Organizations Support the Well-Being of Residents in Winston-Salem, NC

CJMW Architecture

Whether expanding access to services or fostering multigenerational opportunities, organizations in Greater Winston-Salem are all about serving the community. 

Rendering: Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

Convenient Care 

Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist has major plans in store for its eye institute, which is set to open in 2026 in the Innovation Quarter. 

“Since we opened our current ophthalmology space in 1992, we now see patients from the Triad, northwest North Carolina and a five-state region, and have grown to more than 100,000 ophthalmology visits each year across Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist,” says Dr. Craig Greven, chair of ophthalmology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and senior vice president of medical group practices at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist. 

The new location at 635 Vine St. will serve both adults and children and will offer convenient access, ample parking and approximately 165,000 square feet of space, including waiting areas, exam rooms and surgical facilities. 

“Our team handles everything from routine eye needs to some of the most complicated eye conditions and diseases,” Greven says. “As our population continues to age, the need has never been greater for a world-class eye institute to meet the current and future needs of our community and region.” 

The eye institute will also provide more opportunities for patients to participate in clinical trials and will help support the training of the next generation of health care providers. 

“This convenient, new location will build on the momentum of the Innovation Quarter and open up new collaborations that will benefit patients and our community for generations to come,” Greven says. 

Strengthening Families 

Imprints Cares, a local nonprofit serving children from prenatal through middle school, is partnering with Brookridge Retirement Community to create a multigenerational child care center on the grounds of Brookridge. A first-of-its-kind for the area, the Center for Thriving Children will open in 2026 and will serve Brookridge employees as well as the wider community. 

“When Reed VanderSlik, the president and CEO of ThriveMore, parent organization of Brookridge, approached us about this partnership, he knew the importance of on-site child care for his staff,” says Betty West, director of expanded learning at Imprints Cares. “We are also excited about his work and research showing how important it can be when the elderly population can intermingle with the very young. So, our model will create a very rigorous volunteer program where Brookridge residents will volunteer within our center.” 

Beyond the benefits to Brookridge staff and residents, West says the center will serve the entire community, providing child care for 225 children ranging from age 6 weeks through pre-K, plus before- and after-school care. 

She says addressing child care needs supports the community in broader ways, too. 

“To attract new residents here, we have to have thriving businesses, and that means having thriving child care facilities,” she says. “Imprints Cares has been a quiet pillar of this community for many years, and now, we are stepping forward as a leader in providing a workforce solution for families. This is our ongoing work – building community and strengthening families.” 

Creating Healthier Futures 

For several years, Novant Health and the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina have worked together to improve the health and well-being of residents across the region. This strategic partnership primarily focuses on underserved and rural communities, with a goal of expanding access to care. 

To further that goal, Novant Health recently opened a community care clinic, Novant Health Winston Lake Family Medicine, inside the newly renovated YMCA REACH Center at Winston Lake. 

“The renovated YMCA REACH Center is a catalyst for improving all lives in spirit, mind and body,” says Darryl Head, CEO of YMCA of Northwest North Carolina. 

The 1,500-square-foot clinic offers convenient access to routine primary care services, care for illness or injuries, treatment for chronic conditions and on-site X-ray and lab testing for patients ages 5 and up. 

“The REACH Center is a beautiful illustration of what can be accomplished when we work together to create a healthier future for the communities we serve,” says Alisha Hutchens, president of Novant Health’s acute care facilities in the Triad Region and president of Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center and Novant Health Medical Park Hospital. “Ultimately, our goal with this fully integrated clinic is to not only improve access to care, but to establish trusted, health-centered relationships with the people who live, work, exercise and play right here in east Winston-Salem.”