2nd Annual Outer Banks Volunteer Week — Community Impact

October 10-17, 2026

From October 10-17, 2026, the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau brought together visitors, residents and second homeowners for the 2nd Annual Outer Banks Volunteer Week. The event encourages a deeper connection with the community through volunteer service alongside local organizations, supporting a range of projects and events. As part of the Bureau’s growing year-round Voluntourism program, Volunteer Week supports local partners, encourages off-season visitation to Dare County and showcases the continued work required to care for the Outer Banks.

The weeklong 2026 program offered 16 ways to volunteer with 11 Dare County nonprofit organizations and municipalities. Participants claimed more than 140 volunteer spots and contributed more than 200 hours to projects that included beach and town cleanups, arboretum and outdoor classroom improvements, trail maintenance and event assistance.

Volunteer registration and updates were managed through VolunteerOBX.com. The Bureau’s online hub gives Dare County nonprofits and government entities free tools for recruiting, scheduling, managing and communicating with volunteers and community members. It also gives people a way to search for and sign up for volunteer opportunities suited to their schedules and interests.

The following organizations helped make Outer Banks Volunteer Week possible by offering varied ways for people to serve the community:

• Bluegrass Island Music Festival
• Dare County Master Gardeners
• Dare Education Foundation
• Friends of Jockeys’ Ridge State Park
• Island Farm / Outer Banks Conservationists
• Outer Banks Seafood Festival
• Outer Banks Sporting Events
• Outer Banks Relief Foundation
• The Nature Conservancy / Nags Head Woods
• Town of Duck
• Town of Kitty Hawk

Looking Back: 2025 OUTER BANKS VOLUNTEER WEEK

The inaugural Outer Banks Volunteer Week took place from October 11-18, 2025. Appreciation goes to the organizations that supported and participated in that first event:

• Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation
• Town of Duck
• Town of Kitty Hawk
• Town of Nags Head
• Island Farm
• Outer Banks Relief Foundation
• Dare Extension Master Gardeners
• Outer Banks Sporting Events
• Bluegrass Island Music Festival

Additional Voluntourism Resources

• About Voluntourism
• Plan Your Volunteer Week Trip
• Outer Banks Accommodations
• Visiting the OBX in the Fall
• Responsible Travel
• Make the Outer Banks Promise
• Outer Banks Long-Range Tourism Management Plan
• 'Voluntourism on the OBX' Video Series
• Elizabethan Gardens
• Friends of Jockey's Ridge
• Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station
• Beach Food Pantry
• Outer Banks SPCA
• Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
• Town of Duck Sweep
• OBX Community Foundation
• Protecting What We Love, Together
• Responsible Travel on the Outer Banks
• OBX Stewardship Bucket List
• Get Involved on Your OBX Vacation

The Outer Banks Promise

The Outer Banks Promise encourages responsible conduct, protection of the area’s natural environment and cultural heritage, and stronger stewardship and safety. This voluntary commitment invites residents and visitors to help safeguard the Outer Banks for future generations. We invite you to make your Promise today!