End of year message from County Manager Shontell Robinson.
December 2025 - Vol. 15
Videographer Jeff Fabrizio with Forsyth County Communications records Jordan Jones, owner of Jones Plants & Nursery, for a series of videos highlighting local farmers for Farm City Week.
Homebuyer Resource Fair a Success
Forsyth County Community and Economic Development held a resource fair last month that brought first-time homebuyers together with lenders and other resources like downpayment assistance. The event featured 19 lenders, realtors and community partners and had 75 attendees!
For more information on downpayment assistance, visit our housing page.
Pet Food Drive Helps Families
Forsyth County Animal Shelter and the Forsyth Humane Society gave away more than 2,000 pounds of donated pet food on Nov. 16 to more than 100 families in need during the “Keep Them Home for the Holidays” event. More than 20 volunteers helped distribute the food.
The event helped address the problem many struggling families have during the holidays of choosing between feeding their family and feeding their pets. Left over donated pet food was distributed to local food pantries who will share them with families in need.
Also, adoption fees for dogs and cats at the Forsyth Animal Shelter, 5570 Sturmer Park Circle, are only $5 for the rest of the year, thanks to a generous donation from Bissell Pet Foundation and an anonymous donor!
County Manager
In This Issue
County Commissioner Update
The county commissioners’ last meeting of the year will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 18.
It closes out a busy year for the commissioners. You can view all the agendas, minutes and videos of commissioners' past meetings and their schedule for future meetings on their webpage.
Last month, Forsyth County Commissioners and staff attended the Ribbon Cutting for the new apartment building at 600 Peters Creek Parkway, which offers 62 affordable 1 and 2 bedroom units for households making 60% of the area median income or below. County commissioners helped make the development possible by providing $600,000 towards the acquisition of the property and demolition of the Budget Inn that was previously on the site.
- Monday, Dec. 1 Briefing at 2 p.m.
- Thursday, Dec. 4 Meeting at 2 p.m.
- Monday, Dec. 15 Briefing at 2 p.m.
- Thursday, Dec. 18 Meeting at 6 p.m.
During briefings, staff brief the commissioners on the items they'll vote on in that week's meeting. During meetings, they vote on various items and hear from residents during their regular public comment session.
Meetings and briefings are held at the Forsyth County Government Center, 201 N. Chestnut St. Meetings are streamed live in their entirety on Forsyth County YouTube and Facebook, as well as the Forsyth County website and are also broadcasted live on WSTV13 on Spectrum cable.
Free Flu Shots Available
Have you gotten your FREE flu shot yet? No appointment is needed! Clinic hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Thursday from 8:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. at Forsyth County Department of Public Health, 799 Highland Ave. Forsyth Public Health provides vaccine at no cost to the individual but does bill insurance where applicable.
Candidate Filing Underway for 2026 Elections
Candidate filing for most contests in the 2026 Election begins at noon on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, and ends at noon on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. Next year’s statewide primary is Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
For more information, visit the Forsyth County Board of Elections website.
Forsyth County Employees Raise $12,188 for United Way
Forsyth County employees raised $12,188.09 for the United Way of Forsyth County during a workplace campaign in October.
County employees contributed through pledging money, which largely involved payroll deductions. They also contributed through county-wide and department-wide fundraisers.
“The United Way committee team really worked hard to make this campaign a success, and their dedication truly paid off.” said Campaign HR Representative Victoria Burgos. “Even as our community faced uncertain and challenging times throughout the month of October, we came together, exceeded our fundraising goal, and had fun alongside our colleagues. This campaign truly shows that the dedicated people who work for the county really do work FOR the county!”
County departments created their own fundraising events. These included raffles, selling food, a ping pong tournament and more.
United Way Director of Donor Relations Charlie Ross praised the campaign’s leadership and the many employees who participated.
“I always get excited when it is time to work with the Forsyth County employees for their United Way campaign,” said Ross. “The campaign leaders and committee members always put their heart and soul into the events and raffle baskets--- anything from a lottery ticket basket to a gift card basket with enough cards on it to feed you for a week or more. I couldn’t be more grateful for everything our county employees do to show they care. "
The campaign ended with a lunchtime finale event, held on Oct. 31, which featured music, food trucks and an employee costume contest judged by United Way’s Charlie Ross, County Commissioner Tonya McDaniel and County Manager Shontell Robinson.
United Way of Forsyth provides funding for various local non-profits like Experiment in Self-Reliance, Financial Pathways of the Piedmont, Family Services, the Salvation Army and many others.
United Way is one of only two organizations the county participates in fundraising campaigns for, the other being the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.
Domestic Violence During the Holiday Season
The holiday season is a time of celebration for some but can lead to additional stress for others, that results in an increase in domestic violence.
It can be difficult to know what to say to a friend or family member who discloses abuse. Here are some key phrases that show concern:
“Thank you for sharing what happened to you.”
“I believe you. What happened to you is not ok.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“I’m concerned for your safety and the safety of your children.”
“Real love is never violent, abusive or controlling. Ever.”
“How can I support you? How can I help?”
Do’s and Don’ts
- Do have conversations in private.
- Do refer your loved one to a victim service provider or family justice center that is trained to handle crises and help with safety-planning.
- Do express concern, empathy, and compassion.
- Don’t confront the abuser. The abuser may “punish” your loved one publicly and/or privately for disclosing abuse or turn violent against innocent bystanders.
- Don’t tell your loved one what to do: Leaving, planning to leave and recent break-ups are the most dangerous times. Homicides of women and children occur at this stage more than at any other time.
Where to get help
Bridges to Hope Family Justice Center
M-F, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
(336) 776-3255
725 N. Highland Ave., Annex 1
National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Family Services 24-hour Crisis Line 336-723-8125
Next Step Ministries 24-hour Crisis Line 336-413-5858
Healthy Forsyth Brings Wellness While Waiting
Healthy Forsyth is a grant-funded project focused on improving health in the 27101, 27105 and 27107 zip codes. See how it's bringing Wellness While Waiting to a local food pantry.
Diabetes Program Helps 98 Year-old Stay Healthy
It’s never too late to take steps to address your risk of diabetes. Hear how Forsyth Public Health’s Minority Diabetes Prevention Program helped 98 year-old Marie Matthews adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Farm City Week Highlights Local Farmers
NC Cooperative Extension, Forsyth County Center held Farm City Week in November. This year highlighted a variety of local farms that are keeping farming alive in Forsyth. Here’s one of them.
County Participates in Minority Business Mixer
Minority and/or Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) participation in county projects is important. That’s why Forsyth County Commissioners, senior staff and departments participated in last month’s MWBE Mixer.
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