Live Oak Bank Grant Supports Lower Cape Fear LifeCare Hospice Nurses, Addresses Growing Care Shortage in North Carolina

Key Points

• Live Oak Bank is highlighting how a $300,000 grant awarded in 2024 has supported the Lower Cape Fear LifeCare Scholars program, which trains and retains hospice and palliative care nurses in southeastern North Carolina.
• The program has achieved strong outcomes, including high retention, expanded patient access, and a growing pipeline of specialized nursing talent.
  
  

WILMINGTON, N.C., March 31, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Live Oak Bank is highlighting the impact of a $300,000 grant to the Lower Cape Fear LifeCare Scholars program. LifeCare Scholars is designed to recruit, train, and retain registered nurses in hospice and palliative care, strengthening the essential healthcare workforce across southeastern North Carolina.

LifeCare Scholars offers a six-month residency to new graduate nurses, blending classroom learning, mentorship, and hands-on clinical experience to help registered nurses transition into hospice and palliative care at no cost to participants.

Proven Impact and Measurable Outcomes

Launched in 2021, the program’s continuity was secured by a 2024 grant from Live Oak. The initiative has already delivered meaningful, measurable results, including:

• Nine nurses graduated from the LifeCare Scholars program
• A 78% retention rate at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare
• More than 1,000 patient visits per nurse annually, expanding access to hospice and palliative care
  
  

These outcomes help stabilize the local healthcare workforce while improving access to specialized care for patients and families.

Live Oak Bank’s Commitment to Workforce Development

“At Live Oak, we champion workforce programs that strengthen our local talent pipeline," said Kate Groat, head of corporate philanthropy at Live Oak Bank. "LifeCare Scholars is doing exactly that: training skilled nurses and expanding access to quality care where it's needed most.”

Live Oak’s support of LifeCare Scholars is part of its broader workforce development commitment. The bank’s philanthropic approach is focused on initiatives that help individuals build meaningful careers with family-sustaining wages, benefits, and upward mobility, while bolstering essential services across the region.

Strengthening Regional Care for the Future

“This partnership with Live Oak is an investment in the people who care for our community. By supporting and preparing the next generation of nurses, we are helping ensure patients and families continue to receive compassionate, high-quality care when they need it most," said Gwen Whitley, president and CEO of Lower Cape Fear LifeCare.

About Live Oak Bank 

Live Oak Bank, a subsidiary of Live Oak Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE: LOB), is a digitally focused, FDIC-insured bank serving customers across the country. Live Oak brings efficiency and excellence to the banking process, without branches, by using a focused approach to technology and innovation. To learn more, visit liveoak.bank.

About Lower Cape Fear LifeCare

Lower Cape Fear LifeCare is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing compassionate, high-quality hospice, palliative, and memory care services to patients in southeastern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina. For more than 45 years, the organization has served as a trusted community resource, helping individuals and families navigate life-limiting illnesses with comfort and dignity. Rooted in compassion, excellence, and comprehensive support, we remain committed to making a meaningful difference for every patient, family, and community we touch. Learn more at LifeCare.org.

Contact:

Madison Carlos
Live Oak Bank, Corporate Communications
910.386.6616 
madison.carlos@liveoak.bank

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