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The Power of Generosity

Posted by Stuart Comstock-Gay

· Monday, May 24th, 2021

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How giving is part of our path forward … my recent op-ed in the News Journal…

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American generosity is a powerful thing.

As we slowly claw our way out of the pandemic era, it’s time to pause for a moment to acknowledge the incredible generosity that has helped us along the way. Delawareans — indeed Americans across the country — have stepped up and donated time and money to make life a little better for those struggling the most. There are hundreds of stories to tell, and dozens of initiatives.

read more here in the NewsJournal.

New Support for Homeless Youth

Posted by Stuart Comstock-Gay

· Thursday, April 15th, 2021

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With more than a year of pandemic life behind us, there’s much that was paused or halted or closed. With dollars constrained, service needs up, and attention focused elsewhere, it’s been hard to be forward thinking. But some nonprofits have been charging ahead – not just with pandemic relief but with exciting new efforts. Here’s one project.

One of the too often ignored challenges in our communities is the need of homeless youth. We don’t like to think about them – because it’s painful to think about, and an indication of a great societal failure. And there are way too many of them. Paul Calistro, Executive Director of the West End Neighborhood House, says, “National data leads us to believe that 1 in 10 Delaware youth between the ages of 18-24 experience some form of homelessness every year. The causes are complex and can include disability and current or former involvement with the foster care system. Data also indicates that LGBTQI youth face even greater difficulty in finding a safe, affordable place to live.” The $4 million campaign will expand housing, employment opportunities and counseling in independent living to young people ages 16-23 who are homeless.

The project also includes a drop-in resource center that provides meals and services to homeless youth.

While there are some services available now, and some beds specifically set up for homeless youth, they are too few and too far between. But as we speak, West End is creating more opportunities. By rehabilitating older housing, creating a drop-in center, and creating entirely new housing for homeless youth, they are speaking directly to this problem.

West End’s new housing for homeless youth should be opened by the end of July.

Groundbreaking occurred earlier this year, and soon the units are expected to open by the end of July.

It’s also worth noting here the significance of West End’s work with youth who were previously in the foster care system. Their 20-year old Life Lines program – which is part of this work – has focused on the particular changes of the community of former foster youth.

All of this is the kind of future-looking project that goes on all the time in most years. But while we’ve been consumed with the urgency of food, medical care, and vaccines, many of these sorts of projects have foundered. And this project shows how nonprofits are really walking and chewing gum at the same time – dealing with the urgent crises of now, while moving toward the future. And this at a time when resources have been particularly constrained.

It’s also a testament to the generosity of so many – corporations, individuals and foundations – who are helping to ensure services where they are most needed.

Credit to Paul Calistro and his entire team for keeping their sights on this critical work.

Thanks to a generous donor, West End has also established an endowment at DCF, to ensure that disabled youth who are using the new housing will have the additional supports they need to thrive.

To learn more about the program, reach out to Tara Quinn: tquinn@westendnh.org.

Four people talking in a house under construction

Delaware Community Foundation Awards $177,224 in Capital Grants

Posted by Rebecca Klug

· Wednesday, January 13th, 2021

· No Comments

From expanding a food pantry to building a safe playground, this year’s Capital Grants from the Delaware Community Foundation will benefit thousands of Delawareans statewide.

The DCF has awarded a total of $177,224 in 2021 Capital Grants to 13 organizations around the state. Grants are underwritten by the Delaware Forever Fund and the Elisabeth and Richard Poole Capital Fund for Delaware History and the Fine Arts. This year’s recipients are:

2021 Capital Grants

Catholic Charities, Inc. – $15,000
Pantry expansion and improvement project at the Thrift Center food pantry location in the low-income Riverside neighborhood of northeast Wilmington
Cornerstone West Community Development Corporation – $15,000
Community playground project at Cool Spring and Tilton Parks, Wilmington
Delaware Art Museum – $17,800
ADA-compliant bathroom renovations and security upgrades
Down Syndrome Association of Delaware – $20,000
New office space for a social enterprise meal preparation company that will hire adults with Down Syndrome
Family Counseling Center of St. Paul’s (FCCSP) – $10,000
Construction of a confidential and safe space for counseling and case management
Fort Miles Historical Association – $7,500
Installation of ADA-compliant doors
Jefferson Street Center, Inc. – $8,500
Recreation and safety equipment for the center’s new Gathering Place Community Hub
Kent-Sussex Industries, Inc. – $15,000
Restroom remodel
Milton Historical Society – $15,000
Basement waterproofing
Rehoboth Beach Historical Society – $10,000
HVAC system update
Salvation Army – $10,000
Security improvements
Sussex County Habitat for Humanity – pictured – $18,424
Construction equipment
Wilmington Alliance – $15,000
Construction of a kitchen incubator to provide an affordable, high-quality commercial kitchen for entrepreneurs including food truck owners, bakers and caterers

Since 1989, the Delaware Community Foundation has distributed over $7 million in capital grants. These are primarily funded by the Delaware Forever Fund, which consists of gifts made to the DCF for discretionary grantmaking.

Capital grants support projects that have a lasting, positive impact on the population served by the organization. They may be used to fund construction, renovation or repair of buildings, and/or land purchases. Capital grants typically range from $5,000 to $20,000, but can be awarded for up to $25,000.

“We are so glad we can help nonprofit organizations invest in their infrastructure so they can continue to build opportunity in Delaware,” DCF President and CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay said. “These capital grants allow organizations to make a long-term difference in quality of life for all Delawareans.”

A movement, not a moment…and some day…

Posted by Stuart Comstock-Gay

· Friday, November 20th, 2020

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My synapses are firing, and I’m full of appreciation and joy!

Last night, hundreds of you joined us in a discussion with Wes Moore – about race, structural racism, hope, and passion. We also heard from a local panel, featuring Bebe Coker, Rev. Edwin Estevez, Alonna Berry and Charito Calvachi-Mateyko, responding to Wes and sharing their thoughts about where we are, and where we need to go.

Thank you to everybody who participated.

There is so much to digest and think about, but a few items stuck hard with me.

The racial awareness that has come about in 2020 is not, said Wes, because of something different that happened this year vs. last. Killings of, and harassment of, black men and boys have been with us for a long time, and are not going away. What’s different now is that we are in a movement, not a moment. And at some point, we will reach a time when we will say, “Can you believe racial justice was something people had to fight for?”

Wes also reminded us that we do not have the luxury of “looking past race,” when race remains the most accurate predictor of life outcomes in America.

Wes reminded us that every person’s story matters, and every story is interesting “because it is that person’s story.” Unfortunately, we too often don’t know people’s stories until it is too late.

And there’s not really room to discuss the powerful statements by all of our panelists. Suffice it to say, they were great.

Finally I appreciate that so many of us want to make progress. In his book Five Days, Wes says, “The figures in this book were each, in their way, fighting to prevent the tragedy of Freddie Gray from playing out again and again…In their small victories and looming failures, they revealed to me the importance of individual changemakers and the indispensable necessity of collective action.”

As for us at the DCF, we believe that collective and individual action to reduce racial inequities is and must remain central to all of our work. The work is not just a one-time thing, but will imbue all we do.

We are engaging in this work in a number of ways.

• Right now, in partnership with the Rodel Foundation, we are pleased to say that we will support a Delaware participant in the Black Voices for Black Justice Fund, a national initiative co-chaired by Wes.

• We are developing new grant opportunities focused on better supporting and investing in leaders of color, the organizations they lead, and the communities they serve.

• We are implementing recommendations of the fellows who were part of our Community Equity Project – their work will be featured on the DCF website in the upcoming weeks.

• And we are continuing to participate with the Delaware Racial Justice Collaborative being coordinated by our partners at the United Way of Delaware.

We are on a path. And we all have a part to play. And (using Alonna Berry’s metaphor), while none of us alone can move the wall, we all need to work hard on moving our individual bricks.

Two kids sitting at a table laughing while working on a drawing project

DCF Awards $240,000 in Focus Grants

Posted by Rebecca Klug

· Monday, June 29th, 2020

· No Comments

The Delaware Community Foundation has awarded $240,000 in Focus Grants to programs enriching the lives of Delaware youth and Latino communities.

During the pandemic crisis, community needs have changed, and many nonprofits have changed their business models, stepped up services and cancelled events. For this reason, the Focus Grants program was modified this year to allow recipients to use the grants for operations and pandemic-related needs as well as for the original projects.

This year’s Focus Grants recipients are:

Youth Serving

Choir School of Delaware – $12,250
To expand their transportation program for choristers as they expand their program to include a summer session.

Multiplying Good (SIA4Good- Serving the State of Delaware) – $12,250
To support the Students in Action (SIA) program to prepare Delaware youth for leadership and public service.

Read Aloud Delaware – $9,800
To continue expanding the Volunteer Reading Program in New Castle County.

CAMP Rehoboth – $12,066
To support LGBTQ+ youth in middle and high schools through promoting and strengthening school GSA clubs.

Arise Delaware – $7,350
To support building relationships among special needs participants and volunteer “buddies,” and among parents.

Jobs for Delaware Graduates – $12,250
To provide academic, workforce preparation, and life skills education to some of the most at risk middle- and high-school students in Delaware.

Summer Learning Collaborative – $9,800
To support the six-week Tyler’s Camp program for Sussex County middle school students, including sports, arts, STEM and academics.

YearUp Wilmington – $12,250
To support a workforce development program for young adults who have not progressed past a high school diploma or GED.

Urban Garden Initiative – $5,145
To expand their student gardening program to a workshop series that will serve about 200 students at five Wilmington community centers.

Mom’s House of Dover – $4,900
To provide free child care and other support services to low-income single parents who are pursuing secondary or post-secondary education.

Latin American Community Center – $12,250
To implement a new trauma-informed youth drugs and violence prevention program.

Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch Up – $11,144
To begin providing an Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC) home visiting program to families at imminent risk of their children being removed to foster care.

Plastic Free Delaware – $4,900
To host high school students from across the state for a new Youth Environmental Summit.

Teen Warehouse – $12,250
To support the Teens in Motion program for personal development and soft skills training designed to move teens to employment.

United Way of Delaware – $12,250
To implement their Step on It program to increase the capacity of two middle schools in Wilmington Promise Communities by engaging community stakeholders.

Christiana Care Health Systems – $5,145
To support the annual spring overnight field trip of the First State School, which serves chronically ill children and adolescents.

Latino Serving

Habitat for Humanity Sussex County – $21,250
To support the anticipated growth of Latino clients in the Sussex County Habitat for Humanity’s (SCHFH) Family Empowerment Program for financial literacy education.

TeenSHARP – $11,750
To support the Delaware Goes to College Academy (DGCA), which provides academic advising and college guidance in English and Spanish to Latino high school students and their families across Sussex County.

Children and Families First – $8,500
To allow the Sussex Community of Hope Latino Community Outreach project to translate outreach and survey materials into Spanish.

ESL Lutheran Church of Our Savior – $4,250
To expand the English as a Second Language program to serve the growing population of non-English speakers in Sussex County from South and Central American countries.

La Esperanza – $8,500
To support a New Citizenship Program to provide education, outreach, and full naturalization preparation for eligible Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR).

Literacy Delaware – $8,500
To expand Literacy Delaware’s services into Sussex County.

Autism Delaware – $8,500
To expand the Autism Care Team (ACT) program in Sussex County, with a focus on Spanish-speaking families in Sussex County with a child affected by autism.

Sussex Tech Adult Division – $12,750
To provide continuing GED instruction for English Language Learners in English and Spanish at James H. Groves High School in Sussex County.

Photo: Summer Learning Collaborative’s Tyler’s Camp

A Link in the Chain: Ending Cycles of Violence and Socioeconomic Inequality in Wilmington

Posted by Rebecca Klug

· Wednesday, June 24th, 2020

· 1 Comment

Margaret Guy, executive director of Stop the Violence Prayer Chain Foundation, talks about providing educational and social services to children and families who live at or below the poverty level, and who are often impacted by domestic and gun violence.

Stop the Violence Prayer Chain Foundation received $2,500 in grants from the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund to continue providing essential supplies for children in Wilmington during the crisis. In the past, the organization has offered after-school tutoring, educational trips, life-skills classes and apprenticeships, and has even partnered with Comcast to produce a children’s show. Now they’re finding new ways to connect with a community affected by the social and economic impacts of the pandemic.

We also talk with Sheila Bravo, president & CEO of the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement (DANA) and one of the DCF’s key partners in establishing the Strategic Response Fund.

All six episodes in this second season of Building Opportunity will feature stories about how the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund has helped nonprofits meet the needs of our community during this crisis. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay is our host.

You can listen and subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player. Find all podcast episodes at delcf.org/podcast.

$108,760 Awarded from Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund to 13 Nonprofits

Posted by Rebecca Klug

· Monday, June 8th, 2020

· No Comments

$50,000 earmarked for grants to minority-led organizations serving communities most affected by pandemic.

In its ninth round of grants, the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund on Friday awarded $108,760 to 13 nonprofit organizations providing services to communities throughout the state.

The fund also earmarked $50,000 to create a new initiative to increase equity in Delaware by strengthening smaller nonprofits (operating budgets $250K and under) led by and serving people of color, who are disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Specifics will be determined in the coming weeks.

Friday’s grants will address a broad range of community needs during the pandemic. Grantees are:

Absolutely Flawless Women — $5,000 to provide meals for families in Indian River School District.
Bellevue Community Center — $10,000 to provide fresh produce to underserved families in Wilmington.
Chinese American Community Center — $8,000 to support virtual programming and operations of the facility in Hockessin.
Clear Space Theatre Company — $10,000 to support operations.
Delaware Center for Horticulture — $10,000 to mobilize home gardeners to grow and donate produce statewide.
Delaware Zoological Society — $10,000 to support zoo operations and virtual programming.
Joshua M. Freeman Foundation — $10,000 to convert the Freeman Stage’s free, weekly Young Audience Series to a virtual program.
Laurel Public Library — $3,900 for a UV sanitation machine for books and materials.
Lewes Public Library — $10,000 for equipment to support virtual programming.
Merakey Allos — $6,500 for equipment to provide services for individuals with intellectual disabilities at Delaware group homes.
Paws for People — $4,000 to support virtual pet therapy and reading programs statewide.
Siegel JCC — $16,360 for equipment to facilitate safely reopening the facility in Wilmington.
Wilmington & Western Railroad — $5,000 for equipment to facilitate safely reopening the historical railroad.

In this ninth round of grants, 51 applicants requested $1.3 million from the COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund, which is housed at the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF).

The fund, which launched on March 18, has awarded $2.5 million to 107 Delaware nonprofits so far. The fund awarded grants each week March 27-May 22 and paused for a week before awarding Friday’s grants.

Next Applications Due June 15

The fund will accept additional grant applications on June 15 at delcf.org/covid-grants.

The grants have been targeting a combination of immediate needs and broader community needs, including the arts, culture, the environment, workforce development, animal welfare and others.

The June grants are target nonprofit organizations – both large and small – playing key roles in various sectors, throughout the state.

While we cannot address the sustainability of every nonprofit organization, the goal of these grants is to strengthen the sustainability of the sectors traditionally upheld by nonprofits, including health and social services, education, the environment, workforce development, animal welfare, the arts, culture and others.

These grants target solvent nonprofit organizations with solid plans for long-term fiscal sustainability and strong leadership and management. The plans should be responsive to the changing environment for funding, as well as evolving community needs. Organizations with a history of serving populations most affected by the pandemic will be favored.

New Grants Programs to Be Announced for Second Half of 2020

The Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund will continue to award grants at least through the end of 2020.

Two new grants programs will be announced on Friday, June 12 at delcf.org/covid-grants. Details are not yet available.

Double the Impact of Your Gift

The council is actively raising money to be able to respond to community needs, said DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay.

“As the pandemic continues, the needs are growing and evolving,” Comstock-Gay said. “We are calling on the community to help local nonprofit organizations get food, shelter, medical care and other essential services directly to the people who need it most. We also must support our workforce, arts community and other sectors to restore our quality of life post-COVID-19.”

The Longwood Foundation, which previously gave $1.5 million to the Strategic Response Fund, recently awarded a $500,000 grant, with the stipulation that the DCF must raise a matching $500,000 from the community by Aug. 31.

To make a gift that qualifies for the match, give at delcf.org/covid19-fund or contact Joan Hoge-North.

About the Fund

The Strategic Response Fund was established to address the state’s emerging and evolving needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grantees are selected through a rigorous process that involves a diverse team of more than 50 community leaders representing all three counties and a range of areas of expertise. Final decisions are made by the COVID-19 Community Needs Grants Council:

April Birmingham, M&T Bank
Sheila Bravo, president, Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement (DANA), ex officio
Vernita Dorsey, WSFSAlan Levin, SoDel Concepts
Leslie Newman, retired CEO, Children & Families First
Todd Veale, executive director, Laffey-McHugh Foundation
Enid Wallace-Simms, Delmarva Power
Amy Walls, Discover Bank

The fund, which is being directed by Philanthropy Delaware President Cynthia Pritchard, already includes generous gifts from the Longwood Foundation ($1.5 million), Barclays ($500,000), New Castle County ($500,000), Welfare Foundation ($200,000), CSC ($100,000), Crestlea Foundation ($100,000), Fund for Women ($100,000), Highmark ($100,000), Laffey-McHugh ($100,000), Discover ($75,000), DCF ($75,000), DuPont ($75,000), M&T ($50,000), JP Morgan Chase ($30,000), Bank of America ($25,000), TD Bank ($25,000), WSFS Bank ($25,000) and others. The DCF also has waived all administrative fees for this fund, so that 100 percent of the funds are going to organizations helping people in need.

The Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund is part of the Delaware COVID-19 Emergency Response Initiative, a nonprofit collaborative response to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. The DCF, DANA, PD and United Way of Delaware are partnering to coordinate charitable resources to maximize impact statewide during this crisis.

To contribute, visit delcf.org/covid19-fund.

Mark Carter of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and the DCF's Stuart Comstock-Gay recording podcast episode

How Businesses Build Opportunity | Mark Carter

Posted by Rebecca Klug

· Friday, March 13th, 2020

· No Comments

Mark Carter, director of Beer & Benevolence, the charitable arm of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, talks about the role of businesses in building opportunity.

A Kent County native and Marine Corp veteran who has traveled around the world, Carter brings a “think globally, act locally” approach to Dogfish Head’s charitable giving, which focuses on arts, environment, and community. In addition to the brewery’s donations, Dogfish Head staff regularly volunteer for projects across the state.

Our nine-episode Building Opportunity in Delaware podcast series focuses on how can we build opportunity and strengthen community for all. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay talks with Delawareans who are building opportunity through the arts, faith communities, libraries and everything in between.

You can listen and subscribe on Apple, Spotify. and Google Podcasts. Find all podcast episodes at delcf.org/podcast.

Adriana Comacho-Church and Stuart Comstock-Gay recording podcast episode

How Libraries Build Opportunities | Adriana Camacho-Church

Posted by Rebecca Klug

· Friday, March 6th, 2020

· 7 Comments

Bear Library specialist Adriana Camacho-Church talks about the role of libraries in building opportunity. The Bear Library’s ESL programs for Spanish and Chinese speakers help people learn how to read, write, find job opportunities and integrate into their communities, benefiting the community as a whole. Camacho-Church also writes a monthly series in Delaware’s Out & About Magazine called “Worth Recognizing: Community Members Who Go Above and Beyond.”

You can listen and subscribe on Apple, Spotify. and Google Podcasts. Find all podcast episodes at delcf.org/podcast.

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