United Way presents funds to help agencies post-hurricane

March 25-- Mar. 25--The Belgrade Community Building is a hub of activity for the Onslow County community and there is rarely a day that it isn't in use, whether for the county's seniors program or kids gathered after school.

On Monday, the Belgrade Community Action Association got a little help in its work to provide programs and services for residents of the community and operate the building that is home base for their activities.

The organization was one of 11 partner agencies to receive a part of the more than $180,000 awarded by the United Way of Onslow County to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence.

Belgrade Community Action Association was awarded $15,859.37.

"Every little bit helps," said board member Brennan Williams. "Being a partner agency with United Way, we're working together to serve our community."

Brigade Boys & Girls Club received $18,662.10 and all of the funds will be for the benefit of its programs in Onslow County.

"We are so grateful to the United Way and the Jacksonville community for supporting us," said Bill Mercer, chairman of the county board of directors and vice chairman of the regional board for Brigade Boys & Girls Club. "The wonderful thing about this money is that it will go directly to the children and directly toward the advancement of our families."

The United Way of Onslow County has committed more than $220,000 to Hurricane Florence disaster relief efforts to date and continues to take applications for assistance through the disaster relief fund for individuals and agencies that were impacted by Hurricane Florence.

While it has been six months since the storm, the need remains great, said United Way of Onslow County President Raquel Painter.

Painter said they continue to receive applications and will provide assistance for as long as funding is available.

Painter said there are residents who are still displaced and others who are still finding out what insurance or FEMA may cover as they rebuild or make repairs.

"We're focused on every part of the community we can; individuals, individual agencies that may have been impacted and our partner agencies," Painter said.

The funds distributed Monday were designated to help in the additional operational costs incurred by Hurricane Florence, repairs for those agencies that lost resources to carry out their mission, and ongoing recovery efforts.

Onslow Women's Center was hit hard by the storm and its shelter for victims of domestic violence has been closed ever since.

The shelter facility received extensive water damage and a full renovation project is underway.

The $17,067.05 the organization received Monday will go far as it reaches the final stretch of the project and hopes to open soon.

"We are so grateful. This money will go a long way toward our shelter renovation project," said OWC co-director Brenda Vega.

Reporter Jannette Pippin can be reached at 910-382-2557 or Jannette.Pippin@JDNews.com. For digital subscription information, click here.

___

(c)2019 The Daily News (Jacksonville, N.C.)

Visit The Daily News (Jacksonville, N.C.) at www.jdnews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.