RALEIGH ─ The North Carolina Community Foundation (NCCF) continues to allocate grants from its Disaster Relief Fund to support relief efforts related to Hurricane Irene, which affected the state’s eastern and coastal regions, according to Rodney E. Martin, chair of NCCF’s grants committee and a member of the statewide board.

The NCCF’s Disaster Relief Fund has granted $15,000 to the Food Bank of the Albemarle and the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina to help with food distribution. Both of these food banks serve all of the counties affected by Hurricane Irene.

The Futrell-Mauldin Community Foundation for Greater Rocky Mount, an affiliate of NCCF, elected to make a $1,225 grant to the Salvation Army -- Rocky Mount Corps, and a $1,225 grant to United Community Ministries from its allocation from the NCCF Disaster Relief Fund.

NCCF is still collecting gifts for the statewide Disaster Relief Fund. Credit card donations can be made online through the NCCF website via the “Give Now” button or under the “Giving” tab at nccommunityfoundation.org or by downloading a contribution form from the site and mailing or faxing it to NCCF offices. (The fax number is 919-828-5495. The form or checks can be mailed to NCCF at 4601 Six Forks Road, Suite 524, Raleigh, NC 27609). Please designate your gift for “Disaster Relief.” All gifts are tax-deductible.

All funds go directly to nonprofit organizations serving the needs of local victims in counties served by the NCCF. Local affiliate foundations are determining the nonprofit agencies that can best provide assistance in their areas.

Since the April tornadoes, NCCF has raised more than $160,000 for the Disaster Relief Fund from throughout the state, country and even the world, according to NCCF CEO Jennifer Tolle Whiteside. No portion of collected funds is being used for the Foundation’s administrative or operational expenses, which the Foundation is also encouraging among local recipient agencies.

About NCCF

The NCCF is the single statewide community foundation serving North Carolina and has made nearly $63 million in grants since its inception in 1988. With more than $145 million in assets, the NCCF sustains over 1,000 endowments established to provide long-term support of a broad range of community needs, nonprofit organizations, institutions and scholarships. The NCCF partners with 60 affiliate foundations to provide local resource allocation and community assistance in 66 counties across the state. An important component of the NCCF’s mission is to ensure that rural philanthropy has a voice at local, regional and national levels.

For more information, visit nccommunityfoundation.org, contact the NCCF headquarters office in Raleigh at 800-201-9533 or email questions to info@nccommunityfoundation.org.

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News media contacts:

Kelly Lee, NCCF Coastal Plain Regional Associate

252-245-1794

klee@nccommunityfoundation.org

Noël McLaughlin, APR, Director, Marketing and Communications

919-256-6901

nmclaughlin@nccommunityfoundation.org