In one of our earliest stories about the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, we spent time on Ocracoke detailing the damage to the island community. Ocracoke UMC and the church’s parsonage sustained extensive damage from Dorian. The church was partially underwater; much of the sanctuary floor, along with pews, hymnals, and other items had to be removed. We are excited to share that repairs are ongoing to the church, including raising the church to hopefully prevent flood damage from future storms.
Cape Hatteras United Methodist Men (CHUMM) continue to be valued partners in the work of recovery on Ocracoke. They have recently undertaken a project to mitigate the impact of repetitive flooding on mobile homes on Hatteras Island. Dennis Carroll, a member of CHUMM, shared that “[t]he focus of the project is raising mobile homes since there are no governmental programs for lifting manufactured homes. Many of these on Hatteras Island are owned by young working families or seniors who face repeated flooding but have few options for moving, raising, or replacing their homes . . . After a COVID-19 delay, CHUMM has completed the first of what is hoped to be about a dozen elevated homes.” Disaster Ministries is partnering with CHUMM to provide case management and screening for applicants to ensure that resources are being used well.
Want to know how can you help? We want to hear from you! Contact the Disaster Ministries Call Center to find out about our current volunteer opportunities. Email disaster@nccumc.org or call 888-440-9167 for more information.