Charlotte, NC, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Duke Endowment announced today that it is committing $15 million to help meet immediate relief needs in western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina following Hurricane Helene.
From the $15 million, initial grants totaling $7.5 million will support two funds established to work with trusted organizations across the Carolinas. Five million will go to the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina’s Emergency and Disaster Response Fund, which serves 18 western N.C. counties through local nonprofits. Another $2.5 million will go to the Central Carolina Community Foundation’s One SC Fund, which works with nonprofit organizations to provide food, housing and other relief in South Carolina.
"It has been overwhelming to see the devastation in Western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina," said Charles C. Lucas III, chair of The Duke Endowment’s Board of Trustees. "Our hope is that these initial dollars will go towards addressing short-term and urgent needs for those affected. As the region transitions to recovery and rebuilding, this is the right way to start.”
Staff will be vetting organizations that might receive the remaining $7.5 million of immediate relief funding. Beyond immediate relief, the Endowment expects to consider additional funding for longer-term recovery and rebuilding, said Rhett Mabry, president of The Duke Endowment.
“It is not hyperbole to say this is a once-in-a-century disaster,” Mabry said. “With so much work ahead to respond, recover and rebuild, our team continues to be in conversation with partners and other funders about how we can best work together to address the devastation in these communities.”
About The Duke Endowment
Based in Charlotte and established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private foundation that strengthens communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits. Since its founding, it has distributed $4.8 billion in grants. The Endowment shares a name with Duke University and Duke Energy, but all are separate organizations.
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