WS Chronicle

Last week more than 1,000 people from all walks of life with invested interest in the City of Arts and Innovation came together to celebrate the past, present, and future of the Winston-Salem Foundation. 

During the Foundation’s annual luncheon held at the Benton Convention Center on Wednesday, May 1, current and former volunteers and others who have been directly impacted by the philanthropic efforts of North Carolina’s first community foundation, talked about the various initiatives that have helped improve the lives of many.

The Winston-Salem Foundation (WSF) was established in 1919 with a $1,000 donation from Colonel Francis H. Fries, president of Wachovia Bank. With strategic initiatives such as the Black Philanthropy Initiative, The Women’s Fund, and Youth Grantmakers In Action, the Foundation is one of the country’s top-ranked community foundations with more than $560 million in assets. According to the 2017 Columbus Survey of 269 U.S. community foundations, WSF ranks 37th in total assets, 13th in gifts received, and 38th in grants paid.

When discussing the future of the Foundation during the luncheon last week, WSF President Scott Wierman said he hopes the Foundation is just as impactful going forward as it has been the past 100 years. He said moving forward, the Foundation will focus significant resources toward programs that promote racial equity. 

“As we announced in 2017, there is crucial work to be done in Winston-Salem around racial equity and we will focus significant resources going forward on what we can do to help improve lives and overturn challenges around these inequities,” continued Wierman. “We know in order for this community to reach its full potential, we know that everyone must thrive.”

For more information on the Winston-Salem Foundation and its initiatives, visit https://www.wsfoundation.org.