• Nathan Lawson

Neighbors Helping Neighbors after Hurricane Dorian

Ocracoke, N.C. (September 9, 2019)--A light blue SUV drove into the parking lot of the Ocracoke Fire Station where The Salvation Army was serving meals for residents impacted by Hurricane Dorian. Couches, clothes, mountains of mattresses, and other debris littered the street leading to the fire station, evidence of the storm that blew through the Outer Banks of North Carolina just two days before. Ocracoke resident Carol Paul got out of the van, first stopping to pick up clean-up supplies from the community center and then hot meals from The Salvation Army to deliver to her neighbors.

“Thank you for the hot meals you are providing our community,” she said with a smile. “When I came back to the Island, there was destruction everywhere! No power, people’s belongings were all over. I was lucky. My cars were not swept away by the storm. But some of my neighbors….they weren’t as lucky.”

Pastors from The Salvation Army prayed with Carol and she turned to begin her deliveries of hot food and supplies to her neighbors.

As she walked away, the breeze was blowing gently and waves were lapping the shore. Nature had seemingly returned to normal, yet normal will take weeks for the residents here as they recover from Dorian. In the meantime, small things are of the utmost importance. A hot meal. Cleaning supplies. An air-conditioned community center. Charging stations for mobile devices.

The Salvation Army is on Ocracoke Island and other places along North Carolina’s Outer Banks, serving residents who are restoring their lives after Hurricane Dorian. We are there to provide a meal and a cold drink and hope dring a difficult time. We are The SALVATION Army, here to meet human need in the name of Jesus Christ without discrimination.

The Salvation Army of North and South Carolina is uniquely positioned to support people affected by Hurricane Dorian. Our network of trained disaster staff and volunteers are deployed to several locations across all potentially affected areas, in preparation to provide food, hydration, clean-up kits, hygiene supplies, and emotional and spiritual care to first responders and survivors.

If you would like to donate towards Hurricane Dorian Relief Efforts, please call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769) or you can donate online at helpsalvationarmy.org