Local nonprofit struggling weeks after Tropical Storm Debby

Nearly three weeks after Tropical Storm Debby barreled through North Carolina, one Raleigh nonprofit still feels its effects.

Note in the Pocket provides clothing to students in Wake and Durham counties, with people donating clothes while volunteers sort the items to get the clothing out the door.

Debby disrupted those services as it moved through the state, and the organization said they’re still struggling. According to the organization, the storm knocked out power, damaged a transformer and left a leaky roof behind.

“As soon as the power outage, we had to cancel all our volunteer groups,” executive director Dallas Bonavita said. “We’re 99% volunteered powered.”

Bonavita said Note in the Pocket canceled over 300 volunteer assignments at the center, which Bonavita said translated to more than 1,000 volunteer hours. Now, staffers and current volunteers are working overtime to compensate.

“So often, clothing that was coming to us was diverted and donated elsewhere, so it’s a big lack of clothing donations,” she said. “We have nothing being processed in the pipeline to get the clothing ready, so it’s on the shelves.”

On Thursday, Note in the Pocket had power restored, but now the group says they are weeks behind on work and need more clothes and volunteers to get what children need.

“It’s going to take volunteers to process donated clothing and a steady supply of donated clothing to help us catch up and keep up,” Bonavita said.

Note in the Pocket is asking anyone wishing to start a clothing drive to contact them here.