North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey will distribute grant checks totaling $25,000 to five volunteer fire departments when he travels to Pitt, Pamlico and Jones counties on Wednesday, Jan. 19.
The grants are the result of a $500,000 contribution made by Blue Cross Blue Shield NC to help firefighters in North Carolina. Half of the contribution will be distributed in $5,000 grants to the 50 North Carolina volunteer fire departments that received the least amount of funding from local governments. The remaining $250,000 will go toward mental health education and treatment programs for North Carolina firefighters.
“It is an honor for me to personally be able to present these $5,000 grant checks, courtesy of Blue Cross Blue Shield NC,” Commissioner Causey, who is also the State Fire Marshal, said. “This money will help these needy fire departments to better protect their community. The coronavirus pandemic has presented an added challenge to their fundraising efforts.”
Here is Commissioner Causey’s public schedule for Wednesday, Jan. 19:
8:30 a.m. – Sharp Point Volunteer Fire Department 4975 Sharp Point Road, Fountain, N.C. 27829 (Sharp Point Volunteer Fire Department will receive a grant.) 10:30 a.m. – Olympia Volunteer Fire Department 500 Olympia Road, New Bern, N.C. 28560 (Vandemere and Olympia volunteer fire departments will receive grants.) 1:30 p.m. – Jones County Emergency Services 794 Highway 58 South, Trenton, N.C. 28585 (Phillips Crossroad and Comfort Rural fire departments will receive grants.)