Since Crossnore’s founding, our mission has been to provide hope and healing to children. Some 100 years later, as our 2021-2023 Strategic Plan comes to a close, it’s no surprise that this mission remains the foundation of the work we do. Building on that, we’ve developed new and exciting ways to expand and enhance our mission to serve even more children and families.
Our application for a brand new charter school on our Winston-Salem campus has been approved by the State Board of Education, with a target opening date of August 2025. We’ve hired our first employee in the Metrolina region, working to grow our services there. And in Hendersonville we’ve just completed the purchase of permanent office space, as we are bursting at the seams in our current
building. Our Center for Trauma Resilient Communities continues building trauma-resilient communities, engaging more than 70 organizations in 2023 alone. Additionally, we’ve raised more than 96% of our $41 million goal as our comprehensive campaign, The Promise of Home, reaches the finish line this September.
This expanded work and the resulting transformed lives are more than worth every dime, drop of sweat, and the occasional tear. As we look toward the next few years, we focus on sustaining this great progress. We look toward fortifying these programs, continuing our wide reach, while ensuring the deep roots needed for 100 more impactful years to come.
You have been an integral part of this exciting period of growth, and we’ll count on you to be a vital part of the depth work to come. Certainly, we could not do it without you—our friends, supporters, and donors. As always, we invite you to come and tour one of our campuses, share our mission with your friends and family, and explore our website to learn more about how to get involved.
Thank you for partnering with us on this incredible journey.
Many blessings,
Brett A. Loftis, JD Chief Executive Officer
2021-2023 Strategic Goals
When we entered 2021, Crossnore Communities for Children had developed a strategic plan based on the following goal:
Crossnore Communities for Children will strengthen and expand our ability to serve North Carolina's most vulnerable children with an array of research-based services in a financially sustainable way. Our focus is on the children in the child welfare system, including those who are at risk of entering and transitioning out of the system.
Based on this goal, we developed the following strategies:
Strategies
We have accomplished much in these last three years and invite you to read about Crossnore's growth and innovation in the following pages.
Operations & Infrastructure
Strategic Plan Srategy 1: Develop strong internal operations and infrastructure to support a $20M agency with a wide array of services and locations.
Opened the Stuart & Emma Thomas Memorial Trail in partnership with the Boston Thurman Community and the Piedmont Land Conservancy. Expanded our DEIB strategy, engagement, and learning opportunities in partnership with our Center for Trauma Resilient Communities.
Increased the green space on our Winston-Salem campus through environmentally supported abatement and demolition of the Stockton, Grey, and Norfleet Buildings.
Implemented a new Electronic Health Record System, expanded payroll access through Paycor, and improved our network fiber system.
In 2023, Crossnore’s Operations Division—which includes DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging), Facilities, Finance, Human Resources, and Information Technology—worked extensively to improve our infrastructure, our safety measures in support of our children, teammates, and our collective communities.
Completed more than eight building renovations on both the Winston-Salem and Avery campuses. Streamlined and digitized our fleet management system and increased our fleet inventory, thanks to Reynolds American.
Installed digital access door systems on our WinstonSalem campus and security cameras and safety signage for the Thomas Memorial Trail. Digitized campus safety incident reporting systems and hired a Winston-Salem campus security guard.
Programs
Strategic Plan Strategy 2: Optimize existing programs and innovate to meet the changing needs of our clients and outside constituents.
Crossnore Communities for Children first began the Bridging Families program in 2021 with one pilot home on the Avery Campus. Since then, the program has expanded to ten homes throughout our catchment area.
Throughout the year, Bridging Families witnessed unprecedented growth and expansion across various dimensions:
Impact: In 2023, Bridging Families efforts made a tangible difference in the lives of children and families and the unique structure of the program has allowed for prioritizing keeping sibling sets together. Crossnore Communities for Children is in process of assessing expansion plans throughout the state.
As we reflect on the accomplishments of 2023, we are grateful for the unwavering support of our donors, partners, and dedicated staff. Together, we will continue to work to fulfill our mission and provide children and families with a sanctuary of hope and healing.
Home Openings: The Bridging Families program opened 5 additional homes in 2023:
With a focus on innovation, collaboration, and holistic approaches, Homebuilders embarked on a journey of transformative change, leaving a lasting imprint on the lives of individuals and communities.
The Homebuilders program began serving families in October 2021, and since then has served 62 children. Homebuilders provided services in five counties in the Triad region: Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Rowan, and Surry.
During our Homebuilders placement prevention services, 96% of cases have been effective in avoiding placement of children in foster care during and at the end of intervention. During our 6 month follow-up check-ins, we also found 89% of
children had been able to continue to stay with their families, without entering the foster care system.
The Homebuilders program has a bright future ahead, and the team is buzzing with optimism. As of January 1, 2024, we are contracted with NCDHHS as the Homebuilders service provider for Region 3. This region adds Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Davie, Durham, Orange, Person, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, and Yadkin counties to our service area. The Homebuilders Team is currently recruiting staff to cover the expanded reach. With this expansion, NCDHHS estimates that the program will service roughly 150 families per year.
Brand: Crossnore Communities for Children Rebranding
Strategic Plan Strategy 3: Grow the Crossnore brand as the regional leader in high quality, holistic child welfare services and innovative organizational training and consulting.
In the fall of 2020, Crossnore contracted with Winston-Salem firm, MCreative, to answer the strategic goal of growing the Crossnore brand as a regional leader in high quality, holistic child welfare services. Since Crossnore had experienced tremendous growth since 2015, first with the merger of The Crossnore School in Avery County and The Children’s Home in Winson-Salem, and shortly afterwards, the opening of an office in Hendersonvillle, it was important to honor the brand created by the Crossnore name while acknowledging significant growth.
After extensive research and interviews with Board members, staff, clients and community partners, a new message was created to describe Crossnore’s services. With that message in mind and knowing that a safe home is built through ongoing collaboration and commitment, Crossnore moved to update its name to reflect the belief that collective engagement among diverse communities is essential to healing and fostering resilience in children.
Today, Crossnore Communities for Children is a state leader in child welfare services, an innovator in improving the systems in which hurting children live, and a partner with communities, through the Center for Trauma Resilient Communities, to create healing ecosystems of resilience and support.
Every child deserves the promise of home.
Scan the QR code to watch our powerful video, and visit crossnore.org to learn more about how you can help children find home.
Brand: The Promise of Home Comprehensive Campaign
Significant growth requires significant resources. In 2022, Crossnore quietly launched The Promise of Home Campaign to expand and enhance where children live, learn, and heal. With a goal of $41 million over three years, we embarked on a journey to invest in three overarching priorities: where we serve children, how we transform lives and the administrative gears that keep us moving.
With more than 60% of the Campaign goal pledged or donated, in the summer of 2023, Crossnore launched the public phase of The Promise of Home Campaign. To date, Campaign support has launched new programming, completed much needed renovations to campus buildings, secured permanent space in Hendersonville, and ensured the creation of a new public charter school on the Winston-Salem campus.
With less than a year left in the Campaign, Crossnore is focused on three remaining priorities:
• Completing a $3 million matching gift challenge to support the Crossnore Community Charter School in Winston-Salem.
• Raising the remaining dollars needed to renovate the new permanent office, therapy, and training space in Hendersonville.
• Securing funding to ensure foster children served by Crossnore have enriching and meaningful experiences that will last them a lifetime.
Winston-Salem Campus Charter School Opening August 2025
The Promise of Home in Her Words
With questions about The Promise of Home Campaign or how you can be involved, please contact: Brandon Cathey, Senior Director of Development, at (336) 721-7600 or bcathey@crossnore.org.
Recently, Crossnore Trustee and Campaign Co-Chair, Katheryn Northington wrote a guest column published in the Winston-Salem Journal on the need for systems change and the work Crossnore is doing in that regard. Scan the QR code to read this excellent piece. There's still so much important work to be done. We hope you'll join as we wrap up these last months of our Campaign.
Brand: CTRC
Created by and in partnership with Crossnore, the Center for Trauma Resilient Communities (CTRC), nationally renowned for its trauma-informed practice in the service of children, families, and communities, creates healing ecosystems grounded in science, learned in collaboration, and measured by outcomes. The team supports individuals, organizations, and communities as they recognize the often unspoken long-term wounds of adversity and trauma, helping them achieve healthier internal cultures. In this way, CTRC, along with Crossnore, is helping build healthier families and communities for all.
CTRC's National Reach
Brand: CTRC cont.
2021 - 2023 CTRC Highlights
• CTRC concludes their 5-year work in Louisville, KY, collaborating with other organizations in the area to build a more trauma-responsive city. They trained 551 individuals at 72 different agencies and supported 91 Champion Trainers who trained 2,978 individuals over the five years.
• CTRC celebrates their 5th anniversary in March of 2023.
• Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools - CTRC trained social workers, educators, SEL coaches, and administrators (and more) in trauma-informed practices. Of the 157 trained, more than 20 continued their training with CTRC to become WS/FCS Champions.
• CTRC launches the Western North Carolina Trauma Resilient Communities (WNCTRC) Project in Henderson County, an initiative to embed and embody the science of trauma resilience with both individuals and organizations in Western NC.
• Kate B. Reynolds (KBR) Foundation Work - In Winston-Salem, CTRC has trained over 185 community members over the three years. In addition, CTRC has ongoing coaching and consultation with 26 community champions.
• Executive Director, Lina Pasquale, elected as new Board Chair to the national Campaign for Trauma Informed Policy (CTIPP) in 2023.
• CTRC and partner organizations launch We Heal Together-Winston-Salem, a 4-year collaborative community partnership, funded by a national SAMHSA grant, to promote resilience, equity, and trauma-informed approaches in East Winston-Salem.
We heal together.
Crossnore’s Center for Trauma Resilient Communities supports individuals and groups to embed and embody the science of trauma resilience within their communities.
We envision communities that are trauma-responsive , resilient , and healing-centered . To find out more, visit traumaresilient.org.
2023 Annual Report
Community Foster Homes
Meet the Martin Family
When Rob and Kristen Martin were ready to grow their family from one child to more, they decided to get involved with foster care. After careful consideration and witnessing the dedication and excitement of Crossnore staff, they decided to pursue licensing with our agency. Rob and Kristen were also inspired after hearing Crossnore's CEO, Brett Loftis, speak and saw him personally living out Crossnore’s mission in his own life. “That was a big deal to us,” says Kristen.
In the Fall of 2019, they got a call about a sibling group of three boys. And then found out about their sister. “They said, ‘Surprise. There’s also a baby girl, and it’s a package deal,’” remembers Rob, laughing. Over a period of several months, the Martin family of three went to a family of seven!
Obviously rapid family growth and parenting children from hard places are not easy. But the Martins, of course, argue that it's worth it. And they've never been alone. Kristen and Rob say that therapy has made a huge difference in all their lives. They have been especially grateful for the Crossnore therapists who have been willing to come to their home for sessions. “It’s hard when Rob is on shift to figure out how to get one to therapy and what to do with the others during the appointment. Crossnore has been so great to come to our home to make it easier on me,” says Kristen.
Crossnore is honored to walk side-by-side with all of our foster families, helping provide whatever support they may need. We're so thankful for you, Martin Family!
Residential Foster Care & Bridging Families Family Preservation & Tailored Care Management
Tailored Care Management
Tailored Care Management is designed to provide personalized and coordinated care for people living with complicated physical and behavioral health needs.
The Crossnore Team served 185 children last year:
• Making sure that the child’s academic goals were met.
• Finding resources in the community for recreation, housing, transportation, and other basic needs.
• Building a network of people who could support the family.
• Making sure that the members of the child's team were communicating with each other frequently.
Therapy Services
In addition to serving our residential clients, outpatient and school-based therapy services are available to members of the community. Referrals are accepted from local schools or the Department of Social Services. Licensed therapists help children and families learn new strategies to address challenges, break ineffective patterns, evaluate difficult decisions, and overcome obstacles in order to lead a more fulfilling life together.
1,787
Avery Therapy Sessions
4,886
Winston-Salem Therapy Sessions
2,727
Hendersonville Therapy Sessions
487
Psychiatry/Medication Management Visits
555
Individual Clients Served
Crossnore Communities for Children Board of Trustees
Celebrating Generosity
Crossnore Communities for Children salutes the many donors who made a financial commitment to our organization between October 1, 2022 and September 30, 2023. The lists on our website represent the more than 3,100 individuals, churches, and corporations who believe in and support the mission of Crossnore Communities for Children. Thank you for your love, generosity, and continued loyalty to the children of Crossnore.
To view our donor lists, scan the QR code or visit: crossnore.org/donor-lists
HOPE is published once a year and serves as the Annual Report of Crossnore Communities for Children. Despite our efforts to ensure accuracy of the names listed in the Annual Report, errors do sometimes occur. If your name has been ommitted or misprinted, please accept our sincerest apology and notify us so we can correct the record. With questions about HOPE, please contact Patrice Williams, Director of Communications, at (336) 721-7600 or pwilliams@crossnore.org.
THE ANNUAL REPORT is a publication of Crossnore Communities for Children's External Relations Office.
DATA COMPILATION: Crossnore Communities for Children Staff
PHOTOGRAPHY: Staff and friends of Crossnore Communities for Children
DESIGN AND INFOGRAPHICS: Patrice Williams, Director of Communications & Viktor Hernandez, Visual Production Manager
B. Kelly Graves Traci D. Royster Saribeth Dozier
Katheryn Northington
Chair Vice-Chair Secretary Treasurer
Mike Barker
Kim Belk
Jonathan Blanco
Bick Carwell, Jr.
Julia Chandler
Anna Choi
Tom Dale
Cathy Fields
Harvey Freeman
Charles O. Izard
Donna McNeil
April Ruffin-Adams
The Crossnore School Children's Foundation Board of Directors
Ted Laporte Chair Jonathan Blanco Vice-Chair Rush Dickson, III Secretary/Treasurer
Saribeth Dozier B. Kelly Graves Katheryn Northington
Charles O. Izard
The Executive Leadership Team
Brett Loftis, JD Chief Executive Officer
Caroline Hart, CFRE Chief External Relations Officer / Deputy Director
Sarah Norris, Ed.D, MBA Chief Program Officer
The External Relations Division
Brandy Banner
Administrative Coordinator
Peter Berry
Miracle Heights Manager
Angela Bollo-Higgins
Regional Director of External Relations
Brandon Cathey Senior Director of Development
Andrew Florence Director of Experiential Learning
Lisa Fort
Regional Development Officer
Caroline Hart Chief External Relations Officer & Deputy Director
Larry Haythorn Donor Relations Coordiantor
Shana Heilbron Executive Director of External Relations
Viktor Hernandez Visual Production Manager
Lucia Higgins Senior Development Officer
Kim King Regional Manager of Community Engagement
David P. Riggins Tracy D. Royster
Steve Shelton
Henry Stokes
Austin Szyperski
Trip Wheeler
Chip Williamson
Lina Pasquale, MA, MA.PSY, CWC
Executive Director, Center for Trauma Resilient Communities
Angela Woods, JD, MBA Chief Operating Officer
Kim Marshall Annual Giving Coordinator
Jennifer Pantoja-Paredes Visual Design Coordinator
Elizabeth O’Hagan Regional Manager of Community Engagement
Amy Price Communications Manager
Lila Riley Regional Director of External Relations
