COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Over the last three years, fewer than one-third of survey respondents said they felt the community had improved. Respondents are more optimistic about the future with more than two-thirds of respondents feeling that the community will improve over the next three years. About 60% of respondents say they “probably would recommend” or “definitely would recommend” the neighborhood as a good place to live. Safety is a concern in the community, and is paramount to feelings of health and wellness. About 24% of respondents say they feel “very safe” walking in the community during the day. At night, only 9% of respondents say they feel “very safe” walking in the community. Among the top safety concern is gun shots and gun violence. In addition, stronger public safety presence, brighter lighting, and enhanced transit / bus stop environments were noted as the most needed improvements to the Northeast Boulevard (Governor Printz) corridor.

Goal 1. Improve access to healthy, nourishing food

1.1 Increase access to fresh produce and nutritious foods.

Food insecurity across the country and in Delaware increased during the COVID-19 pandemic (Feeding America, 2021). According to CDC data, 11% of the U.S. population and 12.6% of Delaware residents were food insecure in 2021. The WRK Group already has established a focus on reducing food insecurity and connecting community members to fresh, healthy foods. Kingswood Community Center partner, Planting to Feed, includes an urban farm and community fridge access at two locations. Consider increased programing to support regular farmers markets and attract non-fast-food options to the community.

Opened in 2021, this fresh food market is located on Northeast Blvd and owned by two sisters formerly in the health care industry who saw the need for access to healthy, inexpensive fruits and vegetables. The store also provides prepared foods and drinks and seeks “to bring healthy eating and love into the community”.

Potential funding through the First State Food System Program may be available to help fund: food hubs, transportation, processing, and distribution (including food trucks, farmers markets, farm stores).

The City of Wilmington and the Division for Small Business encourages small business growth and expansion by offering assistance programs. The WRK Group can partner with the City to locate a small food / restaurant incubator in Northeast Wilmington – providing both economic opportunity and reducing the gap in local, healthy food options.

CommonWealth Kitchen is a nonprofit organization in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, developed as a resource to launch small local food enterpreneurs, by providing fully equipped commercial kitchen facilities combined with integrated business assistance to aspiring food businesses. CommonWealth Kitchen is home to over 50 companies, including food trucks, caterers, bakers, and packaged good companies. Over 75% of those companies are owned by people of color, employing 150+ in one of Boston’s lowest-income neighborhoods. Being a member of CommonWealth Kitchen’s food business incubator means not only having access to a fully-equipped, licensed kitchen space but also receiving technical support.

Goal 2. Create healthy community spaces at the revitalized Kingswood Community Center.

2.1 Prioritize healthy community spaces, hands-on learning, and spaces for one-onone connection and small groups at the new Kingswood Community Center.

With the additional space and services, KCC will provide:

• Case management offered on-site including assistance with benefits

• Cognitive/behavioral therapy for children

• Primary care health services, engagement on Community Health & Wellness Committee

• Mental & behavioral health with bilingual services offered free of charge to low-income families

• Free legal services and/or case management on navigating the legal system

• Emergency assistance for food, clothing, shelter, rent, utilities, financial counseling

• Community services for those returning from prison, including case management, advocacy, mentoring, and job placement

Goal 3. Increase community cohesiveness and strengthen the social fabric through the design of the environment as well as programs, community events, and opportunities to get involved.

3.1 Continue to build resident leadership capacity and encourage small business growth.

Through KCC programming, continue to develop small cohort programs for resident capacity building skills that might include entrepreneurial training for those interested in a start-up businesses and how to put together a financial plan, how to build relationships with neighbors and local businesses, how to use social media effectively. Provide spaces and opportunities for small business growth (e.g., incubator space at the future retail / light industrial / mixed-use spaces at Catalyst Site 1 (former Del Tech Site and Todds Lane Industrial Park).

3.2 Build relationships with community coalitions, neighborhood leaders and advocates, community-based organizations, and elected officials.

Broaden the existing REACH Riverside Community Engagement Committee to include a wide coalition of neighborhood leaders, advocates, and residents. Continue to host community gatherings, resource fairs, and community building celebrations, that provide opportunities for the community to come together and build trusting relationships, as well as provide access to a variety of needed resources and services. Include opportunities for neighborhood building activities like clean-ups, planting & beautifying community locations, as well as outdoor fitness classes, children’s activities, and home repair workshops.

Actively engage residents in decision-making related to all neighborhood revitalization projects, including the ongoing redevelopment of Riverside community, KCC, and new development at the catalyst site locations to ensure that the projects are accomplished with community input and guidance.

3.3 Continue to support the Kingswood Community Center’s EMPOWER and FACET programs and promote an environment that promotes positive mental health and healing

Grow community participation in EMPOWER (Economic Mobility Places Ownership Within Everyone’s Reach) and the FACET (Families and Centers Empowered Together programs through ongoing touch-points with the community. These programs offer skill development and financial literacy, as well as family support, using an empowerment program model and asset-based prevention approach to focus on identifying, building, and maximizing individual and family strengths. Continue to place a strong emphasis placed on parent and/or guardian empowerment.

“The Longest Table, hosted by The City of Tallahassee, Leon County Government, The Village Square, and Leadership Tallahassee, is a free event that allows us to come together to break bread and have an honest discussion about our community over dinner at one continuous table. This Tallahassee tradition gives residents the opportunity to build and strengthen relationships across diverse communities to move our community forward together. Last year 1,000 people gathered after Hurricane Michael, sharing conversations about our hometown.”

Source: https://tlh.villagesquare.us/event/the-longest-table/