SECU Foundation and North Carolina Coastal Federation Collaborate to Protect Coastal Communities

SECU Foundation and North Carolina Coastal Federation(NCCF) are teaming up to help protect and enhance five North Carolina coastal communities through a three-year expansion of NCCF resilience projects. The Foundation’s advocacy for their valuable work brought a $250,000 challenge grant to directly support the development of programs to build coastal resiliency, reduce vulnerability to environmental threats, and strengthen local infrastructure and economy.

NCCF serves the coastal zone of the state, which includes 20 counties and over 100 municipalities that have areas struggling with poverty, extreme racial disparity, and economic inequity. Of the 20 counties, 14 are in Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties. In 2022, NCCF restored over seven acres of oyster reef and nearly 2,000 acres of wetlands, cleaned up nearly 420 tons of marine debris, and mobilized over 600 volunteers to support this work.

“This project is a wonderful opportunity to proactively support coastal communities by protecting and restoring our state’s coastal areas that are threatened by environmental and economic challenges,” said SECU Foundation Executive Director Jama Campbell. “This valuable and important work will help sustain community infrastructure and ensure future cultural and economic opportunities for residents, visitors, and our state.”

“Over the past four decades, the Federation has helped dozens of local governments plan and implement projects that support the community and the ecosystem, ranging from salt marsh restoration, watershed plans, living shorelines, and more. These projects make our communities more resilient to storms and sea level rise and bring federal dollars to support coastal improvement projects. We’re grateful for the leadership support of SECU Foundation in launching this new partnership,” said Coastal Federation Executive Director Todd Miller.

Projects like this are funded by SECU members through SECU Foundation and provide opportunities for local branch staff to volunteer and engage with non-profits for community initiatives, such as with NCCF for coastline cleanups and living shoreline projects.