Thanks and Giving: How to give to Pamlico County

Author

Andrea Bruce
December 02, 2024

The following organizations provide a wide range of services to residents of the county who are in need of help. Community leaders, along with Towndock , helped me create this vetted list of nonprofits. If you can afford to do so, please consider making a donation. Thank you!

Students at Youth Navigating Toward Opportunity practice a dance. Photo by Andrea Bruce

“Youth Navigating Towards Opportunity is a homegrown community organization that mentors and caters to the needs of young people, who are often below or at poverty level and frequently classified at-risk, in order to provide vital aid and resources, such as school supplies, tutoring, public education, etc., in an attempt to inspire and provide a safe, productive outlet for the youth within our community.” Read about one of their many programs, the Snapshots, here.

Donate on website or by mail:

YNTO

PO Box 216

Bayboro NC 28515

“Bike Box Project is dedicated to giving hope to people with Parkinson's disease, particularly those in our local community, by raising awareness and funds to meet their needs and the needs of their caregivers.” Read about Melinda Penkava-Smith and her fight here.

Donate by website.

“Our mission is to deliver free nutritious summer lunches to underserved children and their families in rural Pamlico County, who live in food insecure areas, and we strive to provide "random acts of kindness" in our communities through fundraisers that support the mission of local nonprofits.”

Especially know for the yearly Jamal Jones Motorcycle Memory Ride for Sickle Cell Awareness.

"We strive to bring together the whole community, parents, teachers, and child care providers, to create positive change for our children." Read the story here.

Donate online (link above) or by mail:

Pamlico Partnership for Children

702A Main Street

Bayboro, NC 28515

Hope Clinic provides free medical care to more than 1,000 uninsured Pamlico County residents.

Donate by above link or by mail:

P.O. Box 728

Bayboro, NC 28515-0728

252-745-5760

“Celebrating Creativity, Culture, and Community in Pamlico County”

Donate on website

The workshop has a longstanding commitment to enriching the lives of children by providing a structured arts program led by an exceptional, and carefully chosen, theater arts Drama Coach.

Donations can be mailed to PO Box 493, Oriental NC 28571 or made online

Heartworks *volunteers needed

Working with “our most troubled families and provide the guidance and resources needed to stop the cycles of poverty, abuse, and violence.” Read the story here.

Donate online (link underlined above) or by mail:

Heartworks

709 Main Street

PO Box 365

Bayboro, NC 28515

Phone: 252-745-9703


Raises money for scholarships for people with Sickle Cell disease for college and support for medicine, gas cards, rent and transportation.

Donate online with link above.

An event sponsored by the Pamlico Musical Society at the Holt’s Chapel Community Center. Photo by Andrea Bruce

The HCCC, on Janeiro Road, was a Rosenwald School for Black students from its construction in the 1920s through the 1960s. It reopened as a community center and regularly holds events for their community.

Read about them here.

Donate by mail:

P.O. Box 616

Oriental, NC 28571

Vandemere, NC. Photo by Andrea Bruce

This organization continues to help people who have suffered the damage of storms, winds and hurricanes in our region. Read about some of the folks they have helped here.

Donation link above, or contact:

Bob Fuller - 919-606-6371

Linda McDonald - 252-229-0437

“Imagine Pamlico is a non-profit organization of people who believe in Pamlico County and its potential. Imagine Pamlico is a listening body, hearing local people and interested stakeholders express their hopes and visions for Pamlico County. Imagine Pamlico is a group that will come alongside existing efforts, helping create new ways to grow and expand Pamlico County to reach its full potential.”

Donation link here.

Donate to our county’s new library! Friends of the Pamlico County Library. Photo by Andrea Bruce

“Friends of the Pamlico Library is leading the development of a modern, multi-use library that serves as a true community resource center.”

Donate here or by mail:

Friends of the Pamlico Library

Pamlico County Library

603 Main Street

Bayboro, NC 28515

“For over 30 years, Pamlico Community College Foundation Inc. has supported the mission and goals of the College in providing accessible and affordable, high-quality workforce education.”

To donate, link above, or:

call between 8-12:30 Mon-Thur you can call 252-249-1851, ext. 3006

Donate by mail:

Pamlico Community College Foundation

PO Box 185

Grantsboro, NC 28529

“The North Carolina Coastal Federation works to protect and restore coastal water quality and habitats throughout the North Carolina coast by collaborating with and engaging people from all walks of life who are committed to preserving the coast for current and future generations.”

Donate through link above or by mail:

North Carolina Coastal Federation

3609 N.C. 24

Newport, NC 28570.

Or call 252-393-8185

This program is based in New Bern, but serves Pamlico County families who have suffered domestic violence.

Donations may be made on-line at the Coastal Women’s Shelter website

At the Pamlico County Heritage Center, a Living Wax Museum was put on to celebrate Black History month in partnership with YNTO. Photo by Andrea Bruce

Pamlico County Heritage Center *volunteers needed

A local resource for Pamlico County History. See photos from one of their events here.

Hospice of Pamlico County  *volunteers needed


The Hospice of Pamlico County gives in-home comfort and care for the terminally ill.

Donate online or by mail:

602 Main Street

PO Box 6

Bayboro, NC 28515

Phone: 252-745-5171

Bayboro Development Center’s mission is to assist and improve the quality of life for individuals who have been incarcerated and are returning to our community. Read about the Center here.

Contact Vennie Himbry at [email protected]

Grief support for youth and families in crisis.

[email protected] or 252-285-4726

Special Olympics North Carolina is one of the largest Special Olympics programs in the world with nearly 40,000 registered athletes who train and compete in year-round programs in 20 different sports. Learn more about the difference between Special Olympics, the Paralympics and the Olympics. 

“We take in dogs from shelters/puppy mills or abuse/neglect situations (from Pamlico County) where the animals have had no veterinary or medical care. When PAWS commits to helping an animal into the New Leash on Life program this can include knowing that medical conditions are our responsibility.”

Donate directly on their website.

Also, consider sponsoring a dog in the NLOL program for more information contact Jackie at 252-649-5504, Kathy at 703-819-8835 or Sue at 252-626-3899.

Sound Rivers is a nonprofit organization that guards the health of the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River Basins.

Donate online with link above.

Habitat works to build homes for low-income residents in the county.

Send donations to:

PO Box 3

Grantsboro, NC 28529

(252) 745-0609

The Unique “Keepers of Community” of Pamlico County: Holding the Community Together

Pamlico County Fishes and Loaves Outreach, feeding the County. Photo by Andrea Bruce

PCFLO feeds the hungry in Pamlico County. Read about some of their work during the pandemic here.

Donate by mail or online:

PCFLO

P.O. Box 771

Oriental, NC, 28571

Sound of Salvation Ministries

Direct-to-client food pantry, Coaching/ Mentoring Service, Free Notary Services.

Donations:

PO Box 32

Grantsboro NC 28529

Reelsboro Harvest Pantry

c/o Reelsboro PH Church

Donations:

221 Neuse Road

New Bern, NC 28560

Horses of Pamlico **volunteers needed

Specializing in animal rescue, specializing in large animals like horses.

They are also looking for volunteers to visit the horses or help with farm repairs. They would like to have regular volunteers who can commit to at least one day a week. No experience with horses necessary. Must sign a waver. Read about them here.

Text Sharon Vandiford for more information, 252-474-7838

Horses of Pamlico. Photo by Andrea Bruce

They need more volunteers to help build handicap access ramps at the homes of some of Pamlico’s older residents. Senior Services provides the materials while volunteers led by Tim Balfour construct one ramp every month.

Contact Tim at 745-3247 to offer a hand for the next project.

This all-volunteer group stages events that bring performers to Oriental’s Old Theater. Some of those artists also visit the schools, and share the music with younger ears. Pamlico Musical Society has kept the ticket prices affordable thanks to a combo of grants and donations.

P.O. Box 805, Oriental, NC 28571

(252) 617-2125

This annual fall event in Oriental has become a huge attraction for the county. Its organizational committee would like to expand it to include a diverse list of performers.

Hooverville plays at the Ol’ Front Porch Music Festival. Photo by Andrea Bruce

“Oriental’s Old Theater first opened its doors as a movie theater in 1946, and served as a social entertainment center until the late 50s. It was revitalized and reopened in 1995, providing a venue where performing arts can thrive in Pamlico County.”

Donate online or send checks to the Old Theater Corporation:

PO Box 521, Oriental, NC 28571

Neuse Neighbors Network is a local, non-profit organization dedicated to helping seniors “age in place”.

You or your organization can contribute to Neuse Neighbors Network’s Sponsorship fund in any denomination to help these seniors. Donate online by clicking here, or send a check to Neuse Neighbors Network Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 408, Oriental NC 28571.

For more information on the benefits of membership in Neuse Neighbors Network, the Sponsorship program, or volunteering your time, call 252-665-8807, email [email protected] or visit neuseneighbors.helpfulvillage.com.

Dottie Gray Ambulance Fund/Oriental Regional County Ambulance 

The Dottie Gray Ambulance Fund and ORCA help fund emergency care in the Oriental area.

Donations for this charity are written out to “NCCF/Dottie Gray Ambulance Fund” and sent to the Dottie Gray Ambulance Fund, NC Community Foundation, 3737 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 460, Raleigh, NC 27612

Prime Time

Prime Time provides services and activities promoting the physical, social, mental and spiritual well-being of the “50 plus” community in Oriental and surrounding areas, helping residents sustain their independence and quality of life.

Send donations to: PO Box 70, Oriental, NC 28571.

For more info about the Prime Time program or how you can volunteer, call Debora Steenson, Prime Time Director at 252-675-0909.

Pamlico Community College Foundation

This foundation raises funds for scholarships and financial aid for students at Pamlico Community College. Those funds from PCCF help students who might not otherwise afford it, take this first step toward a degree.

Send donations to: Pamlico Community College Foundation, PO Box 185, Grantsboro, NC 28529

Pamlico County Foundation for the Aged, Inc. 

PCFA is a non-profit foundation which raises funds to help local elderly people in need. When money budgeted by the County has been depleted, PCFA steps in to fund the delivery of nutritional midday meals, or the building of exterior home ramps.

It also supplies electric fans in summer and other such needs for the health and well-being of senior citizens throughout the year.

Donations may be made to Pamlico County Foundation for the Aged, Inc., PO Box 184, Alliance, NC 28509.

Oriental, NC. Photo by Andrea Bruce

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