Hi! My name is Carrie. I met my wonderful husband, Brian, in 2015. We had a mutual connection through our commitment to family, faith, and an inner-drive to help others, especially kids. I have over fifteen years of experience in public education, and Brian has opened his home to numerous foster children and been through the adoption process with a sibling set of four. Our blended family includes nine kids and three grandbabies. Our family is beyond blessed, but we have also faced many physical and mental health challenges.
One element that we realized was missing in our lives was regularly spending time outdoors. Something so simple that can have a tremendous impact on a person’s well-being. We knew that this was a reality in many peoples’ lives, and we wanted to be a part of the solution. We wanted to design a nonprofit that would make outdoor events and programs accessible for teens and their families. Creating Coastal Carolina Outreach is our way of encouraging teens and families to enjoy the outdoors, spend quality time together, and reconnect with nature.
We also realize that many teens are struggling with mental health issues. We believe that social-emotional education, positive peer interaction, art/music, and spending time outdoors is a winning combination to promote brighter futures for teens in our community.
Our Bios:
Brian is a Navy veteran and a former detective with the Ocean Isle Beach Police Department. He currently operates two small businesses: Beachway Rentals and Coastal Carolina Firearms Training. He has opened his heart and home multiple times over the years to help kids. He has been a foster parent and been through the adoption process. He has also mentored at-risk young adults to set them up for success in life. Luckily for Coastal Carolina Outreach, he loves being out on the land preparing it for the nonprofit and is happy to share his business and accounting knowledge when Carrie gets stumped.
Carrie taught at the elementary level for over fifteen years with a master’s degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Supervision. After some serious soul searching, she realized that she needed to find better balance in her life. In December of 2021, she came to the realization that if their dreams for the land were ever going happen, she needed to throw herself whole heartedly into making the nonprofit a reality. So that is exactly what she is doing. She is a certified Group Life Coach and launched CCO’s first outreach program in April of 2022, Hope Rocks.
Brian and Carrie make a great team, and Coastal Carolina Outreach gives them the opportunity to combine their passions for the great outdoors, advocating for mental health, and helping teens and their families. We know that CCO is going to continue to grow and have a positive impact on our community.
Check out the article about CCO in the North Brunswick Magazine.