A Legacy of Generosity in Wendell

This week, ThriveMore received an extraordinary and deeply meaningful gift — a generous donation of land in Wendell, North Carolina, from Jimmy Faison.

Located just outside of Raleigh, the intent is for the property to one day be home to a new ThriveMore retirement community, expanding the organization’s ability to serve older adults across North Carolina and carry its mission into a growing region of the state.

But the story behind this goes beyond the surface of the land. It is about legacy, faith and a lifelong commitment to generosity.

A Legacy Rooted in Faith and Family

For Jimmy Faison, generosity was something he was raised to live out every day.

He grew up in his grandmother’s home on Poole Road in Wendell, alongside his parents, Grace Maddrey Faison and McGruda Arnold Faison, and his brother. The land they lived on and the values they practiced there shaped the foundation of his life.

His father farmed a modest tobacco allotment before taking on a demanding overnight job to provide for the family. His mother worked long days as a sales clerk. Through it all, the family remained rooted in hard work and compassion for others.

Jimmy spent much of his childhood alongside his grandmother, affectionately known as “Big Mama,” learning lessons that would stay with him for a lifetime. Among them was a deep respect for elders — a value that would later influence his desire to give back in a meaningful way to older adults.

“I was shown how to be generous with what the Lord had provided,” Jimmy said.

That lesson was reinforced by the people he loved most. As his parents and grandmother aged, they were able to remain at home — something they valued deeply. Their experience left a lasting impression on him about dignity, independence and the importance of how we care for older adults.

A Vision Years in the Making

Years later, Jimmy inherited a portion of the family land. He saw the potential to serve more than just his own family with the property.

With encouragement from his church and a longstanding interest in helping create a retirement community, the idea of using the land for a greater purpose took shape. After prayer, research and guidance, he was introduced to ThriveMore and saw an opportunity to turn that vision into reality.

He sought confirmation for what he felt called to do. The answer came through a passage of scripture that affirmed his decision to give generously from what he had been entrusted with.

Honoring a Shared Dream

The gift this week was also made with the help of another of Jimmy’s family.

Jimmy’s stepson, Walter Lloyd East, had hoped to contribute his own portion of land to the project. Though he passed away before he could complete that gift, his daughter, Patty East Harris, chose to honor his wishes by ensuring his land would be included.

She shared how deeply meaningful the opportunity was to him.

“He was just so excited about being able to donate this and the impact that it would have on the community,” Patty said.

Lloyd’s excitement and generosity were shaped, in part, by the example he saw in Jimmy, she said.

Growing the Mission Through Generosity

While many people think of philanthropy in terms of financial contributions, gifts like this — land, vision and trust — create opportunities to expand into new communities and reach more older adults in meaningful ways. ThriveMore offers a variety of opportunities to make a positive impact for older adults by giving to the Baptist Retirement Homes Foundation.

As plans begin to take shape for the future community in Wendell, it will build on ThriveMore’s longstanding commitment to serving older adults with dignity, connection and purpose — creating a place where residents can thrive.

A Lasting Impact

The land in Wendell has been part of the Faison family story for generations. Now, it becomes part of a new story — one that will serve older adults and families for years to come.

What began as a family home, a working farm and a place where values were passed down from one generation to the next will soon expand its impact exponentially. Because of this generosity, the impact will be felt far beyond the boundaries of that land — for generations to come.