Ahead of hurricane season, Duke Energy Foundation awards $500,000 to strengthen storm preparedness across North Carolina

• Since 2016, the Duke Energy Foundation has given more than $8.9 million to support emergency preparedness and storm response in North Carolina

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- With the 2026 hurricane season beginning June 1, the Duke Energy Foundation is awarding $500,000 in grants to 20 nonprofit and local government partners across North Carolina to strengthen emergency preparedness, improve coordination during severe weather and support faster, safer recovery for communities statewide.

Our view

• Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy's North Carolina president: "Preparation saves lives and shortens recovery. By investing in trusted local partners across North Carolina, we're helping communities strengthen emergency readiness before storms hit and ensuring responders have the tools they need when every minute counts."

Positive response

• Allison Taylor, regional executive, American Red Cross North Carolina Region: "The American Red Cross is grateful to Duke Energy for investing in the readiness of our region. Their support helps families and communities better prepare for storms and other disasters across the Carolinas."
• Lacy Pate, director of Disaster Recovery and Grant Assistance, NCACC Member Services Foundation: "We're grateful to the Duke Energy Foundation for its investment in the 100 Counties Prepared program. Because disaster recovery begins and ends at the local level, this support strengthens the readiness of county leaders – equipping them with the tools, relationships and knowledge to improve coordination, build resilience and respond when it matters most. With stronger local capacity, counties will be better positioned to act quickly, coordinate effectively and support their communities through every phase of storm response and recovery."
• Chief Andy Lipscomb, Davie Rescue Squad: "We are incredibly grateful to the Duke Energy Foundation for their generous $25,000 investment in Davie County's storm preparedness and rapid response capabilities. These funds will directly support the Davie Rescue Swiftwater Team by enhancing equipment and operational readiness for severe weather and flooding events. Partnerships like this strengthen our ability to protect lives, respond quickly during emergencies and better serve the citizens of Davie County when they need us most." 

High-impact investments: Funding will be used to:

• American Red Cross: Support disaster preparedness, response and recovery programs across North Carolina, including volunteer training, emergency sheltering, supplies and community education
• Burke County: Repair a rescue boat and purchase a drone to improve water-based response, wildfire monitoring and overall emergency response capabilities
• Caswell County: Build and equip a mobile shelter support unit with essential supplies and equipment to improve shelter readiness and operations during emergencies
• City of Winston-Salem: Build a mobile shelter support unit with a trailer and supplies to enable faster deployment and operation of emergency shelters during storms and power outages
• Cleveland County: Install a new outdoor warning siren in an unserved area and relocate an existing siren to improve emergency alerts and public safety during severe weather
• Craven County Emergency Services: Purchase a drone to support search and rescue operations and conduct rapid damage assessments following storms
• Davie Rescue Squad: Purchase upgraded swift water rescue equipment and protective gear, along with supporting advanced training for responders
• Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians: Deliver a multiday, contractor-led training program to strengthen incident planning, coordination and response capabilities among regional emergency responders during storm
• Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa: Develop and pilot a scalable Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) starter kit, including training materials, equipment and instructor development, while launching and equipping a new CERT team in Swannanoa
• Henderson-Vance Emergency Operations: Purchase chainsaws and PPE for debris removal, expand shelter supplies and provide disaster preparedness kits and training to residents
• Hoke County: Replace outdated interoperable radios to ensure reliable emergency communications during storms and power outages
• Huntsville Volunteer Fire Department: Purchase a UTV and fire rescue skid unit to improve access and response capabilities for wildland fires and remote rescues
• Information Technology Disaster Resource Center: Install permanent communications infrastructure at priority resiliency hubs, expand connectivity for vulnerable populations and document a scalable model for disaster-prone communities
• Johnston County Emergency Services: Purchase and distribute 250 storm preparedness kits with essential supplies to help vulnerable residents better prepare for severe weather and power outages
• Lawsonville Volunteer Fire Department: Purchase a fully equipped traffic control trailer to quickly secure hazardous areas, manage roadway safety and respond more efficiently during storm-related emergencies
• McDowell County: Equip emergency response vehicles with wildfire suppression tools, protective gear and specialty equipment to improve wildfire mitigation, response and community resilience
• Moore County: Create a mobile disaster shelter support trailer stocked with supplies to expand shelter capacity and improve deployment during emergencies
• North Carolina Association of County Commissioners Member Services Foundation: Expand a statewide storm preparedness initiative by supporting regional trainings, developing planning materials, and providing hands-on technical assistance to county leaders.
• Orange County: Install additional flood monitoring sensors to improve real-time data collection and early warning alerts in high-risk flood areas
• Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry: Complete targeted home repairs that address storm-related structural risks for low-income homeowners, improving safety and reducing future damage and emergency incidents

Duke Energy Foundation
Duke Energy Foundation provides nearly $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.  

Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,700 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an energy modernization strategy, keeping customer value at the forefront as it invests in electric grid upgrades and efficient generation resources to strengthen the system and serve growing energy needs.

More information is available at duke-energy.com. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook for stories about the people and innovations powering its communities.

Contact: Madison McDonald

24-Hour: 800.559.3853

SOURCE Duke Energy