The Power Behind the Promise

The people who make up ThriveMore are full of generosity. Residents volunteer in their communities. Team members support one another through hardship. Donors invest in a mission they believe in.

Behind many of those acts of philanthropy stands an important source of support: the Baptist Retirement Homes Foundation.

Every year, gifts to the Foundation help strengthen ThriveMore's ability to provide high-quality care, support older adults facing financial challenges, invest in innovative programs and respond when unexpected needs arise.

“The Foundation serves hundreds of people every year in myriad ways, providing over $4M in benefits to people inside and outside our communities," said Kevin Cook, ThriveMore’s Chief Development Officer. “Whether that’s providing financial assistance and lifesaving medication, enhancing our communities, or supporting our team members, the Baptist Retirement Homes Foundation is a critical pillar of support for seniors across the state.”

Those benefits take many forms. Gifts to the Foundation support older adults in need, enhance programs and places that improve quality of life for residents and support ThriveMore’s caregiving team.

In short, the Foundation gives ThriveMore the flexibility to respond when needs arise and to put people first.

Where benevolent care happens

What does that look like in real life? The answer can be found across ThriveMore's communities, but one of the most visible examples is Brookridge in Winston-Salem.

This year, benevolent care at Brookridge has averaged approximately $120,600 each month, impacting about 60 residents per month. In fact, Brookridge accounts for roughly two-thirds of all benevolent care expenditures across ThriveMore.

Behind those numbers are real people and real situations.

Sometimes benevolent support helps a resident remain part of the community after outliving their financial resources. Other times, it helps cover services, therapies, equipment or healthcare needs that may not be fully covered by insurance. It can also help support older adults and families with limited financial means who still need access to high-quality care.

For Tatum Myers, Executive Director of Brookridge, that's what makes ThriveMore different when it comes to providing healthcare.

“The foundation helps support the work we do, so that everyone has access to quality healthcare,” she said.

Brookridge is an “open campus,” meaning it admits people from the broader community, welcoming individuals who need rehabilitation, skilled nursing care and other healthcare services, not just those already living on campus as part of the life plan community.

That commitment to serving the broader community reflects ThriveMore's longstanding mission as a not-for-profit organization. While many senior living providers carefully weigh financial considerations before expanding access to care, the BRH Foundation provides an additional layer of support that helps the organization focus on what residents need most.

"We are able to provide quality healthcare with the help of our benevolence fund," Tatum said.

A Mission That Extends Beyond Our Communities

The Baptist Retirement Homes Foundation's work reaches beyond benevolent care alone.

Foundation support also helps fund initiatives that strengthen communities, support team members during times of hardship and expand programs that improve the lives of older adults across North Carolina. Efforts such as the employee assistance fund, access to lifesaving medications for seniors in need, community enhancement projects and other mission-driven initiatives all contribute to that broader impact.

For donors, that means a gift to the Foundation does more than support a single project.

It helps ensure that ThriveMore can continue responding to changing needs, caring for people with dignity and investing in the future of aging services across the state. Visit our giving page to learn more about how to get involved.

The Power Behind the Promise

At its heart, the Foundation exists for one simple reason: to help ThriveMore keep its promises, caring for people with compassion and excellence.

Most donors will never meet the individuals whose lives are touched by their generosity. They may never see the therapy session, medication, support service or financial assistance their gift helped make possible.

But they can know this: every gift strengthens ThriveMore's ability to care for older adults, families and team members when they need it most.

And that support continues to make a difference every single day.

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