All Things Leland

UNC Health announced plans to build a new community hospital on a 62-acre proposed site in New Hanover County, pending regulatory approvals. This proposed hospital will strengthen UNC Health’s statewide reach – connecting North Carolina communities from the mountains to the coast.

Planned for the southeast corner of South 17th Street and Shipyard Boulevard, the site was selected for its accessibility and its geographic infill capacity in serving a rapidly growing region. This project marks a significant step forward in UNC Health’s commitment to improving access to primary care and specialty care closer to home.

We were pleased to speak with Ernie Bovio, Regional President of the Southeast Coastal Market, about this project and the approval process.

To learn more about the project visit their dedicated website for this proposal.

Established in 1983 as a modest Soup Kitchen, Good Shepherd has grown to become the largest provider of homeless services in the region.

Current programs include the Soup Kitchen which serves over 89,000 meals a year; Second Helpings food salvage and distribution program; Sgt. Eugene Ashley Center providing transitional and permanent supportive housing for Veterans and men with disabilities; a Day Shelter providing the homeless with access to showers, clothing, transportation, and on-site mental health and health services; and a Night Shelter with 118 beds for homeless men, women, and families with children.

Good Shepherd recently opened SECU Lakeside Reserve, an affordable housing unit with 40 apartments for chronically homeless adults with disabilities, including seniors and Veterans.

We were pleased to have a conversation with the Executive Director of the Center, Katrina Knight, on the important work they do in our region.

Since 1982, the North Carolina Coastal Federation has been in the field restoring miles of coastline; training and educating students, adults, and communities to take actions that result in cleaner coastal waters and advocating for an accessible, healthy, productive coast. North Carolina has 3,375 miles of coastline which contributes billions in economic value to the state.

Created to give a united voice to the need for long-term coastal management, the Federation remains a collaborative, grassroots organization at its heart and brings together traditional and nontraditional organizations, government agencies, and businesses in order to achieve what is best for the North Carolina coast and to leave a legacy of clean water for future generations.

Information on the Federation can be found here: https://www.nccoast.org/

For those who are interested in making their backyards and homes more environmentally friendly by reducing stormwater runoff you can find the Federation’s Smart Yards brochure here: https://www.nccoast.org/resource/smart-yards/

#coastline #northcarolina #nccoastalfederation #environment #raingarden

Novant Health has made a series of announcements detailing their investment in facilities and services for the residents of the region. Recently, the State approved Novant Health’s planned hospital in Leland (in the Terrapin community).

The new facility will include 20 acute care beds and five procedure rooms. The facility will include a 24/7 emergency room, ten observation beds and imaging services. Construction is estimated to cost $251 million and Novant Health anticipates hiring 204 staff members. the new hospital is expected to open to patients on January 1, 2030.

To talk about this project and other investments in the community, we are pleased to have had the opportunity to speak with Kevin Briggs, the President of Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center.

Brunswick Partnership for Housing, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization. They provide services for more than 500 unsheltered individuals and families annually and advocate for the development of permanent, safe and affordable housing in Brunswick County.

Services include:

• Outreach and case management

• Information and referrals

• Emergency shelter through area motels

• Transitional housing for homeless families

To learn more about this important program and their community partners, we were pleased to speak with Sally Learned, Executive Director of the Partnership.

Brunswick County is the sixth fastest growing County in the United States. And, as our County grows, so do the number of children who are attending our public schools. A recent news article in the Brunswick Beacon reported that the number of students attending Brunswick County Schools (BCS) is expected to grow by 42% over the next decade - nearly 6,000 students.

This November residents will have the opportunity to vote on a proposed bond that provides BCS with the funding necessary to build a new elementary school (just north of Brunswick Forest) and new High School between Leland and Winnabow to meet student population growth. Additionally funds will be used for various upgrades at schools including intercom and wiring upgrades, bleacher upgrades and site development for future schools.

To discuss the needs of BCS we were pleased to talks with Dale Cole the Superintendent of Schools.

You can learn more about the bond by clicking here: https://www.bcswan.net/school-board/2026bond

For more than 20 years, Brunswick County offered aging services to provide support to older adults. In 2002, the county identified and projected the growing population of older adults and Brunswick Senior Resources, Inc. (BSRI) was established. With the ever-evolving needs of people over 50, BSRI has adapted by offering active lifestyle activities, while continuing to provide resources and support to help navigate the aging process.BSRI maintains a location in Leland which provides programming and meals. Persons must register with their Nutrition Coordinator prior to first meal.BSRI receives funding from federal, state, and local entities, as well as philanthropic donations. Additionally, BSRI operates businesses that provide supportive revenue to expand programs beyond existing resource allocations.To expand on what BSRI has to offer we were pleased to interview Yvette Gosline, Chief Operating Officer, of the organization.#lelandnc #seniorwellness #brunswickcountync

You may recognize them locally as Cape Fear Solar, but the company has recently rebranded as Cape Fear Energy Systems — reflecting a broader commitment to bringing comprehensive energy improvements and efficiency upgrades to both homeowners and businesses in the community.Cape Fear Energy Systems is a participating company in North Carolina’s Energy Saver program which was launched in Brunswick County and the region earlier this year by Governor Stein. The NC Saver program was the subject of an interview earlier this year which I am pleased to re-share. We were pleased to speak with Gabe Amey, Chief Marketing Officer at Cape Fear Energy Systems, to discuss their transition into full energy related work for homeowners and businesses.

The Cape Fear Council of Governments is the designated Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for North Carolina Planning Region O serving Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, and Pender Counties. The Area Agency on Aging is mandated by the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended, to plan, develop, implement, and coordinate aging services for the Region.

According to the U.S. Census, Brunswick County by the median age of its residents is the oldest County in North Carolina.

The AAA assists the counties as they study the needs of older citizens and plan services to meet those needs. They provide the administration and monitoring related to the Home Community Care Block Grant (HCCBG) funding and other direct service funding of community-based services enables older adults to live independently in their own homes as long as possible. Federal, state and local funds make services possible through grant agreements with Boards of County Commissioners and community service providers.

To help provide information regarding the Area Agency on Aging we were pleased to speak with Holly Pilson who is the Director of the Program.

Having a child at home with severe diaper rash, Diaper Bank founder Michelle Schaefer was changing his diaper 20 – 30 times a day, she could not stop the infections from taking over, causing her son to be extremely ill and in pain. As her son started to heal, Michelle started to wonder about parents who were not able to grab that next diaper to help their babies stay clean, dry, and healthy and knew there was no assistance for these families to do so.In January 2013, Schaefer formed the Diaper Bank of NC with the hopes of providing 50,000 diapers in her community within the year. The Diaper Bank now distributes over 7.5 million diapers a year state-wide, with branches in the Triangle, Charlotte, Greater Triad, and Lower Cape Fear Region.To learn more about the Diaper Bank we are pleased to have a conversation with Michelle and Julie Bowling (Lower Cape Fear Branch of the Diaper Bank). To learn more about the Lower Cape Fear Branch click on the link: https://www.ncdiaperbank.org/Their local phone number is (910) 777-3243.#capefear #diaperbank #diaperrash #wilmingtonnc #capefearregion #brunswickcountync