July 29, 2003 - On this date, five parishioners of a local Church met to discuss and define incremental steps necessary to establish a unified way to equitably distribute aid to those in our community seeking emergency assistance.
Since that initial meeting - our vision changed dramatically, as we now have a strong collaboration between both ministry and community. Every day the ICO unites new partners within faith congregations, outreach organizations, businesses and government agencies.
Established in January 2004 and recipient of nonprofit 501c3 status in February, 2005 - The Interfaith Community Outreach (ICO) Volunteer group works hand in hand with various Dare and Currituck County faith congregations and many public and private organizations to provide individuals and families with emergency “gap” services and assistance.
Together we can - Provide one central location where coordinating efforts can be made to satisfy emergency requests. Maintain the dignity of the person making requests. A central historical database of requests will ultimately give us a clearer picture of the actual needs of our community and will discourage and eliminate the possibility of fraud and abuse that is so often associated with those requesting assistance from our community and churches. Track the needs of our community and be sure that services, funds, energy and efforts are not duplicated. Help those in need, such as the working poor, the undocumented, the elderly, the physically challenged, the single parent and those who otherwise do not qualify for governmental assistance.
ICO promises to - Ensure a caring and effective response to requests through our well-knit system of volunteers and networked partners. ICO volunteers promise to assist anyone in need, regardless of ethnicity, creed, sex or age. No denominational emphasis is made in any part of the ministry of this organization; rather, ICO freely responds in a caring manner to all who seek assistance
