Raquel Painter is a Marine Corps veteran that served over 26 years for our country and now serves as the President of United Way of Onslow County. Raquel is a dedicated, passionate and committed member of our community. She serves our community in a variety of roles to help every resident thrive. She is a member of the Jacksonville Onslow Civic Affairs Committee playing an active role in all Civic Affairs recognition ceremonies. Raquel led the 2020 Census for the community’s nonprofit organizations. She chairs the Onslow Strong Disaster Recovery Alliance, which she co-founded after the devastating destruction of Hurricane Florence. OSDRA was selected and nominated as a 2020 Golden Rule Lightkeeper Award winner and recently awarded the Governor’s Award for Volunteer Service. She chairs the Onslow Veterans Pow Wow, which she founded in 2020 to bring Native American culture awareness to our community. Raquel is a Rotarian and currently serves with the Richlands Rotary Club. She serves on the Steering Committee for the Turning Adversity Into Success for Children in Onslow (TASCO). TASCO is working to eliminate child abuse and neglect through community education, awareness, intervention and advocacy. She is also an active member in the Military Affairs Committee through the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce. She serves on the Jacksonville Onslow Welcome Home Council which assist returning citizens from incarceration. Raquel is North Carolina’s 2021 Combat Female Veteran of the Year. She was named Onslow's Women of the Year for 2021. Raquel received the President's Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award in 2023. She was a 2023 Women of the Year nominee for the Onslow NAACP. Raquel was the recipient of the 2024 League of Women Voter's Military Service Award. It is truly an honor to have her lead the United Way of Onslow County team!