In 1980, long before conversations around crisis support were part of the public dialogue here in Dare County, a young woman named Beth Storie recognized a need that others had yet to name.

After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill with a degree in Psychology, Beth moved to the Outer Banks and began teaching swimming and lifesaving lessons at the Old Nags Head Cove indoor pool. There, she built connections with two very different groups: teenagers and older women.

What she heard from both revealed a shared reality. Young women spoke quietly about pregnancy and relationships, unsure where they could turn in a close-knit community where privacy was limited. Older women shared struggles with alcoholism, loneliness, and domestic violence, often without trusted support systems.

Beth realized that the issue was not a lack of strength, but a lack of safe space. The Outer Banks needed a confidential resource where people could reach out, ask questions, and be heard without fear or judgment.

With a notebook full of ideas and a clear sense of purpose, Beth began laying the foundation for what would become Outer Banks Hotline.

She met with local leaders, healthcare providers, and community members, building support one conversation at a time. When she presented the idea to the Town of Manteo, momentum began to grow. One commissioner, Eddie Green, pledged his annual salary to help bring the vision to life.

Mt. Olivet Methodist Church in Manteo offered an upstairs Sunday School room as the organization’s first home. There, a small group of eight trained volunteers began answering calls each night.

In June 1980, Hotline officially launched.

The early work was simple in structure, but profound in impact.

Each evening from 7 to 10 p.m., volunteers sat beside a single phone, offering a listening ear, emotional support, and reliable information. There was no call forwarding or advanced technology - just people showing up, ready to listen.

Guided by Beth and other local professionals, volunteers were trained in active listening and peer counseling. Their role was not to give advice, but to offer something just as meaningful: presence, understanding, and options.

The community contributed to the effort in ways both seen and unseen. Radio station WOBR donated airtime, other local businesses hosted fundraisers and volunteers contributed thousands of hours. A simple yellow sticker with the Hotline Crisis Line - 473-3366 - began appearing across the Outer Banks, quietly signaling that help was available.

There were challenges as well. Not everyone was comfortable with a resource that created space for difficult, often private conversations. Still, the need was clear, and the commitment never wavered.

As the community came to rely on Outer Banks Hotline, the organization evolved to meet growing demand.

Initial grant support from the Public Works Foundation and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation provided stability and made it possible to expand services. Around that time, a new idea took shape that would influence the organization’s future: a small thrift store called Second Time Around in Manteo, which created an additional funding stream for Hotline services. What started modestly has since grown into multiple locations across the Outer Banks, becoming an essential part of sustaining the mission.

Innovation continued in other ways as well. One community member created a manual call-transfer system that allowed volunteers to answer calls from home. This expanded access and extended the hours volunteers could contribute, making it possible to reach more people in need.

From the beginning, Outer Banks Hotline has been powered by people - neighbors helping neighbors, volunteers showing up night after night, and partners offering space, funding, and trust. Beth Storie’s vision was never about building an organization around one person, but about creating something the community could carry forward.

And they did.

What began as a single phone line in a church classroom has grown into a trusted, comprehensive resource serving individuals and families across the Outer Banks.

Today, Outer Banks Hotline has evolved into Hotline Outer Banks, reflecting both a refreshed identity and an expanded scope of services. The organization continues to meet the community’s needs through crisis intervention, advocacy, shelter, and support for those experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

While much has changed over the past five decades, one thing has remained constant: the belief that no one should have to face a crisis alone.