Southern Shores Philanthropist Establishes Disaster Relief Fund

Helen Wiegel, a Southern Shores retiree and philanthropist, has created a new fund with the Outer Banks Community Foundation to help local residents in the aftermath of hurricanes and other natural disasters. The Wiegel Disaster Relief Fund is an endowed field-of-interest fund that will provide our community with additional support in times of crisis.

Mrs. Wiegel approached the Community Foundation in late November about establishing the fund, wishing to create a lasting benefit to a community where she and her late husband Joe had found so much happiness together.

“I haven’t been through hurricanes here, but I can just imagine…” she said. “I want to let people know there’s help out here after a disaster. I’m hoping this new fund will be a source of support for people who need help, and I hope they will not be afraid to ask for it. Especially after a disaster…it boggles my mind to think you have nothing.”

The endowed Wiegel Disaster Relief Fund will indeed be a source of support for families for generations to come. As with any endowment, the fund’s principal is invested, and only a portion is used for grant-making. That way, Helen’s initial gift — and all future earnings and gifts to the fund— are a perpetual source of community capital, helping do good work today and in the future.

“In 2019 we saw a tremendous need for help and support after Hurricane Dorian,” said Community Foundation Executive Director Lorelei Costa. “We are extremely grateful to Helen for creating an important source for support. It’s not a question of “if,” but “when” we will need to provide disaster relief again.”