforts of the volunteers in Ocracoke, who are tirelessly helping their neighbors, and the generosity of people across the country who have donated to Disaster Relief,” said Ms. Costa. “From large institutions like Wells Fargo, to children running lemonade stands, the outpouring of generosity has been incredibly humbling.”
The Community Foundation is still accepting donations to the Disaster Relief Fund for Ocracoke. Contributors can visit www.obxdisaster.org to make a secure donation online. Or mail a check to OBCF, 13 Skyline Road, Southern Shores, NC 27949, with “Ocracoke disaster relief” written in the memo line.
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 $19 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.
