Community Engagement Partners
Meet the organizations helping create meaningful community-based experiences for our medical students.
This reference lists current community engagement partners, their public websites, and brief organization descriptions for use in developing the School of Medicine Community Engagement webpage. Descriptions are concise paraphrases of official organization or public-agency information reviewed on September 25, 2026.
| Community Partner | Brief Description |
| American Red Cross – Sandhills Chapter | Serves communities across the Sandhills region with disaster response and preparedness, blood services, support for military members and families, health and safety training, and volunteer opportunities. |
| Bell of Hearts Foundation | A Cumberland County nonprofit focused on heart health through community outreach, physical activity promotion, education, fundraising, and support for individuals and families affected by heart disease. |
| Better Health of Cumberland County | Addresses unmet healthcare needs in Cumberland County through assistance, referral, education, diabetes programming, medical equipment loans, and other health-support services. |
| Shaun Hines, DO – Cape Fear Valley Health | Dr. Shaun Hines is a physician with Cape Fear Valley Health who collaborates with the School of Medicine to provide community engagement and volunteer opportunities for medical students, helping students connect with and serve members of the community. |
| Cape Fear Valley Hospice & Palliative Care | Provides person-centered hospice and palliative care for patients and families facing life-limiting illness, with an emphasis on comfort, dignity, support, and quality of life. |
| Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh – Fayetteville Regional Office |
Serves individuals and families across the Fayetteville and Newton Grove regions through programs including food assistance, clothing, immigration legal services, clinical counseling, and community support. |
| Child Advocacy Center, Inc. | Coordinates services for children and families affected by abuse through child-focused forensic interviews, advocacy, counseling, multidisciplinary collaboration, prevention education, and family support. |
| Chosen Resource Center | A one-stop resource hub connecting people experiencing homelessness, veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals with community services, housing and employment resources, and other forms of support. |
| Cumberland County Council on Older Adults | Helps adults age 60 and older in Cumberland County maintain independence and dignity through nutrition, in-home assistance, caregiver support, home improvement, resource navigation, and other community-based services. |
| Cumberland County Department of Public Health | Provides public health services and community programs for Cumberland County, including clinical and preventive services, health education, WIC, school health, environmental health, and other population-health initiatives. |
| Cumberland HealthNET | Connects uninsured and underserved residents with medical homes and coordinated health and community services, including care navigation, prescription assistance, health education, and access to supportive resources. |
| Dunn United Ministerial Association | A coalition of churches, pastors, and community members serving Dunn and surrounding communities through local mission work, including food pantry and financial-assistance programs. |
| Fayetteville Area Operation Inasmuch | A faith-based nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness through meals, hygiene services, case management, supportive programs, and relationship-centered pathways toward stability and hope. |
| Fayetteville Cares Day Resource Center | A community resource center that centralizes services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Fayetteville and Cumberland County, including showers, laundry, meals, and connections to partner agencies and supportive resources. |
| Julia Mae Community Foundation | A Fayetteville nonprofit supporting underserved children, families, and individuals through mentorship, educational and wellness programming, food and clothing initiatives, community partnerships, and personal-development resources. |
| Hoke County Health Department | Promotes, protects, and preserves community wellness through public health and primary care services, health education, prevention programs, community partnerships, and efforts to improve health equity in Hoke County. |
| Manna Community Store / Manna Dream Center | The Community Store receives and resells donated goods to support the Manna Dream Center, whose programs address hunger, homelessness, and other physical and spiritual needs in the community. |
| NAMI Cumberland, Harnett and Lee Counties | A local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness providing free mental health support, education, resources, advocacy, support groups, and community programming for individuals and families. |
| Rick Herrema Foundation | Strengthens relationships and builds community for military families through free, high-quality recreational, family-bonding, and community-building activities centered at Rick’s Place in Fayetteville. |
| Spring Lake Senior Enrichment Center | Supports adults age 55 and older through social and recreational activities, health and wellness services, resource connections, educational opportunities, and community-building programs. |
| Stedman-Wade Health Services, Inc. | A nonprofit community health center providing accessible and affordable primary medical, dental, and behavioral health care to Cumberland County and surrounding communities. |
| The CARE Clinic | Provides free, quality basic medical and dental care to eligible low-income, uninsured adults in Cumberland and surrounding counties through a community-based volunteer healthcare model. |
| The Stacy Jones Foundation, Inc. | A Fayetteville nonprofit created in memory of Stacy Jones to serve and uplift the community while supporting awareness and research related to lupus and pancreatic cancer. |
| Town of Hope Mills Parks & Recreation | Provides parks, recreation programs, athletics, special events, facilities, and community activities that promote quality of life, wellness, and engagement for Hope Mills residents. |
| United Way of Cumberland County | Improves lives across Cumberland County by raising and investing resources in programs addressing health, education, financial stability, and basic critical needs in partnership with local service organizations. |
| Vision Resource Center | Supports people who are blind or visually impaired through educational, vocational, recreational, health, social, and community programs designed to promote independence, inclusion, and connection. |
| Special Olympics Cumberland County | A local program of Special Olympics North Carolina providing year-round sports training and competition opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. |
Contact
D’Asia Johnson, M.A.H.Ed.
Manager of Community Engagement, School of Medicine
Contact
Email:
Department