Our Story

Margaret Rutter spent over four decades caring for patients across western North Carolina. She saw the same thing year after year: hardworking people in the mountains going without basic healthcare because they couldn’t afford insurance and there simply weren’t enough providers willing to see them.

In June 2025, she decided to do something about it. She founded Lansing Family Health & Wellness as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit clinic, opening its doors in the historic Dr. Clay building on North Fork New River Road — a building that had served as the local doctor’s office for generations. It felt right to bring healthcare back to a place that had always been about caring for neighbors.

Within months, the clinic was serving over 150 patients, accounting for roughly 25% of Ashe County’s uninsured population. When Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina in late 2024, the need only deepened. Displaced families, disrupted care, lost medications — the clinic became a critical resource for people trying to put their lives back together.

Today, Lansing Family Health & Wellness operates on a sliding fee scale, accepts Medicare and Medicaid, and never turns anyone away for inability to pay. Because in these mountains, neighbors take care of neighbors. That’s always been the way.

The Dr. Clay Building

For decades, the building at 138 N. Fork New River Road was where Lansing residents went to see their doctor. Dr. Clay was the kind of country physician who knew every family by name and never turned anyone away. The building carries that same spirit today.

When Margaret chose this location for the clinic, it wasn’t just practical — it was purposeful. The community already knew this place as somewhere you went when you needed help. Reopening it as a nonprofit clinic felt like bringing the building back to its true calling.

Our Team

The People Behind the Mission

A small team with deep roots in Appalachian healthcare and an unwavering commitment to this community.

Margaret Rutter, FNP-C

Founder & Primary Care Provider

With 44 years of healthcare experience, Margaret is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner who has dedicated her career to serving rural communities. She founded the clinic because she believed Ashe County deserved better access to care — and she was willing to build it herself.

Caroline Parker

Office Manager

Caroline keeps the clinic running smoothly, from patient scheduling to insurance coordination. She’s the first voice you hear when you call and works to make sure every visit is as seamless as possible.

Stanley Parker

Volunteer

Stanley embodies the community spirit that drives the clinic. His volunteer work helps keep operations moving, and his presence is a daily reminder that this clinic belongs to the community it serves.

Our Partners

We’re grateful to work alongside organizations that share our commitment to community health and education. Our academic partnerships with Wilkes Community College, East Tennessee State University, and the University of North Carolina bring clinical students to the region, helping train the next generation of rural healthcare providers right here in the mountains.

These partnerships don’t just benefit our clinic — they help address the systemic shortage of healthcare providers in rural Appalachia by giving students firsthand experience in the communities that need them most.

In Memoriam

Adam Lewis

This clinic is dedicated to the memory of Adam Lewis, Margaret’s son, who served his community as an EMT. His commitment to helping others in their most vulnerable moments lives on in everything we do here. The doors stay open because of the kind of compassion he carried every day.

Rooted in These Mountains, Built for This Community