ROCKY MOUNT – The nonprofit North Carolina economic development group Golden LEAF has announced more than $2.5 million has been approved for disaster recovery projects for Ocracoke Island and other coastal North Carolina communities affected by recent hurricanes.
Golden LEAF’s board of directors approved the grants during their meeting last week, the organization announced Monday.
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“Golden LEAF is dedicated to the long-term economic advancement of North Carolina,” Golden LEAF President and CEO Scott T. Hamilton said in a statement. “Our Board and staff work hard to get funding out the door and at work in the communities we serve.”
The following projects were approved for funding:
Hurricane Dorian
- $500,000 to Hyde County to build a new EMS station on Ocracoke Island. The existing station was flooded during Hurricane Dorian.
- $125,000 to Hyde County to replace the trams used to support the passenger ferry. The trams were destroyed by floodwater on Ocracoke during Hurricane Dorian.
- $900,000 to Hyde County schools for the repair and elevation of several buildings at the Ocracoke School campus, which was flooded by Hurricane Dorian.
- $278,000 to the Ocracoke Foundation of Hyde County to support the replacement of the main dock in the Community Square. The dock was destroyed during Hurricane Dorian.
- $277,400 to the Ocracoke Foundation to support repair of the Ocracoke Seafood Co. building. The building, maintained by the Ocracoke Foundation, was damaged during Hurricane Dorian.
Hurricane Florence:
- $50,000 to the Bald Head Island Conservancy, a nonprofit environmental research and education group, for the replacement of windows and the repair of a conference room area damaged as a result of Hurricane Florence.
- $300,000 to Pender County for the relocation of the boiler and other electrical components from the courthouse basement, which was flooded during Hurricane Florence.
- $34,727.97 to Swansboro for the the replacement of a backup generator at the public safety building. The existing generator failed during Hurricane Florence.
Hurricane Matthew:
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- An increase in funding to an existing award by $70,164.92 to Beaufort County to address increased costs for installation of two backup generators at critical water facilities. The county nearly lost water during Hurricane Matthew.
The announcement also included grants for job-creation projects in Catawba and Watauga counties.
The foundation also has a special initiative available to help connect dislocated workers to jobs to address urgent workforce needs. Applications are due by noon March 6.
The foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to receive a portion of North Carolina’s funding received from a 1998 settlement with cigarette manufacturers. Its Disaster Recovery Grant Program is funded through state appropriations to make grants to governmental entities and 501(c)(3) nonprofits to repair or replace infrastructure and equipment damaged or destroyed by hurricanes Matthew, Florence, Michael and Dorian.
