Stories of Community Support

More Stories of Community Support

Pathways to Success

Several years ago, Priscilla Turgon, a successful local businesswoman with connections in the education field, started Pathways to Success, Inc., a non-profit organization that would address the needs of at-risk children in northern Delaware.

Nationally, at least one in three students fails the 9th grade; 18% of dropouts have some contact with the criminal justice system. Consequently, school administrators have identified middle-school students as a critical intervention point

Attitude is Contagious © is a character education program developed by Pathways to Success to help middle-school and ninth-grade students understand how their emotions and perceptions of events affect the decisions they make. The program's goals are to reduce the overall number of student disciplinary contacts and positively impact the students' desire to stay in school and complete their high-school education.

A $2,500 matching grant from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington has enabled Pathways to Success to partner with Shue-Medill Middle School in Newark, Delaware and incorporate Attitude is Contagious© into the curriculum for 25 at-risk 7th and 8th grade students through the school's Positive Behavior Support Initiative.

Save-A-Child Foundation

Veronica Morgan knows first-hand the pain and devastation associated with losing a child to suicide. Her son, Shawn, took his life at the age of 13. As a result of her ordeal, Veronica became aware of the prevalence of suicide among teenagers. She decided to use her experience as Manager of Pediatrics Administration in a local hospital to help prevent what happened to her from happening to other families. In October 2005, Veronica established the Save-A-Child Foundation in memory of Shawn.

The Save-A-Child Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising community awareness about Delaware’s high rate of adolescent suicide. Veronica found that these precious losses were, in part, due to ignorance about the many causes of these suicides, the lack of available and adequate treatment for teenage mental illness, as well as the stigma associated with the act. Many of these causes could be remedied with adequate mental health care, and if mental illness was to be given the same degree of attention by insurance companies as is given to physical illness.

Bread for the Journey of Wilmington gave the Save-A-Child Foundation a grant of $1,000 to help offset the costs associated with holding their annual fundraising event. The funds raised at this event support agencies that specialize in education about suicide prevention, as well as helping families deal with the aftermath of such deaths. In addition, funds are provided to initiate new programs and to support facilities to treat at-risk adolescents.

Colonial Beat

Rachel Douglas is a college student and former member of the Colonial Beat indoor drum line, a percussion group that competes on the high-school level with other drum lines based in the eastern United States. Because of her belief in the value of this endeavor, Rachel volunteers a significant amount of time as the ”percussion tech” for these drum lines, despite her busy schedule. Most of these students would not otherwise have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument, due to costs for both the instruments and for instruction. However, Colonial Beat accepts all students who are committed to learning and practicing their instruments, as well as sticking to rehearsal schedules. With more and more focus and money going to high school athletics, Colonial Beat provides an avenue for students whose interests and abilities lie outside the realm of sports. Instead, these students develop self-esteem and learn the skills and qualities necessary to be good competitors through music.

With a $1,500 grant from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, Colonial Beat will be able to repair and replace old or damaged instruments and equipment, ensuring more competitive seasons for the committed students of Colonial Beat.

Delaware Bullying Prevention Association

Rhonda Denny had a dream: To put an end to the harmful habit and the resulting damaging effects of bullying behaviors. As Deputy Attorney General of the Delaware Department of Justice, Ms. Denny has witnessed the effects of bullying on both perpetrators and victims. In the state of Delaware alone, approximately 30 criminal cases related to fighting are set for trial every week. The majority of these involve juveniles, and statistics show the close relationship between bullying and fighting. The harmful effects of bullying last a lifetime. Research has shown that bullies are much more likely to develop criminal records, and that victims are likely to suffer long-term adverse effects, including post-traumatic stress disorder.

To get at the heart of these issues, Ms. Denny developed the Delaware Bullying Prevention Association (DBPA) in collaboration with many of Delaware’s physical and mental health care providers, along with the American Association of Pediatrics, the Department of Education and the Department of Justice. DBPA’s long-range goals are to develop and implement prevention efforts, as well as intervention activities and educational programs that aim to reduce the occurrences of bullying among children and adolescents. A critical component of DBPA is to train personnel who work with youth to use comprehensive research-based curricula. The organization plans to create a website with comprehensive information on bullying; to influence legislation regarding children who are affected by bullying; to train and enlist older children and adolescents to help educate younger children on bullying prevention; to research the dynamics of bullying and methods of prevention; to incorporate the arts into their prevention efforts; and to develop brochures to distribute to the offices of pediatricians.

With a $625 grant from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, the Delaware Bullying Prevention Association will be able to apply for its 501c(3) non-profit status, bringing Ms. Denney’s dream one step closer to reality.

Interfaith Coalition: Building Blocks for Wilmington

Bread for the Journey of Wilmington provided a grant of $1,200 to “Interfaith Coalition: Building Blocks for Wilmington.” As rising crime rates in the City of Wilmington escalated, a group of women and men had a vision of making Wilmington “a safe place to live, a quality place to raise children, and a great place to work.” “The Coalition” is an alliance based on spiritual principles from various faith traditions that has come together because of deep concern about the level of violence in many parts of the city. Current methods of solving the problem are not working, and they believe that new initiatives are needed to take back the streets and improve the quality of life in these Wilmington communities. They have worked on creating relationships across faith, ethnic, social, economic and political boundaries that bring greater power and cohesiveness to solving inner-city problems.

They have also brought in Dr. Eugene Rivers to evolve the potential of the IC initiative in Wilmington, based on his experience and wisdom from previously doing this work in Boston and nationally. The BFJ grant will pay the remaining costs to incorporate as a non-profit, for the design and layout of letterhead, brochures and printing, and for mailing and distribution.

Dress for Success

As an employee of one of Delaware’s leading corporations, Michelle Hopkins knows well that finding and landing the right job can be a daunting task. The job-search process is often intimidating: Creating a good resume, choosing the right outfit, answering tough questions, maximizing your strengths and minimizing your weaknesses are challenging even for seasoned professionals, but can be particularly difficult for low-income women just entering the workforce. The harsh reality is that first impressions are crucial to finding a job that pays a living wage. The problem is that without a job, many women cannot afford the right clothes to make a good first impression. Yet without the right clothes, it can be difficult to get a job.

Michelle’s vision was to create a local chapter of Dress for Success, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing not only appropriate business attire to low-income women but, by partnering with local agencies, to also help advance these women’s economic and social development. With a $750 grant from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, Michelle will be able to move forward to obtain her official non-profit status, as well as to purchase a dedicated phone and voicemail system. By encouraging self-sufficiency through career development and employment retention, Dress for Success provides a definite win/win situation for everyone involved!

Mision de Miques

Two local women, Betty Thompson and Joyce Ackerman, have been visiting Guatemala for a number of years. During these visits, Betty and Joyce have been touched by both the joy and the pain of the country’s hard-working indigenous women. Most of them are widows and the sole supporters of their families, and many have difficult lives and sad stories. Slowly, a vision began to emerge that would help the Guatemalan women and their families while, at the same time, focus attention on the plight of the marginalized in this third-world country and tighten the connections within our global society.

The idea for Mision de Miques was born, a small non-profit organization that purchases beautiful hand-made beaded jewelry and colorful hand-loomed textiles in Guatemala for fair market prices from women’s cooperatives in towns and villages throughout the country. Betty and Joyce bring the items back to the States and tour local churches and organizations, lecturing on the beauty of Guatemala and the plight of its people, and selling the handiwork they bring back with them.

A $250 grant from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington helped Betty and Joyce purchase enough of an initial inventory to launch Mision de Miques in the fall of 2005.

Special Olympics

The e-mail arrived on Wednesday, September 7 th. The need was urgent. Two young adults, Justin and Kendra, wanted desperately to compete in the Delaware Special Olympics’ biking event scheduled for September 17 th, but there was a seemingly insurmountable problem: Neither participant had the three-wheeled bike they needed!

Justin and Kendra have a passion for biking; however, when Justin brought his bike to the first practice, it was so old that it fell apart. Kendra’s bicycle was made of wicker and was too small to support her frame. Because both Kendra and Justin have balancing difficulties, they are not able to ride two-wheelers, but instead need expensive three-wheeled bicycles. As the weeks passed and the event drew closer, local Special Olympics volunteers searched for a solution.

When the Wilmington Chapter of Bread for the Journey received the e-mail request on September 7 th, a call was placed to Marie McIntosh, the local Special Olympics contact who was working with Justin and Kendra. Marie was thrilled to learn that Bread for the Journey of Wilmington would be sending a check to cover the cost of the two bicycles. With a $760 grant from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, Justin and Kendra had their new bikes in time not only to compete in the biking event, but to get in a few extra days of practice, as well.

Amid cheers and huge smiles, Justin won a gold medal and Kendra won a silver medal in the event!

Dare to Care

Although large in area and diverse in population, the Fifth Councilmanic District of Wilmington, Delaware, is a neighborhood in and of itself. Located in the heart of Wilmington, it houses the city’s largest Hispanic community and is an area beset by high rates of unemployment, vacant houses, low home-ownership, high rental rates, and troubling crime statistics. Rick Morrison and the members of “Dare to Care” have targeted this at-risk district for a transformation. By instituting mentoring programs for elementary-age school children, working with local employers to find summer jobs for teen residents and full-time jobs for young adults, and forming relationships with community leaders and elected officials to address problems in housing and education, Dare to Care hopes the Fifth Councilmanic District will become a vital and vibrant part of the City of Wilmington.

When Dare to Care asked Bread for the Journey of Wilmington for $500 in order to obtain their non-profit status, we were happy to help! We were even more excited to learn about their plan to fill backpacks with much-needed school supplies and give them to children who would otherwise go without. The Wilmington chapter of Bread for the Journey gave an additional $500 toward this purpose, however, the board members added one stipulation — we wanted to be invited to the distribution picnic! We were assured that this condition would be met, as extra hands are always needed. We are looking forward to a fun event with many smiling faces!

West Center City Seekers

West Center City Seekers is an after-school child development center located in the heart of some of Wilmington's poorer neighborhoods. According to Director Daniel Young, the primary goal of the program is to address the social and emotional needs of the 45 children in grades 3-9 who attend West Center City Seekers daily. Many of the children come from difficult home environments, often resulting in poor school performance and any combination of social and emotional challenges.

In an effort to improve school performance by increasing the children's reading skills, Daniel asked Bread for the Journey of Wilmington for a grant of $925 to begin an evening Reading Initiative program. The curriculum was developed in conjunction with reading specialists and accommodates a variety of learning styles. Several evenings a week, children meet to both learn and have fun. Daniel hopes the benefits of the Reading Initiative will be far-reaching for these children, resulting in improved reading skills, school performance and self-esteem.

Supporting Kidds



When children need to heal from a significant loss, Supporting KIDDS provides both a safe and caring environment where children can experience their feelings, and find a compassionate pathway through the grieving process. KIDDS is a comprehensive center for supporting and educating bereaved children, their families and the larger communities in which they live. Co-directors Ellen Spoehr and Jane Cisco, and Program Director Valarie Molaison are licensed professionals who mentor a community of volunteers to lead the various support groups. In small, age-specific groups, participants name and claim their feelings, grow to understand the grief process, learn healthy coping tools, and develop a sense of community.

However, not all grieving children are able to attend the workshops. In an effort to reach out to families in need throughout the community, the program staff at KIDDS dreamed of making the Supporting KIDDS Survival Kit into a bound booklet that could be distributed to schools, community groups and health professionals who work with children. With a grant of $1,500 from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, Survival Kits filled with critical information for grieving children and their families can now be made available throughout New Castle County.

Operation Warm

Often forgotten are the hardships that the families of our deployed service men and women frequently face when family income is reduced or children are forced to stay with relatives or friends. Recently, Operation Warm teamed up with Bread for the Journey of Wilmington to provide brand new winter coats to children of our deployed service personnel stationed at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, Delaware.

The mission of Operation Warm is to enhance the self-esteem of disadvantaged children by providing them with resources that promote a positive self-image and foster the conviction that says, "I am of value." They were granted their 501(c) (3) non-profit status in the spring of 2003. Their current focus is to provide underprivileged children with new winter coats, which continues to be the items most consistently requested by schools and social service agencies.

With a grant of $920 from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, Operation Warm brought smiles to the faces of 92 children of service men and women currently serving overseas.

Kudjip Nazarene Hospital - Papua New Guinea

Dr. Chuck Miller is a retired pediatrician who has answered a call to become a medical missionary in some of the most remote and primitive parts of the world. Chuck's most recent assignment was to the Kudjip Nazarene Hospital in Papua New Guinea. There he spent three months in a hospital that provides the only medical care for up to 2,000,000 people in the country's remote highlands, where meningitis and tuberculosis are common and have cost the lives of many children. These children often don't receive the life-saving chemotherapy they need simply because it takes their families too long to save the equivalent of $1.00 U.S. that it costs to get their children to the hospital for treatment. As with many missionary hospitals, Kudjip Nazarene operates on a shoestring and is frequently in grave danger of closing its doors.

To honor and affirm our connection with the family of the earth, Bread for the Journey of Wilmington sent $500 to Kudjip Nazarene Hospital to support its ministry to the people of Papua New Guinea.

In Plain Language

Although Delaware is only the second-smallest state, it ranks as fourth-highest per capita in the number of AIDS cases within the United States. In an effort to change that statistic and reverse the current trends, Frank Hawkins, Director of Education and Outreach at AIDS Delaware, has developed a potent new educational outreach and prevention program called In Plain Language. Each In Plain Language series consists of four meetings - each four hours long - where HIV and AIDS prevention is discussed in very "plain" and understandable terms. Each participant receives a workbook to complete and to use as a reference, along with incentives for finishing the entire program. The series can be adapted to different audiences - teens, older adults and young adults - as well as those already infected with HIV/AIDS and their families. One trial series has been held and, with a $1,400 grant from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, AIDS Delaware will be able to conduct two more. The objective of In Plain Language is to arm participants with the best and most current information about this dangerous and ever-changing disease so that they can make choices that are the most life-affirming.

Women's Opportunity Link of Delaware - Making a WOLDE of Difference

While working in a management position at Goodwill Industries, Jennifer Rehm Clark came to value the hard work and dedication displayed by the women who reported to her. However, when it came time to distribute yearly merit increases, Jenn realized that the small increases she was allowed to give would barely improve the quality of life for these women and their families, who were barely getting by on minimum-wage salaries.
Since leaving Goodwill, Jenn has worked tirelessly and passionately to develop the Women's Opportunity Link of DE (WOLDE). This comprehensive program is designed to assist motivated women in getting the training and/or education necessary to qualify for higher-paying, living-wage jobs. WOLDE is partnering with existing community resources and businesses to obtain childcare, transportation subsidies, on-the-job training, and mentoring. Jenn hopes to remove many of the obstacles that typically stand in the way of attaining living-wage employment for the poor and underemployed.
With a $1,000 grant from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, Jenn will be able to file the necessary paperwork for her 501(c)(3) non-profit status, become incorporated in the state of Delaware, and pay a graphic artist to develop a logo. Her vision and determination are sure to change the lives of many motivated women who share her commitment to a better future for themselves and their families.

Love & Hope Ministries, Inc.

Angela Miller's dream - to help meet the monumental needs of the local African-American HIV/AIDS population - was born of pain, love and hope. A single mother of three, Angela has experienced the pain of having a chronically ill child as well as family and friends who suffer from the effects of HIV/AIDS. She realizes that those who are surrounded by illness also need love and hope.

Angela envisions a team of volunteers and an organization that would provide case-management support services to individuals and their families who are suffering from HIV/AIDS. They would also provide education and awareness seminars for the general public. The plight of the HIV/AIDS population has received less attention in recent years and yet the need for education and family support continues to be overwhelming.

Bread for the Journey of Wilmington gave Angela $950 to help her obtain 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status for Love & Hope Ministries, Inc., and to provide the needed materials for public education and awareness seminars. The effects of HIV/AIDS continue to take a devastating toll on our communities. With the help of organizations like Love & Hope Ministries, Inc., those suffering from HIV/AIDS and their families will receive the love, hope and support that they need.

Visions Unlimited

Visions Unlimited is the perfect name for this faith-based social services community outreach program. Founded in 2001 by Patricia Bunton, the visions of this organization are already truly unlimited. Plans are in place to start a number of programs focusing on the needs of disadvantaged youth and adults in the Wilmington area. From the prevention of homelessness, to mentoring at-risk youth, to encouraging and nurturing young minority males, to skills and training workshops, Visions Unlimited is working hard to address the ills that plague our communities. During 2001, Visions Unlimited served over 1,200 at-risk youth and their families throughout New Castle County, focusing in large part on young minority boys who are in desperate need of positive role models. Recently, Visions Unlimited was given office space in a renovated church and with a $1000 grant from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, they were able to purchase much needed office supplies and equipment. Through her faith, dedication, and insight, Patricia's vision for improving her community has become a reality, creating hope and opportunity.

Project Restoration

Believing that each child has endless possibilities, Rev. Steven B. Hare founded Project Restoration in 1995, as a way of reaching out to the children in Wilmington's challenged neighborhoods. The difference between success and failure frequently lies in a caring, supportive community. Project Restoration and its new director, Loretta Harper-Brown, provide just such a community to hundreds of New Castle County children each year. The mission of Project Restoration is to raise up and train a new generation of leaders for the entire community by focusing on the key issues that are important for child development: the presence of adult role models, the belief that one's life has a purpose, the ability to be comfortable with people of different backgrounds, the availability of meaningful programs to help young people overcome the challenges they face. With a $2,700 grant from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, Project Restoration was able to purchase three new computers to be used for The New Youth Entrepreneur Program in which 10 - 17 year olds learn about entrepreneurship through classroom as well as practical experience. The computers will also be a valuable addition to several other established Project Restoration programs, including the Life Skills, Youth Leadership, Telecommunications Training and Career Development programs.

Friendship House

The transitional housing programs and Women's Day/Drop-In Center of Friendship House provide a guided pathway out of poverty, addiction, and abuse to women who are seeking to make changes in their lives that will benefit both themselves and their children. Joanne Kassees is a certified child therapist with a Master's Degree in Counseling and has worked in the field of abuse, anger management, and incest for 20 years. Joanne offers individual therapy to the women of Friendship House on a weekly basis and is available to meet with the children who have also experienced abuse and abandonment. To make changes, these women and children need a great deal of support, encouragement, and counseling. In order to support these changes and provide necessary resource materials, Bread for the Journey of Wilmington gave Friendship House a grant of $500 so that the efforts of Joanne and the courageous women and children with whom she works might continue.

Spirit Center

Bread for the Journey of Wilmington is helping Sister Doris Mical's "Dance with God" take another turn. Sister Doris' "dance" has led her into, out of, and back into the convent again where she has been a teacher, director of religious education, and currently a psychotherapist. Sister Doris has long had a dream of starting an interfaith "Spirit Center"; a place of hospitality and prayer where women can drop in for a few minutes or a few hours to rest, pray, or just talk over a cup of coffee or tea. Spirit Center is still a dream, but is getting closer to becoming a reality as they have recently become incorporated and received their tax-exempt status. The next step is finding a suitable location. Bread for the Journey of Wilmington gave Spirit Center a grant of $250 to help pay for brochures to promote Sister Doris' vision and raise enough money to make Spirit Center a reality.

Little Miracles Child Development Center

Serving numerous people in need over the past two years, People Impacting People, Inc., a community outreach program, has identified many of the key components of poverty in New Castle County, DE. Addiction, juvenile delinquency, teenage pregnancy, and reliance upon state assistance are due largely to the lack of available resources, job training, job placement programs, and affordable childcare/after-school care in low-income areas. People Impacting People realized the desperate need to develop a center in which affordable childcare, emergency relief for families, after school and extended hours programs, as well as tutoring and computer training were all available to even the neediest of families. And so, the Little Miracles Child Development Center became a vision. Fortunately, enough money was available to qualify for a mortgage on an old, vacant church with just enough money left to make the renovations necessary to meet state childcare regulations. The September 4th scheduled opening was quickly approaching and the need for furniture, equipment, and supplies was daunting. With a grant of $1,000 from Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, the Little Miracles Child Development Center will be able to fully equip the Infant Room with cribs, eating/play tables, changing tables, walkers, play pens, and toys. Thanks to the vision and perseverance of Charlene Jackson and the People Impacting People volunteers, the Little Miracles Child Development Center will provide a nurturing environment for 50 children and peace of mind and an opportunity for a better life for their parents.

Women's Resource Center

Dr. Willie Mae Lewis had a dream of establishing numerous, easily accessible centers throughout northern Delaware that would be a repository of information, in all formats, for girls and women of all ages. Through her work as a psychologist, Dr. Lewis realized that women are generally the primary information gatherers of the family. She felt there was a tremendous need for an organization that would provide for the systematic collection, organization, and dissemination of key information on women’s issues in Delaware. So she and a group of like-minded people started the Women’s Resource Center. Working with local organizations, they were able to set up sites in libraries, churches, and other established non-profit organizations; however, there was a problem. The Women’s Resource Center had very little in the way of reference material to supply the various sites. When Bread for the Journey of Wilmington learned of this need, we coordinated a book drive and with the help of members from five local churches, collected more than 750 books and computer software programs on a variety of topics, including health, parenting, education, religion, employment, legal concerns, homemaking, and finance. In addition, Bread for the Journey of Wilmington donated $500 to be used for additional resource material.

We All Need a Little Faith

In times of financial crisis, the disadvantaged frequently feel confused and overwhelmed while trying to navigate the maze of red tape involved in attempting to obtain much needed assistance. In Wilmington, DE those in need can turn to F.A.I.T.H. Center, Financial Assistance Information Theocentric Help Center. The caring staff at the F.A.I.T.H. Center serve people in financial crisis who need love, compassion, and assistance by helping them find available community resources, providing financial assistance with basic needs, and offering self-help opportunities and encouragement to alleviate the effects of poverty.
Through F.A.I.T.H. Center, Bread for the Journey of Wilmington, DE has given a grant of $500 to establish an account with a local pharmacy to provide prescription medication to those with immediate medical needs.

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Copyright © 1999 - 2008 by Wayne Muller. All rights reserved.
This page updated by Brandy Sacks. For more information, please email bjourney@pacbell.net