A 75-Year Legacy of Care
This month marks ThriveMore's 75th anniversary, and as we kick off the celebration of this momentous occasion, we begin by looking at where we started. Since the beginning, ThriveMore’s story has been shaped by a simple but powerful belief: older adults deserve to live with dignity, purpose, and a deep sense of belonging. What began as a faith-led response to a growing need in North Carolina has grown into a network of communities and programs that continue to place people at the center of everything we do.
Our roots trace back to 1945, when Baptists in the Pilot Mountain Association partnered with the Baptist State Convention with a shared goal: to find better ways to care for older adults across the state. That spirit of compassion and service led, in 1951, to the founding of Baptist Homes for the Aging, the organization that would eventually become ThriveMore. Over the decades, our name evolved — from Baptist Homes for the Aging, to Baptist Retirement Homes in 1983, and finally to ThriveMore in 2021 — but our purpose never wavered. We have remained a faith-based, nonprofit organization, guided by a dedicated board of trustees who ensure that mission and values always come first.
As ThriveMore expanded, growth was never about scale alone — it was about responding thoughtfully to the changing needs of older adults and families. Our first campus, Taylor House, opened in 1953 in Albemarle and continues to serve residents today through assisted living and community-based programs like CARE Café. In 1989, Brookridge Retirement Community was dedicated in Winston-Salem. In 2001, Taylor Glen opened on 122 acres in Concord, reflecting a growing vision for holistic aging in a vibrant, campus-style setting. And these are just a few of the significant moments from our history; there's enough to write a whole book. (And that's just what we did. Watch this space for more info!)
Over time, additional campuses and services followed, each shaped by the same commitment to compassionate care and meaningful living. Today, ThriveMore serves older adults through four active campuses, ThriveMore at Home, and a range of programs that extend care beyond our physical walls and into communities across North Carolina.
In 2021, ThriveMore’s leadership and board of trustees came together for a strategic planning process that reaffirmed who we are and where we are going. The values that emerged — creating a welcoming, faith-based, and compassionate culture, and promoting active living and holistic aging — continue to guide our decisions today. These values are also the foundation of our tagline: Faith. Family. Fulfillment.
That commitment shows up not only in how we care for residents, but in how we support one another. The Baptist Retirement Homes Foundation, established in 2000, plays a vital role in advancing our mission. Through the Benevolent Care Fund, we are able to support residents who face financial challenges, and through the Hardship Fund, we stand alongside team members during times of personal crisis — because caring for people means caring for the whole person.
As ThriveMore continues to grow, our history acts like a living foundation. The same values that shaped our earliest days continue to inform how we design communities, expand services, and imagine what aging can look like when it is rooted in faith, connection, and purpose. Every story told within our communities today is part of that larger legacy that began with a simple calling and continues, more than 75 years later, with the same heart.