Built by Hand, Held by Community

Part 2: The Community that Carried Us — Honoring Black History Month

Long before government programs, housing vouchers, or supportive housing models, there were churches. There were neighbors. There were families who took each other in when times were hard.

In Black communities across Winston-Salem, churches were more than places of worship. They were community centers, employment networks, food pantries, and emergency shelters. They were the places people turned when rent was due, when a job was lost, or when a family needed a place to stay.

When formal systems excluded Black families from loans, neighborhoods, or housing programs, the community created its own safety net.

A spare bedroom became temporary housing for a relative. A church member helped cover rent. A congregation organized food drives and clothing closets. Local civic groups pooled resources to help families stay afloat during difficult times.

These systems were not built on policy. They were built on trust, faith, and shared responsibility.

They were not perfect. They were not always enough. But they kept families off the street. They kept children in school. They kept elders in their homes. They carried people through moments when the formal housing system allowed no place for them.

That tradition of community-based support still shapes the work of organizations like ANCHOR today.

Modern supportive housing programs may look different from those early mutual aid networks, but the spirit is the same. The goal is simple. Keep people housed. Connect them to resources. Support them through difficult transitions. Help them build stable, independent lives.

At ANCHOR, this work takes many forms.

• In our senior communities, HUD funded Service Coordinators help older adults remain safely in their homes. They connect residents to health care, transportation, food programs, and social services. They help seniors age in place with dignity, rather than facing unnecessary institutionalization or homelessness.

• In our veterans housing programs, Case Managers work closely with residents to stabilize income, access benefits, and address health or behavioral health needs. Many of these veterans have experienced long periods of homelessness. Stable housing, paired with consistent support, gives them a chance to rebuild.

• In our Rapid Rehousing and Permanent Supportive Housing programs, staff help individuals and families move from homelessness into stable homes. They provide case management, employment support, and connections to community resources.

• And through ANCHORWorks, we continue the historic link between community support and economic opportunity. The program does more than provide jobs. It creates a network of support, mentorship, and stability for people who are working to rebuild their lives.

In many ways, these programs are the modern version of the church basement, the spare bedroom, and the neighbor who helped cover rent. They are structured. They are funded. They are staffed by professionals. But at their core, they are about community stepping in where people need support the most.

Black History Month reminds us that systems have not always been fair or accessible. It also reminds us that Black communities have always created their own solutions. They built networks of care, stability, and resilience that carried generations forward.

Today, ANCHOR is part of that ongoing story.

We build and preserve affordable housing. We provide supportive services. We create workforce opportunities. We partner with communities, churches, and local organizations. And we work every day to ensure that housing is not just a building, but a foundation for stability, dignity, and opportunity.

The city was built by the hands of working people.

And it was sustained by the strength of its Black community.

Our job now is to honor that legacy by building systems that are fairer, stronger, and more inclusive than the ones that came before.