An archival photographic portrait of Trust founder Kate Bitting Reynolds, a white woman wearing a fur stole

In the Beginning

The Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust was created in 1947 to improve the quality of life of people with low incomes in Forsyth County and to improve health care around the state.

For years, Kate B. Reynolds was described as a woman ahead of her time. She was known for her charity work and for the steps she took to ensure those who lacked access to health care were able to receive it.

However, she was very much of her time as well. Mrs. Reynolds was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Daughters of the Confederacy. Her initial bequest of $5 million to found the Trust came from tobacco profits and inherited funds originally earned through the sale and labor of enslaved Black people.

A young Black child waters a crop row with a green watering can

Our Work Today

To repair this history, in 2022, we announced that the Trust divested our financial portfolio from tobacco production. We traveled around the state to celebrate our 75th anniversary and share these changes with community.

We thank Wells Fargo, our sole trustee, for aligning investments with our mission and committing to a socially responsible investment strategy to support economic opportunities in North Carolina.

Today, the issues Mrs. Reynolds cared about remain urgent and interconnected as we work to support thriving communities and residents in Forsyth County and around the state.

Our Mission

We work to improve the health and quality of life of residents in Forsyth County and around North Carolina.

 

Our Vision

The mission Mrs. Reynolds set for us in 1947 informs our vision of success today:

 

Thriving Communities. Thriving Residents. Equitable Access to Health Care. Equitable Health Outcomes.