Department of Social Services
2026 Operation Santa Claus Program
Our 2026 Operation Santa Claus program, administered by Currituck County Department of Social Services, helps provide Christmas gifts to local families with children and children in foster care.
The application window for Christmas assistance will be Monday, October 19, 2026, through Wednesday, November 25, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Applications must be requested and submitted to the DSS office.
Must be a Currituck County resident and meet eligibility criteria for assistance.
You can help by:
- Sponsoring a family and purchasing gifts
- Donating money or gift cards
- Partnering as a referral organization
- Supporting the Food Basket Program for elderly and disabled adults
November 8, 2022 – Notice of Proposed Settlement in Franklin et al. v. Kinsley, formerly known as Hawkins et al. v. Cohen.
March 1, 2019 – Hawkins v. Cohen (5:17-CV-581 E.D.N.C.) is a federal lawsuit filed in 2017 on behalf of Medicaid beneficiaries in North Carolina. This case concerns improper terminations of Medicaid benefits. Read the lawsuit’s Public Notice in English or Spanish
The Currituck County Department of Social Services is a county administered, state supervised service delivery agency funded by federal, state and county revenues. The mission of the Currituck County Department of Social Services is to provide an array of essential social services to the citizens of Currituck County that will support self sufficiency and self-reliance through education and jobs that will endeavor to prevent abuse, neglect or exploitation of children or the elderly, and will support enhanced self worth.
A team of social workers, income maintenance caseworkers, management personnel, and support staff work to provide County citizens:
- Economic and Social Work services
- Public assistance programs
- Assisting families in achieving self-sufficiency
- Protects children from neglect and abuse and investigates complaints
- Coordinates foster care, health support, and adoption services for children
- Licenses foster care homes
- Assists senior and disabled adults in their efforts to lead independent and productive lives
- Administers Food Stamp, Medicaid, Energy, and Work First Family Assistance program
- Protects elderly and disabled adults from abuse, neglect and exploitation, and investigation of these referrals
- Child care services
