Duke Energy supports North Carolina emergency response organizations with $500,000 in storm preparedness funds

• HERO grants will fund emergency preparedness equipment and first responder training to support local efforts
• Funding will benefit 20 vital disaster response organizations, including local government agencies and nonprofits

CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As North Carolina communities prepare for storm season, Duke Energy today announced new support for preparedness initiatives led by local emergency response organizations across the state.

What's happening: Twenty government agencies and nonprofits are receiving Duke Energy Foundation grants of $25,000 to fund severe weather preparedness measures. These Helping Emergency Response Organizations (HERO) grants will help prepare community resources, emergency responders and residents for major storms.

Why it matters: Natural disasters have caused catastrophic impacts across North Carolina in recent years, spanning from the coast to the western mountain region. With another heightened storm season predicted, collaborative response planning will play a critical role in supporting communities. Duke Energy Foundation is empowering local organizations that know their communities best with the resources they need to be successful.

By the numbers: Duke Energy Foundation has supported more than 100 local emergency response organizations during the past five years with more than $1.8 million in grant funding to advance storm preparedness in North Carolina.

What they're saying

• Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy's North Carolina president: "Last storm season underscored the resilience of our North Carolina communities. Proactive collaboration with local emergency response organizations is necessary to ensure that communities are prepared to maintain that resilience. We are committed to helping equip our growing state with the tools necessary to stay safe during the upcoming storm season."
• Tommy Batson, Pender County Emergency Management Director: "Pender County, along with many coastal communities/counties, is one disaster from losing the communications we use every day. Tropical Storm Helene hit western North Carolina in the fall of 2024 and the everyday radio communication, cell service and internet were lost. Pender County, along with many other agencies from across the country, had never seen this. This grant from Duke Energy will help us bridge this gap during the next event."
• Tony Ray, Town of Beaufort Fire Chief: "The support from the Duke Energy Foundation is a vital investment in the safety of our community. This grant allows us to provide essential training and equipment for our firefighters, ensuring we're better prepared to respond to emergencies and protect the lives and property of Beaufort's residents, especially during natural disasters."
• Don Mail, Wake County Board of Commissioners Vice Chair: "Emergency preparedness starts at the individual level. When all residents have access to the resources that will keep them safe during a crisis or natural disaster, our whole community becomes more resilient. We are incredibly grateful to our partners at the Duke Energy Foundation for supporting this important work by investing in equity and safety in Wake County."

Grant recipients

• Anson County
• Town of Beaufort
• Belews Creek Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department
• Buncombe County
• Cherokee County Emergency Management
• Gastonia Police Foundation
• County of Granville
• Henderson County
• Jones County Emergency Management
• Lee County Emergency Management
• McDowell County
• Pender County Emergency Management
• Piedmont Triad Regional Development Corporation
• Town of Pittsboro
• City of Raleigh
• Rockingham County
• Rowan County Rescue Squad
• Town of St. Pauls
• Wake County Government
• Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry

Duke Energy Foundation

Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $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 8.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,100 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious energy transition, keeping customer reliability and value at the forefront as it builds a smarter energy future. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including natural gas, nuclear, renewables and energy storage.

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.

Contact: Garrett Poorman

24-Hour: 800.559.3853

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SOURCE Duke Energy