Update Wednesday 5:30 p.m. — GoFundMe reached out to Port City Daily to say a designated Hurricane Florence homepage has been established, featuring only verified campaigns. Details below.
SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Hurricane Florence hit the Carolina coast hard, but not everyone was hit equally; some have power and water and little property damage, others are facing catastrophic destruction from fallen trees, wind shear, and flooding — especially as rivers in Brunswick and Pender counties continue to crest.
Volunteer
If you have time, it may be the most valuable thing you can give. Many local groups — non-profits, religious groups, and other organizations are setting up operations. (Know of a local group doing good work? Let us know in the comments.)
Don’t know a local group that needs help?
New Hanover County can be contacted at huricanerelief@nhcgov.com or 910-284-9713 by those who want to volunteer working in a local New Hanover County public donation site (if you’re seeking assistance or know someone who is, you can contact the same email and phone number).
New Hanover County and other local officials are recommending interested volunteers to visit the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD). The North Carolina division of NVOAD — along with Virginia and South Carolina divisions — is currently actively taking volunteers.
You can register to volunteer with NVOAD here. The online form allows you to choose between a variety of volunteer activities, including shelter and supply distribution, case working, and clean-up operations.
NVOAD issues the following statement to all potential volunteers:
Volunteering after a disaster is difficult and often very stressful but without volunteers recovery is not possible. Neighbor helping neighbor is a deeply rewarding experience and our country is blessed with many individuals who will put aside their daily lives to assist others in need. Volunteers must be willing to work with survivors of all races, genders, orientations, religious affiliations, or nationality/legal status.
Donate goods and supplies
Many locals stocked up on canned goods, water, fuel, and other supplies before the storm — but not everyone ended up needing as much as they stockpiled.
Want to give back? Check New Hanover County’s emergency response webpage for options. The following locations are currently accepting donations:
New Beginning Church
3120 Alex Trask Dr.
Castle Hayne
- Accepting any and all items (i.e., non-perishable foods, water, pet food, diapers, wipes, baby food, cleaning supplies (bleach, disinfectants, mops, brooms, etc.), toiletries, and blankets)
Niche Store
3501 Oleander Dr.
Wilmington
- Accepting donations for disposable diapers and wipes
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Nourish NC
601 Greenfield St.
Wilmington
- Accepting food donations (i.e., snacks, tuna, soups, granola bars, pasta and sauce, bread, peanut butter and jelly, crackers and meals ready to eat)
9 a.m
Port City Community Church
250 Vision Dr.
Wilmington
- Accepting donations of disposable diapers and wipes
Southside Baptist Church
3320 S. College Rd.
Wilmington
- Accepting any donations, including cash/check donations
9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Windermere Presbyterian Church
104 Windermere Dr.
Wilmington
- Accepting any type of donations
Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Good Shepherd Center
811 Martin St.
Wilmington, NC
- Greatest needs currently: Bottled water, paper plates, sandwich materials, frozen pizza, breakfast pastries, grits, salt, yogurt, produce, washcloths and towels, thin blankets, bleach
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Dreams Center of Wilmington
901 Fanning St.
Wilmington
- Accepting general donations, call for times (910) 772-1501
Macedonia Missionary Baptist
3701 Princess Place Dr.
Wilmington
- Accepting general donations
St Stephen AME
501 Red Cross St.
Wilmington
- Accepting general donations, for details contact 910-762-9829 or Rev. Nixon 910-264-8805
Hours: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Donate online, safely
As Hurricane Florence was still approaching, many readers were already asking how they could donate financially. According to New Hanover County officials, the best way is through United Way’s 211 program. You can find information on the North Carolina 211 program here.
Many readers have also asked about more local — and more personal — fundraising and donations, especially GoFundMe campaigns.
According to GoFundMe spokesperson Katherine Cichy, “we’ve created a centralized location for verified campaigns created for those impacted by Hurricane Florence.”
The Hurricane Florence GoFundMe accounts can be found here; according to Cichy, the list is being updated regularly.
Cichy also offered some pointers for those who want to donate, but have questions:
- If a donor has a question or wants to know more about a campaign before they donate, they can reach out to our team or the campaign organizer directly through the GoFundMe page by clicking the envelope next to the campaign organizer’s name.
- If, when contacting the organizer directly on the GoFundMe page, you do not get a response or the response raises questions, report the campaign directly to GoFundMe by clicking “Report Campaign” on the GoFundMe campaign page.
Go Fund Me has a staff that monitor campaigns for fraud, and systems to protect those who with the best intentions from being scammed. If you see a Go Fund Me campaign that seems suspicious, you can notify them here.
Facebook also allows qualified accounts to fund raise. For questions about Facebook fundraisers, check out their FAQ.
Got an organization that’s accepting donations and volunteers in the Cape Fear Region? Let us know in the comments, or at news@portcitydaily.com.
Send comments and tips to Benjamin Schachtman at ben@localvoicemedia.com, @pcdben on Twitter, and (910) 538-2001.
