A Hoarding Alliance local resource guide

Hoarding support in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

You do not have to solve everything at once. Start with the safest next step, then add the right local support around it.

People first.Then the stuff.A Fight the Blight initiative

Start here - Fight the Blight

A respectful place to begin

These starting points help you choose a path without treating a difficult home situation like a character flaw. Ask what is available now, what it costs, and what the service does not cover.

A respectful first conversation about what is happening, what feels urgent, and which next step may fit.

Role: nonprofit first-conversation and virtual peer-group front door; geography: remote; ask about Winston-Salem or Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: confirm current program fit and availability; emergency limit: nonclinical support is not therapy, crisis response, shelter, or cleanup.

Connect with Fight the Blight Call or text (724) 739-3785
For immediate danger

If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911. For a mental-health crisis or thoughts of suicide, call or text 988. Neither service is a hoarding cleanup, housing guarantee, or property-preservation program.

First conversations

A few good places to start

You do not need to know the perfect service name before reaching out. These organizations can help you understand the landscape and identify a next step.

Role: private-pay hoarding support, sorting, organizing, decluttering, deep-cleaning, and family guidance; geography: confirm Winston-Salem/Forsyth County travel or remote availability; cost/eligibility: private-pay rates, scope, scheduling, and travel must be confirmed; emergency limit: not 911, crisis care, medical treatment, or guaranteed housing. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

The Peer Tree

A private-pay pathway when grant-funded or public services do not cover the kind of hands-on or ongoing support needed.

Review private-pay support
Role: digital peer support and self-guided tools; geography: online, subject to current access; cost/eligibility: confirm current plan or group details; emergency limit: not therapy, medical care, crisis response, or emergency support. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Unburied

A judgment-free digital pathway for personal support, friends and family, groups, and steady momentum between local conversations.

Explore digital peer support
Role: statewide resource navigation; geography: North Carolina, including Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: ask the navigator to confirm current program rules, wait times, and service area; emergency limit: not 911, 988, or a cleanup provider. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

North Carolina 211

Use 211 to ask about current housing, food, transportation, health, and community-service options when you are unsure where to start.

Call or search 211 211

Safety and stability

When the concern involves safety, housing, or crisis

These pathways serve different situations. Read the labels carefully before calling, especially when a response may involve crisis care, protective services, shelter, housing rules, legal advocacy, or emergency dispatch.

Role: county government and service navigation; geography: Forsyth County, whose county seat is Winston-Salem; cost/eligibility: public offices set their own filing, records, and program rules; emergency limit: not emergency dispatch or a cleanup provider. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Forsyth County government

Use the official county site to confirm current offices, notices, forms, and contacts before traveling.

Review county services
Role: municipal code, sanitation, housing, and environmental-abatement navigation; geography: property inside Winston-Salem city limits; cost/eligibility: complaint, inspection, correction, and permit rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not 911, crisis care, or a cleanup crew. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Winston-Salem Code Enforcement

The city identifies minimum housing, sanitation, trash, illegal dumping, overgrown-lot, and hoarding-related environmental-abatement concerns; ask what process applies before submitting a report.

Review code enforcement 336-727-8000
Role: neighborhood and community-service navigation; geography: Winston-Salem; cost/eligibility: program, grant, and neighborhood rules vary; emergency limit: not emergency dispatch, crisis care, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Winston-Salem Neighborhood Services

Use the city page to identify neighborhood services and confirm which department handles a property or stabilization question.

Review neighborhood services
Role: homelessness prevention, shelter, and coordinated-entry navigation; geography: Winston-Salem/Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: intake, shelter, and program eligibility, capacity, and wait times must be confirmed; emergency limit: call 911 for immediate danger and 988 for a mental-health crisis. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Winston-Salem Coordinated Intake and homelessness services

The city directs people to Coordinated Intake for emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, and housing connections; call before traveling if housing is at risk.

Review homelessness help 336-721-9327
Role: housing planning, community development, and service-agency funding navigation; geography: Winston-Salem; cost/eligibility: each housing program sets its own income, documentation, and application rules; emergency limit: not emergency shelter, crisis response, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Winston-Salem Housing and Community Services

This city division coordinates housing and community services and can help identify the right program or funded service partner.

Review housing services
Role: municipal service and code-reporting navigation; geography: Winston-Salem city limits; cost/eligibility: service requests, inspections, and department rules vary; emergency limit: not 911, 988, medical care, or emergency cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

CityLink 311

Call CityLink to route a city service, sanitation, missed pickup, or code question to the right department.

Call CityLink 336-727-8000
Role: public behavioral-health, peer-support, and care-navigation programs; geography: Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: program intake, clinical eligibility, insurance, capacity, and wait times must be confirmed; emergency limit: not 911 or a substitute for immediate crisis response. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Forsyth County Behavioral Health

The county lists behavioral-health access, peer-support specialist connections, Mobile Integrated Healthcare, FROST, and Bridges to Hope; ask which option fits the current need.

Review behavioral-health services 336-703-2600
Role: community-paramedicine and behavioral-health/environmental assistance navigation; geography: Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: referral, response, and service criteria must be confirmed; emergency limit: not 911, a hospital emergency department, therapy, or cleanup guarantee. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Forsyth County Mobile Integrated Healthcare

The county describes community paramedics supporting behavioral health, medical, and environmental needs; ask whether a referral can address the situation.

Review Mobile Integrated Healthcare 336-703-2273
Role: 24/7 behavioral-health crisis navigation; geography: North Carolina services available to callers in Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: confirm current crisis-line routing and follow-up options; emergency limit: call 911 for immediate danger and do not use this line for cleanup or housing guarantees. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Forsyth County behavioral-health crisis line

The county lists a 24/7 behavioral-health crisis number for urgent support and routing.

Call the crisis line 1-866-275-9552
Role: national mental-health and suicide-crisis support; geography: United States, including North Carolina; cost/eligibility: call, text, or chat access is generally available, but confirm current options; emergency limit: not a cleanup, shelter, code, or property-preservation service. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 for immediate emotional or mental-health crisis support; call 911 when there is immediate physical danger.

Call or text 988 988
Role: emergency dispatch; geography: Winston-Salem and Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: emergency dispatch rules apply; emergency limit: use for immediate danger, fire, medical emergency, or active threat—not routine cleanup or resource navigation. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

911 emergency services

Call 911 for an immediate threat to life, fire, serious injury, or another emergency requiring dispatch.

Call 911 911
Role: public benefits, Medicaid, energy assistance, transportation, and protective-services navigation; geography: Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: income, household, documentation, residency, and program rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not 911, crisis counseling, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Forsyth County Department of Social Services

The county lists public benefits, Medicaid, energy assistance, non-emergency medical transportation, and protective services through its call center.

Review DSS programs 336-703-3800
Role: SNAP/EBT and food-benefit application navigation; geography: Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: household income, deductions, and documentation rules apply and must be confirmed; emergency limit: not emergency medical care, shelter, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Forsyth County Food and Nutrition Services

Use the county page to apply or ask about current Food and Nutrition Services/EBT rules and appointment options.

Review FNS and EBT 336-703-3800
Role: housing, rental-assistance, and Housing Authority referral navigation; geography: Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: emergency rent, income, household, documentation, and waitlist rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not emergency shelter, 911, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Forsyth County housing and emergency-rent information

The county FAQ routes emergency rental-assistance questions to DSS and lists the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem as a separate housing contact.

Review housing FAQs 336-703-3800
Role: eviction-prevention, coordinated-intake, housing-counseling, and legal-support navigation; geography: Winston-Salem/Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: each program sets its own eligibility, funding, and intake rules; emergency limit: not emergency dispatch or a guaranteed housing placement. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Winston-Salem eviction help

The city page explains where to begin for coordinated intake, homelessness prevention, rehousing, housing counseling, and legal-help connections.

Review eviction help
Role: public-housing and resident-support navigation; geography: Winston-Salem; cost/eligibility: applications, income limits, waitlists, and reasonable-accommodation rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not emergency shelter, 911, or a cleanup provider. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Housing Authority of Winston-Salem / ASPIRE

Use the housing authority's current resident and applicant information to ask about public housing, vouchers, and support options.

Review housing authority information 336-727-8500
Role: civil-legal information and representation referral; geography: North Carolina, with service eligibility and office coverage to confirm; cost/eligibility: income, case type, and capacity rules apply; emergency limit: not emergency dispatch, therapy, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Legal Aid of North Carolina

Ask about housing, eviction, safety, benefits, disability, or consumer-law questions before a deadline passes.

Review legal-help options
Role: state behavioral-health, developmental-disability, and substance-use system navigation; geography: North Carolina; cost/eligibility: local-management, provider, insurance, and crisis rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not 911 or a cleanup service. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

NCDHHS behavioral-health services

Use the state page to understand the public behavioral-health system and find the correct local access path.

Review state behavioral-health services
Role: adult protective-services reporting and safety navigation; geography: North Carolina, including Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: county intake and statutory criteria apply; emergency limit: call 911 for immediate danger and do not use APS for routine cleanup or code questions. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

North Carolina Adult Protective Services

Use APS information when an adult may be unable to protect their own health or safety because of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or disability.

Review Adult Protective Services
Role: public health-coverage and care-navigation information; geography: North Carolina; cost/eligibility: income, household, disability, enrollment, and plan rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not crisis dispatch, housing, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

North Carolina Medicaid

Use the official Medicaid site to check eligibility, enrollment, covered services, and current member-help routes.

Review Medicaid information
Role: county public-health and environmental-health navigation; geography: Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: clinic, inspection, and program rules vary and must be confirmed; emergency limit: not 911, crisis response, or whole-home cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Forsyth County Public Health

Use the county health pages to identify public-health contacts and ask which department handles a health or environmental concern.

Review public-health services

People and practical help

Housing, food, care, transportation, and ongoing support

These listings connect the local community with housing, food, behavioral health, benefits, transit, survivor advocacy, disability support, peer support, and practical resources. Ask about current availability, cost, scope, consent, and safety before relying on them.

Role: day-shelter, emergency-night-shelter, and homelessness-support access; geography: Winston-Salem and Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: shelter intake, identification, availability, and rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not 911, medical care, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Bethesda Center for the Homeless

Bethesda Center says it operates day and emergency night shelter for people experiencing homelessness; call first to confirm current access.

Review Bethesda Center
Role: short-term emergency assistance for basic needs; geography: Forsyth and Stokes counties; cost/eligibility: funding, residency, documentation, and appointment rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not emergency dispatch, therapy, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Crisis Control Ministry

Crisis Control describes short-term assistance for housing, utilities, food, and prescriptions when a financial crisis affects basic needs.

Review Crisis Control
Role: local crisis-intervention, food, clothing, and emergency-aid navigation; geography: Winston-Salem and nearby service area; cost/eligibility: current hours, household rules, and available supplies must be confirmed; emergency limit: not 911, shelter guarantee, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Sunnyside Ministry

Sunnyside Ministry is a Winston-Salem crisis-intervention agency; confirm current intake and hours before traveling.

Review Sunnyside Ministry
Role: community emergency-assistance and social-service navigation; geography: Winston-Salem/Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: program funds, documentation, and appointment rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not emergency dispatch, therapy, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Salvation Army of Winston-Salem

Use the local Salvation Army page to ask about current emergency financial, food, housing, or seasonal assistance.

Review Salvation Army help
Role: rescue-mission shelter, recovery, and basic-needs navigation; geography: Winston-Salem; cost/eligibility: current program intake, availability, and participation rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not 911, medical crisis care, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Winston-Salem Rescue Mission

The Rescue Mission provides a community pathway for people needing shelter or practical support; confirm current eligibility and capacity.

Review Rescue Mission programs
Role: food-pantry and meal-resource navigation; geography: Northwest North Carolina, including the Winston-Salem area; cost/eligibility: pantry, meal, household, and schedule rules vary; emergency limit: not emergency medical care, shelter, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC

Second Harvest directs people to nearby grocery and meal assistance and recommends 211 for additional help; use its finder before traveling.

Find food assistance
Role: affordable-homeownership and housing-stability pathway; geography: Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: income, credit, debt, sweat-equity, education, and program requirements apply and must be confirmed; emergency limit: not emergency shelter, crisis response, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County

Habitat Forsyth describes income-based homeownership paths; it is a longer-term housing program, not a same-day emergency response.

Review Habitat homeownership
Role: county affordable-homeownership and housing navigation; geography: Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: application, income, financing, and property rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not emergency shelter, 911, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Forsyth County affordable homeownership program

The county describes an affordable homeownership program and related tools for residents who may be able to pursue a longer-term housing path.

Review county homeownership
Role: public-library information, internet, printing, and community connection; geography: Forsyth County, with locations in Winston-Salem and surrounding communities; cost/eligibility: card, technology, room, and outreach rules vary; emergency limit: not emergency shelter, crisis response, or therapy. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Forsyth County Public Library

Use the library for information access, computers, printing, referrals, and a safe place to plan next steps; confirm current hours.

Review library services
Role: public bus and transportation navigation; geography: Winston-Salem service area; cost/eligibility: fares, routes, paratransit, and rider rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not emergency transport, shelter, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Winston-Salem Transit Authority

Check current WSTA routes, service alerts, fares, and accessible-transport options before a trip.

Review WSTA transit
Role: municipal garbage, recycling, yard-waste, and bulky-item collection navigation; geography: eligible Winston-Salem addresses; cost/eligibility: address, cart, item, schedule, and service rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not a hoarding cleanup, biohazard response, or crisis service. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Winston-Salem solid-waste collections

Use the city's service finder and collection rules to plan ordinary household disposal; bulky or unusual items may require separate confirmation.

Review waste collection
Role: permitted solid-waste disposal and facility navigation; geography: Winston-Salem/Forsyth County and eligible users; cost/eligibility: accepted materials, fees, hours, and load rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not a cleanup crew, hazardous-material response, or crisis service. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County solid-waste disposal

The utilities department describes disposal facilities and safe solid-waste access; confirm what can be accepted before hauling materials.

Review disposal options
Role: water, wastewater, solid-waste, and utility-account navigation; geography: Winston-Salem/Forsyth County utility customers; cost/eligibility: account, billing, service, and assistance rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not emergency dispatch, crisis care, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities

Use the joint utility department to ask about water, sewer, solid-waste, billing, and service questions that affect housing stability.

Review utility services
Role: state workforce, job-search, resume, and training navigation; geography: North Carolina, including Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: program, identity, training, and appointment rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not emergency housing, crisis care, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

NCWorks

NCWorks is North Carolina's official online job-search and workforce resource; use it to look for employment and training options.

Review NCWorks
Role: state energy-bill assistance and utility-support navigation; geography: North Carolina, including Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: income, household, utility, application window, and funding rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not emergency dispatch, shelter, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

North Carolina energy assistance

Use the NCDHHS energy-assistance page to identify current LIHEAP/energy programs and ask DSS about local application steps.

Review energy assistance
Role: renter, affordable-housing, and housing-counseling navigation; geography: North Carolina, including the Triad; cost/eligibility: landlord, income, program, and funding rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not emergency shelter, 911, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

North Carolina Housing Finance Agency renters

Use the state housing agency's renter information to look for affordable-housing and counseling pathways; confirm local availability.

Review renter resources
Role: vocational-rehabilitation, disability, and employment-support navigation; geography: North Carolina, including Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: disability, work-goal, documentation, and program rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not crisis response, housing, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

North Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Services

Use NC Vocational Rehabilitation information to ask about employment support and accommodations when disability affects work or daily stability.

Review vocational rehabilitation
Role: county-published resource directory for food, housing, health, legal, and practical help; geography: Forsyth County and surrounding service area; cost/eligibility: the PDF is a navigation aid and each provider's current rules must be confirmed; emergency limit: not 911, 988, or a cleanup guarantee. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Forsyth County Community Resource Guide

Use the county guide to widen the search, then verify each organization's current hours, eligibility, capacity, and service area because directory details can age.

Open the county resource guide
Role: county health, social-services, economic-services, and energy-assistance navigation; geography: Forsyth County; cost/eligibility: program rules, income, documentation, and appointments must be confirmed; emergency limit: not emergency dispatch, crisis care, or cleanup. | Winston-Salem and Forsyth County details can change; confirm current hours, eligibility, cost, and service area before relying on a listing.

Forsyth County HHS programs and services list

This county-published program list helps identify the right public office for health, social, economic, and energy questions.

Review HHS programs

A note from the Alliance

Start with the person. Then decide what the situation needs.

This guide is anchored in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and includes city, county, state, nonprofit, national, and independent pathways. A listing here does not mean Fight the Blight endorses every provider or can guarantee availability. The Hoarding Alliance is not a city or county agency, therapy practice, emergency service, or cleanup company. We will keep reviewing this page, but please confirm details directly before relying on them.

Need help choosing a path? Contact Fight the Blight