As an active high school senior, Jacob Winter has a busy schedule. Yet, in the midst of it all, Jacob finds time to make a big difference at the Family House.

And we mean BIG! Since 2021, Jacob has volunteered an amazing 162 hours with the Family House. He has reminded guests that they are not alone by baking 1,164 homemade goodies, creating 480 snack bags with encouraging notes, and assembling 130 welcome bags.

Jacob’s connection with the Family House began in middle school when he first volunteered with his class at Calvary Day School. His dedication to the cause deepened when his brother, who was in college at the time, was hospitalized out of state. Wanting to be near him, Jacob’s family stayed at a hotel close to the hospital, which gave Jacob a firsthand understanding of the challenges patients and their families face when needing medical care away from home. Once Jacob returned home, this experience fueled his commitment to supporting families in similar situations in Winston-Salem.

His efforts even became multigenerational. “I asked my grandmother to teach me how to make her best cookie recipes,” he said. He and his grandmother often baked together and tweaked and perfected the recipes through the years. Jacob’s grandmother also taught him how to go the extra mile by customizing welcome bags and snack bags with special notes, beautiful photos, and other thoughtful touches to make guests feel special.

“I wanted to make the lives of patients visiting our area for healthcare a little easier,” he said.

Thanks to him, countless guests have felt loved and supported during stressful times these past years.

Thank you, Jacob!