Friday, September 27, 2019 - 16:37 Sundae Horn

Artwork by Charley Shipe

We appreciate all your generosity to our little island community.

The response to Ocracoke's need has been overwhelming. Thank you! Thank you!

If you are looking for ways to help, here's how:

If you have a large collection of items to donate, or a group that wants to volunteer on the island, please email ocracokedisasterrelief@gmail.com and you will get a reply. Ocracoke resident Alicia Peel wandered into the Fire House (Ocracoke's command central) two days after the storm and asked if she could help, and she's been answering emails all day, every day ever since. She'll get to yours!

This gofundme account will be divided equally between the Ocracoke Lifesaving Church and Ocracoke United Methodist: Ocracoke Island Hurricane Dorian Relief.

Another great way to donate is through the Outer Banks Community Foundation, an organization that works with several Ocracoke's non-profits. This fundraiser will give 100% of the money to those in need and donors may designate Ocracoke to receive the funds. Donations can be made securely online by clicking here, or can be mailed to the Outer Banks Community Foundation at 13 Skyline Road, Southern Shores, NC 27949. Please write “Disaster Relief” in the memo line of your check, and specify whether your gift should be designated for Dare County, Ocracoke, or both. (Disaster gifts without a specified geography will be split 50/50 toward both communities.) For more information about how the funds will be distributed, click here.

If you are an off-island property owner whose home didn't get flooded, please consider allowing some of Ocracoke's hundreds of residents with flood-damaged homes to stay in your cottage. There are ~400 houses that currently have no power because of the flooding; most will need extensive electric repairs before they can reconnect to the grid. Send an email to ocracokedisasterrelief@gmail.com.

If you would like to help Ocracoke School rebuild, please mail donations to:

Hyde County Schools
Ocracoke School Donation
PO Box 217
Swan Quarter, NC 27885

To make a donation that will help the classroom teachers replace their classroom materials, please donate to Ocracoke PTA. Ocracoke School PTA also is accepting donations: Ocracoke School PTA, P.O. Box 626, Ocracoke, NC 27960. The Ocracoke PTA can now accept donations through PayPal at the account ocracokepta@gmail.com. All funds will go directly to teachers and students.

The Ocracoke Seafood Company/Fish House also needs to be rebuilt. If you'd like to help, please make a check to:

Ocracoke Working Waterman's Association (OWWA); write in the memo: "Donation for Fish House" (OWWA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit) Mail to:

OWWA; PO Box 1165; Ocracoke, NC 27960

There are also gofundme accounts created for individual residents and businesses. This is the best way to help a business recover because the church and community foundation funds can't go to support businesses. I have purposely left off businesses that had flood insurance.

Eduardo’s Taco Truck

https://eduardosocracoke.com/

Jimmy’s Garage

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-get-jimmys-garage-running-again

Crews Inn

https://www.gofundme.com/f/hurricane-dorian-support-for-ocracoke-island

Sno-Ball Stand

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-keep-ocracoke-sno-balls-alive

Ikey O’Neal

https://www.gofundme.com/f/1rhh49kh1c

Build a Ramp for the Gaskills

https://www.gofundme.com/f/build-a-ramp-for-the-gaskills