North Carolina Submarine Foundation

Supporting Submariners & Their Families | Advancing Maritime Workforce Development

The North Carolina Submarine Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to North Carolina’s three active-duty U.S. Navy submarines — USS Asheville (SSN 758), USS Charlotte (SSN 766), and USS North Carolina (SSN 777).

How We Support Our Submarine Families

When an SSN deploys, communication can drop to near zero. No calls. No texts. No routine reassurance. Months can pass with limited contact while submarines operate far from U.S. shores.

At home, families absorb the full weight of daily life alone — raising children, managing finances, navigating medical issues, handling home repairs, and making critical decisions without immediate support. Their steadiness directly underpins operational readiness.

We work alongside Family Readiness Groups (FRGs) to ensure those families are not carrying that responsibility unsupported. Our support is structured, practical, and sustained:

Raising Public Awareness: Highlighting the families’ essential role in sustaining mission readiness.
Fundraising & Registry Support: Assisting with fundraising efforts and fulfilling registries and requested items for morale initiatives such as halfway boxes.
Community Resource Connection & FRG Engagement: Connecting families to requested community resources while maintaining active involvement within FRG communications.
Rapid-Response Assistance: Providing timely support when urgent needs arise.

Group of five women standing in front of a “Merry Christmas” banner during a holiday event supporting Navy submarine families

Three children sit along the shoreline in Pearl Harbor, waving toward a distant U.S. Navy submarine returning to port.

Chris Perrien with Family Readiness Group (FRG) members at a U.S. naval base in Hawaii, standing outdoors under blue umbrella

U.S. Navy submariner in uniform smiling and hugging a young girl during a homecoming or family day event on base.

Crew of USS Charlotte (SSN 766) gathered on the surfaced submarine during deployment in open ocean.

Group of U.S. Navy submariners in dress whites gathered at a submarine ball, possibly in Guam or San Diego, representing USS

How We Support Sailors

Submarine service is demanding and often requires prolonged periods at sea—underwater and beyond routine communication. The average submariner is just 25 years old and is responsible for operating one of the most advanced machines in the world.

We ensure they have the support they need—on and off duty—through:

Recognition & Morale: Homecomings, send-offs, and appreciation initiatives that reinforce pride and unit cohesion.
Morale Shipments & Crew Support: Care packages, personal letters, and crew-branded items delivered aboard ship in partnership with community supporters to sustain connection during deployment.
Career & Skill Development: Workforce pathways, industry partnerships, and transition support for life beyond active service.
Honoring Their Service: Preserving their legacy and educating the public on their role in safeguarding national security.

A Vision for the Future

Our STEM Education and Workforce Innovation Center (SEWIC) in Wilmington, NC, will preserve the proud history of North Carolina's three namesake submarines as they retire from active service, as well as celebrate the service of their crews and families. Our Navy projects a need over the next 10 years for 250,000 skilled workers to both construct and maintain the submarines and surface ships already funded.

The SEWIC will engage, in an interactive and individually tailored manner, a wide range of visitors: tourists; gamers; young adults aspiring to hands-on careers in technology; and North Carolina STEM educators seeking annual certification. A visitor will be immersed in the experiences of operating, living, and sailing in the depths of the ocean aboard a nuclear-powered U.S. Navy submarine.

The intended reaction after such a visit is, "Wow! This is amazing. And I can be part of this!"

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