Stuart Comstock-Gay | Delaware Community Foundation

Author Archive for Stuart Comstock-Gay

5 Questions with Stu: John Hollis, Founder of the MERIT Program Operating Fund at the DCF

Posted by Stuart Comstock-Gay

· Monday, January 6th, 2020

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John and Linda Hollis at Hollis Park, at the Western Sussex Boys and Girls Club.

What more can we say about John Hollis? If you’ve been involved in community life in Delaware, you already know him, especially if you live in Sussex County, but truly, not only there. John has earned the respect of elected officials, community leaders, philanthropists, the religious community, and so many more. John is a man of passion, faith and caring…a man who has helped hundreds of young people over dozens of years. His Minority Engineering Regional Incentive Training (MERIT) program has become of the state’s most successful post-secondary prep programs. Starting in 1974, the program has trained a stunning cadre of minority leaders in science and engineering. His work for the Delaware Community Foundation was formative in strengthening the then-fledgling southern Delaware DCF office. His work in Dover, supporting causes that help strengthen our communities, is well known. And overall, he’s just a decent and kind man. Here are some of his thoughts on philanthropy.

Why is philanthropy important to you?
Philanthropy is the reason we are here! Opportunities present themselves in many forms. I like to recall what Johnny Janosik said when we started his fund at the DCF, “If you want to be happy for a day – take a nap. Happy for a week -take a vacation. But to be happy for life – help someone else.”

What first motivated you to get involved in philanthropy?
Being a school administrator and coach, I was asked to lead an effort to build a Boys & Girls Club in Western Sussex. The images of what that facility would provide to our youth was an inspiration that conjured up more than I ever dreamed.

What are the greatest factors influencing your decisions when you consider opportunities you could support?
Our young people and their many challenges and needs, which then expanded to family needs. We are a community and must strive to find the means and ways to make everyone within our community prosper.

What community endeavors are you proudest to support or engage in?
Boys & Girls Club
Points of Lights Mentoring
Home of Hope with Bonnie Wood and many generous supporters
MERIT for 4 plus decades
Chamber Legacy Award
John H. Taylor Leadership in Education Award

Where do you see the greatest potential for philanthropy to drive change in Delaware?
Our “Delaware First Spirit,” our interpersonal connection, the openness of accessibility of our government highlighted by Sussex County Council, our Lt. Governor and Governor, the General Assembly.

Giving with strategy … and joy

Posted by Stuart Comstock-Gay

· Monday, December 30th, 2019

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There are only hours left for 2019 charitable giving. I wrote a piece – with Cynthia Pritchard of Philanthropy DE – about strategies for giving at the end of the year. But truly, the strategies are good for year-round giving, too. In the end? Follow your passion and be joyful. But there are other thoughts, too – about involving your family, creating a vision for the coming year.

On this last point, my wife and I spend time at the beginning of every year reviewing our upcoming giving. We have favorite organizations and causes. In some cases we give to the same organizations every year. We also think – broadly – about how much money we’d like to give in the area of arts, or environment, or international work, or core human services.

But we also look at particular needs – such as when a hurricane hit Puerto Rico, or flooding hit my birth-town of Fremont, Nebraska. But for us, some planning at the front of the year helps

In any case, you can read the article in the Delaware Business Times. Check it out.

5 Questions with Stu: U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester, Founder of the GLOW Fund at the DCF

Posted by Stuart Comstock-Gay

· Tuesday, December 3rd, 2019

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Lisa Blunt Rochester has been serving Delawareans for her entire life. She was elected Delaware’s U.S. Representative in 2016. Prior to her election, she served in numerous public roles in Delaware, in the cabinets of two Delaware Governors, and as CEO of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League. But her work goes much further. Her enthusiasm, her passion for Delaware and for Delaware’s youth, and her strong belief in the power of philanthropy, including through her GLOW fund at DCF, make her a natural addition to our 5Q series.

Why is philanthropy important to you?
Philanthropy is one of the very best aspects of our American way of life. The American people have always been remarkably generous with their resources and have organized and fundraised to make the lives of their fellow citizens better. Philanthropy is important to me for a simple reason – it makes people’s lives better. It not only benefits the recipient – but enriches the soul of the giver as well.

What first motivated you to get involved in philanthropy?
Frankly, it was the same thing that motivated me to run for office in the first place. I saw others in my community that were either mad, sad, or struggling. I have been immensely blessed in my life and like my decision to run for office, decided I had everything to give and nothing to lose. I imagine that my motivation is the same as so many others – it feels good to help others.

Rep. Blunt Rochester meeting with the Kent County Youth Philanthropy Board in the fall of 2018.

Where do you see the greatest potential for philanthropy to drive change in Delaware?
I don’t think there’s any particular limit or scope to the potential for change in Delaware that philanthropy can drive. A philanthropic effort is simply an extension of the desire, will, and generosity of everyday citizens. Whether it be to help drive cancer research, expand social services in the community, or any other worthy endeavor, the beauty of philanthropy is that, so often, it is driven by the will of the citizens.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned through your work in philanthropy?
I’m not sure it’s a lesson that I have learned, rather one that has been reaffirmed in my work – the power of community. So often philanthropy is discussed in the context of wealthy individuals. In my experience, however, the power of philanthropy is to bring folks together. The process of finding a cause, rallying support, and ultimately being able to give to that cause is truly rewarding.

How does your philanthropy contribute to expanding opportunity for people in Delaware?
It is my hope that my philanthropy provides a helping hand to Delaware families. In my experience, kindness begets kindness and opportunity begets opportunity. So often it’s the case that folks who are dealt a bad hand simply need a little help. That once they are given a leg up and an opportunity, there’s no limit to what they can accomplish. My goal is to give as many Delawareans that helping hand as I can.

What’s the Delaware story?

Posted by Stuart Comstock-Gay

· Thursday, November 14th, 2019

· 4 Comments

What is Delaware’s civic story? Since Jim and Deborah Fallows visited us last week, this question has been occupying a lot of my time. The question is number four on their list of ten and a half signs of civic success: People know the civic story – one that everyone understands, even if only to say that it’s a myth or a lie.

So what is our story? And is it a myth or a lie? When I first arrived in Delaware about three and a half years ago, the story that quickly tripped off many tongues was…”ever since Dupont starting closing down, the place has not been as good.”

I also learned that in Delaware, everybody is connected, and if you don’t know somebody yet, you will soon.

We are a chicken raising state. We are a banking and corporate state.

During the civil war, Delaware was a slave holding state, but stayed loyal to the union.

In my book group, one member said when she arrived the story she heard was “Wilmington was occupied by the national guard for almost a year, and the building of Interstate 95 destroyed the African-American community there.”

The Delaware Way. Most of us have heard that said in both a positive and a negative way.

Different places I’ve lived have had a variety of stories – Cleveland was at the heart of America’s industrial era, but the story changed, as it came to be one of the “worst” cities in the country. It now calls itself the rock and roll capital of the world, and a city that is on the rise.

Vermont was a beautiful and scrappy farming state with great skiing and deep Republican traditions, until it was something else.

So what about Delaware? I think it matters. To quote the Fallowses, “the question is not whether these assessments seem precisely accurate to outsiders. Their value is in giving citizens a sense of how today’s efforts are connected to what happened yesterday and what they hope tomorrow will bring.”

We are, of course, the first state – we’ll never lose that – but it seems inadequate. We are a state with great racial diversity, but also with long-standing racial discrimination that has never been fully addressed. We are a state with deep liberalism in some places, and deep conservatism elsewhere. We are a rural, urban, suburban state, and “the canal” has important meaning. We are a state with a court system that drives the nation, where America’s businesses are formed. We are a state where people still work together to solve problems, and with distinctive events like Return Day. We are a state with strong traditions, but with a growing number of newcomers to look at problems with a new lens.

We are many things, and we constantly work to find the right balance. Which elements are our story? Which tie us together? I lean toward a state that was there at the beginning, and is charting a new inclusive diversity – racial, political, and geographic. A new Delaware Way?

What do you think? What is our civic story? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

5 Questions with Stu: Rita Landgraf, Director of Univ of DE Partnership for Healthy Communities

Posted by Stuart Comstock-Gay

· Monday, November 4th, 2019

· 1 Comment

Rita Landgraf has a long and distinguished career serving Delaware. She is perhaps best known for her role as Secretary for the state Division of Health and Social Services (2009 – 2017). Yet her service is much broader and deeper, including previous service as executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and the Arc of Delaware, and as president of AARP Delaware. She currently leads the US Partnership of Healthy Communities.

What motivated you to get involved in public service?

I have a strong interest in working to promote the public good with an emphasis on advancing health and well-being. Most of my adult life, I have been focused on the most vulnerable populations that experience the poorest quality of life. It is so humbling to work in concert with others and honoring the ideal that the sum is greater than its parts. Public service and specifically leading the Department of Health and Social Services provided me with the platform to advance policy and service delivery to enhance the quality of life of all Delawareans. It was a huge honor to serve our state.

What community endeavors are you proudest to engage in?

This question is of particular interest to me since the word community has many connotations to it. A community can be a geographical location, or a community can be a specific grouping of individuals with a specified mission or characteristics. I have benefited from a multifaceted engagement with “community.” I am most proud of the work I have engaged in with individuals with disabilities, and in advancing the civil rights of this population. I am also extremely proud of the work I am engaged in with advancing health equity in place-based communities that experience high poverty.

How does your organization contribute to expanding opportunity for people in Delaware?

I am excited to bring what I have learned in the field to the classrooms of the College of Health Sciences to help grow the next generation of health and social services professionals. I am equally excited to lead the UD Partnership for Healthy Communities; a cross-college, cross-state initiative. This provides me with a platform to align the assets of this university with the needs of our community by advancing research, education and service. As a University of Delaware alumna, I have great pride in serving as faculty at the institution who provided me with a solid educational framework.

Is there a philanthropist or philanthropic organization that inspires you?

Since most of my career has been in nonprofit organizations, I have witnessed firsthand, the value of philanthropy. Individuals who have a passion to engage in the causes they believe in and invest in the sustainability of the work inspire me. I am very excited about efforts that align for collective impact, which generate a greater return on single investments. United Way, Delaware Community Foundation, Philanthropy Delaware and Healthy Communities Delaware are examples of this collective effort. Delaware is a true state of neighbors and our philanthropists value the ability to align for greater impact.

If you could do one thing to increase equity in Delaware, what would you do?

I would increase the knowledge of what equity really means since there is confusion between equality and equity. The World Health Organization defines health equity as the highest level of health and well-being possible for everyone. Healthy equity addresses differences in population health that can be traced to unequal economic and social conditions that are systemic, avoidable and are inherently unjust. Health equity benefits everyone because health is a public good necessary for a well-functioning society. If we are going to advance health equity, we must embed it in our overall values and commit to advancing equity where inequities continue to exist.

Tell Us What Makes Delaware Communities Thrive #OurTownsDE

Posted by Stuart Comstock-Gay

· Monday, October 21st, 2019

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#2. “You can pick out the local ‘patriots.'”

What makes a community thrive? What makes a community that has been down on its luck turn things around – become vibrant, exciting, and growing? How do communities grow in ways that include everybody?

The answers are not easy to come up with. But thriving communities do share many common features. Successful communities have people focused on local possibilities, rather than national bitterness. They work together across sectors, party lines, economic statuses and class. And they have local “patriots” – people who believe deeply in their communities.

These are the joyful and not-so-surprising findings of James and Deborah Fallows, journalists and authors of the powerful book Our Towns: A 100,000 Mile Journey Into the Heart of the America.

They sum up by outlining “10½ Signs of Civic Success,” defining the trends and themes they identified in towns that are thriving despite facing challenges. To name just a few: big ideas, well-supported community colleges, and at least one craft brewery (that’s the “half”).

What struck me is that I see every one of those 10 1/2 signs here in Delaware. Local patriots and big ideas are flourishing – from the new 12-step center in Seaford to the state’s public-private partnership for economic development, the Second Chances Farm project to the Downtown Dover Partnership. We’ve got thriving community colleges, cohesive downtown areas and more.

I have more to say about their work – and you can read it in this op-ed from the News Journal.

#10-1/2. There are local craft breweries?

And then tell us how you see Delaware towns moving forward. Post your thoughts and comments with the hashtag #OurTownsDE.

And then, you can learn even more by reading their book, and attending a presentation by the Fallows on Wednesday, Nov. 6. Click here to learn more

5 Questions with Stu: Greg Abbott, Section Administrator, Delaware State Parks

Posted by Stuart Comstock-Gay

· Tuesday, October 8th, 2019

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Greg Abbott has served Delaware through his work in Delaware State Parks for 24 years. He manages the Division’s Administrative Services Division. He is a 1985 graduate of Salisbury University, and is a graduate of the Indiana University Executive Development Program for Parks and Recreation Professionals. Prior to his work with the state parks, he spent ten years at PNC Bank.

What motivated you to get involved in public service?

My first ten years of work experience were in banking in the private sector. This experience gave me a great opportunity to engage with other professionals who were in the service industry in the towns we served. As professionally rewarding as that work was, I felt something was missing.

As a lifelong Delawarean, I had visited and used many of our beaches and open spaces, but it wasn’t until I went to work with DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation that I truly began to appreciate the importance and impact that public service can have on the citizens and visitors to Delaware. As I see how lives are enhanced and changed each day by the parks, programs and amenities managed by Delaware State Parks, it motivates me daily and provides a professional and personal satisfaction that is very rewarding.

What community endeavors are you proudest to engage in?

I am really proud of the partnerships that Delaware State Parks has formed with our friends organizations around the state. These 501(c)3 nonprofits are formed by incredibly passionate supporters of their state parks to provide volunteer engagement, fundraising and advocacy. They truly become an extension of the staff at our parks and part of the State Park family. The thousands of hours of volunteer support they provide annually make a profound impact on the programs and amenities that Delaware State Parks are able to provide and we simply couldn’t do it without them. I would encourage anyone who loves their local state park to join that friends group. I can assure you that it will be a great experience and a rewarding way to give back.

How does your organization contribute to expanding opportunity for people in Delaware?

Delaware has an award-winning state park system. These parks and open spaces are an oasis for people to relax and participate in activities that promote healthy lifestyles. Examples include participating in volunteer events or becoming a friends member, environmental education and living history programs, camping and overnight accommodations, providing convenient connections to state parks for walking, biking, hiking, bird watching, equestrian trail rides, fishing, summer concert series, recreation leagues, etc. The division continues to enhance opportunities for disabled visitors to use state parks for boating, fishing, trail and beach access. In FY19, Delaware State Parks hosted more than 5.8 million visitors.

What do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities facing philanthropy today?

One of the major challenges facing philanthropy today is a societal desire for immediate results without consideration for providing the resources for protecting the natural, cultural and historical assets for future generations to enjoy. Delaware State Parks has worked diligently to establish funds for nearly every state park to ensure that private endowment funding is available to supplement and support day-to-day park operations, maintenance and programming.

If you could do one thing to increase equity in Delaware, what would you do?

I believe that providing safe and enjoyable recreational opportunities and open spaces for all Delawareans to enjoy is critical. Delaware State Parks works daily to ensure every citizen in Delaware is able to enjoy these precious jewels with no social, financial, racial or ability barriers. DNREC’s Division of Parks is proud to serve all of Delaware citizens.

The American Dream in Sussex County

Posted by Stuart Comstock-Gay

· Wednesday, September 25th, 2019

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Delaware’s Latino population is growing and it’s growing fast. And that’s a good thing.

On Oct. 7, the DCF will be releasing a new report entitled Perspectives on the Latino Population in Sussex County, Delaware.

What we find is encouraging and inspiring. Now exceeding 20,000 people, Sussex County’s vibrant and diverse Latino community is bringing new passion to the belief in the American Dream.

“I raised smart and determined kids who don’t give up,” said Julia Roque, who immigrated from Puerto Rico in the 1970s. “They make me happy.”

Her children are now pursuing careers in communications, the military and nursing. Julia and her family are just one example.

The Sussex County Latino community contributes more than $50 million in tax revenue to Delaware annually. There are more than 800 Latino-owned businesses in the county. Nearly 25% of Sussex County Latinos aged 25 or older have earned college credits – 75% of them are women. They are learning English at breakneck speed, buying homes, holding down jobs, going to school and church, leading local sports leagues, and building community.

This is what America was built on. While many of us are grappling with whether the American Dream is still possible, the Latino community in Sussex County is living it. I’ve long expressed my continued belief in idea of the American Dream. This report gives me even more confidence that it has not vanished.

The report will be posted soon. In the meantime, you can sign up here for the Oct. 7 community conversation in Georgetown, where the report will be discussed.

This report, which was written by Drs. Jennifer Fuqua and April Veness at the University of Delaware, would not be possible without the support of a grant from CFLeads; the partnership and inspiration of Dr. Christine Cannon and the Arsht-Cannon Fund; the community leadership of La Esperanza and La Colectiva; and members of the Sussex County community.

What Do You Get With a Million Words?

Posted by Stuart Comstock-Gay

· Thursday, September 12th, 2019

· No Comments

The importance of quality pre-K education must be one of the best known needs in America. Research over recent decades has told us over and over again that if we teach our children well in the early years, their brains will develop well, they will have the capacity to become fully productive members of society, and they will have significantly expanded chances of living robust and healthy lives overall.

Yet it remains the stubborn truth that we still aren’t doing enough to provide that education to many of our children.

I had the opportunity recently to participate in an evening of TEDx talks, sponsored by Goldey Beacom College, where each and every talk focused on early childhood education. From Lucinda Ross to Dawn Alexander to Caroline Jones, Logan Herring, Jill Slader and Timothy Purnell, each speaker taught us about why early education matters. I anticipate the speeches will be widely available at some point soon.

I used my opportunity to talk about the million-word gap, where kids who are read to hear over a million words more than kids who are not read to…entering kindergarten with dramatically better chances at success. Reading helps, I said, with language, concentration, creativity, neural development, empathy and parent-child relationships. Kind of a magic elixir.

But of course, that’s not the whole story. A million words will get you far. But there is much more we need to address. You can see my talk here.

As for how a million words connects to the broader question of early education, my talk is really a call for it – for high quality universal early education for each and every one of our kids. I’m not the first person to call for universal pre-K, and I won’t be the last. It’s something we can achieve, and something we need.

P.S. If you are wondering about the Go Dog Go picture, you’ll have to listen to the talk.

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