Improving Health Equity by Addressing Vital Conditions
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Healthy Communities Delaware (HCD) is a network of community and investment partners working to improve health, well-being and equity across Delaware. HCD works in partnership with community-based organizations and coalitions to create healthy, safe, and vibrant communities by addressing resident-driven priorities related to the vital conditions for well-being (housing, environment, education, transportation, meaningful work & wealth, basic needs for health & safety, belonging and civic muscle).
HCD seeks an equity-focused, collaborative, self-driven, and flexible Program Officer, Partnerships & Capacity Building who will manage partnerships with community-based organizations working on equitable community development initiatives; and plan and manage ongoing capacity building opportunities for community partners.
For the full position description please visit www.delcf.org/career-opportunities.
Deadline to apply: December 1, 2023.
$900,000 community investment announced
$900,000 IN COMMUNITY AWARDS MADE TO 16 DELAWARE NONPROFITS TO
IMPROVE HEALTH EQUITY BY ADDRESSING VITAL CONDITIONS/SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH
$900,000 in federal COVID-19 Response and Relief funding was awarded to 16 Delaware nonprofits for the “Improve Health Equity by Addressing Vital Conditions/Social Determinants of Health” program. The one-time funding opportunity was facilitated by Healthy Communities Delaware (a subsidiary of the Delaware Community Foundation) on behalf of the Delaware Division of Public Health. The Vital Conditions for Well-Being are the community conditions that we all need, all the time, to thrive--humane housing, basic needs for health & safety, a thriving natural world, lifelong learning, meaningful work & wealth-building, reliable transportation, and a sense of belonging and civic muscle.
The 16 award recipients are:
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Delaware- $35,000 to secure legal representation for vulnerable populations facing eviction in Sussex County.
Be Ready Community Development Corporation- $42,709.70 to build belonging, civic muscle and community engagement through community dinners and civic association meetings in Wilmington.
Central Baptist Community Development Corporation- $66,352 to recruit and train students for in-demand, living wage careers in New Castle County.
Central Delaware Habitat for Humanity- $91,922 to make home repairs to 20 houses in Kent County.
Diamond State Community Land Trust- $69,238- to help demolish a condemned home and remove neighborhood blight in Kent County.
Greater Lewes Foundation/La Plaza- $75,000 to provide small business support and financial training for Latino entrepreneurs in Kent and Sussex Counties.
Jefferson Street Center- $25,850 to support equitable access for a shared-use community hub in New Castle County.
La Esperanza- $26,675 to fill training gaps for English-language learners to prepare them for school and careers in Sussex County.
Local Journalism Initiative- $81,000 to build local news infrastructure focused on equity and to create a guide to increase voting participation in Delaware.
Milford Housing and Development Corporation- $75,000 to fund repairs for energy efficient, safe and healthy homes in Kent and Sussex Counties.
NeighborGood Partners- $30,600 to improve belonging and civic muscle by involving residents in community engagement events, voter registration, a volunteer ambassador program, and the Uplifting Magnolia committee in Kent County.
Partnership for the Delaware Estuary- $53,245 to install an EcoZone and Outdoor Classroom at Cool Spring Park in New Castle County.
SNAC Garden Foundation DBA Delmarva Community Wellnet- $56,000 to create the structures for outdoor classrooms for three schools in Sussex County.
Urban Bike Project of Wilmington- $39,600 to build more equitable access to active transportation in New Castle County.
West End Neighborhood House- $75,350 to increase production space at an urban farm, provide Senior Citizens with free produce, and engage 10 youth in employment and leadership training in New Castle County.
Wilmington Neighborhood Conservancy Land Bank- $56,458 to reduce blight by assisting with demolition of a building and clearing, greening and fencing a lot in the City of Wilmington.
This initiative is supported by funds made available from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, Center for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support, under National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities.
Healthy Communities Delaware (HCD) today announced a $3 million combined public-private investment in communities, between the State of Delaware and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware. This investment is targeted to support place-based, community-driven initiatives to improve the vital conditions that all communities need to thrive. The $1.5 million investment from Highmark Delaware’s grant fund, BluePrints for the Community, matches a $1.5 million investment from the State of Delaware in a public-private partnership to advance health, well-being and equity.
“Highmark Delaware’s investment will directly support the work of many HCD community partners, which are community-based organizations throughout the state working to create healthy, safe and vibrant neighborhoods. Highmark’s investment is vital to advancing health, well-being and equity, and will help move us toward a Delaware where all people and places are thriving,” said Stuart Comstock-Gay, President & CEO, Delaware Community Foundation; Managing Partner of Healthy Communities Delaware.
“You can’t have a healthy economy without a healthy community and you can’t have a healthy community without a healthy economy,” said Governor Carney. “These investments from Highmark and the State of Delaware aim to improve the vital conditions and enable Healthy Communities Delaware and the community-based organizations who work every day to continue their important work.”
“"Healthy communities are vital to creating a healthier, stronger Delaware.” Said Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long, Ph.D., R.N. Thanks to Highmark's matching investment, we will have more resources to advance key health initiatives and eliminate health inequities. In a state as diverse as Delaware, progress requires us to break down barriers, form relationships and work together. Public-private partnerships such as those with Healthy Communities Delaware, Be Ready CDC, and Highmark lead the way to deliver the long term change and collective impact that we all want to see in communities that need it most."
“We are proud to match the State of Delaware’s investment in this important statewide, community-driven work. Through this investment, we are strengthening the vital conditions that all people and communities need to thrive. From humane housing to lifelong learning, and from meeting basic needs to creating a sense of belonging, and improving other conditions that impact a person’s health – we can help more Delawareans live long and healthy lives. It is a privilege for Highmark Delaware to be an investor and shared steward in this collaborative effort. We encourage our business and community partners to engage in this work to promote health and equity with your voices, time and resources,” said Nick Moriello, President of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware.
“Our zip codes have a greater impact on our health than our genetic codes, and so we are investing in growing healthy communities to support healthy people. As continues to be demonstrated through COVID recovery, community-based organizations are a key component of our public health infrastructure. They play a critical role in helping to address inequities and build resilience. Delaware public and private organizations, small and large, are shared stewards for health, well-being and equity, working together in an integrated way that improves our communities’ vital conditions and ensures that Delaware communities are healthy places to live, learn, work, and play,” said Molly Magarik, Cabinet Secretary at Delaware Department of Health & Social Services.
“The multi-year investments we have received from Healthy Communities Delaware, and now from Highmark, help us to accelerate our work to build resources in the Hilltop community. This includes the Solomon’s Court mixed use development right across the street, which will bring affordable housing options and space for businesses to our community. This is a different kind of investment partnership, and the long-term commitment of Healthy Communities Delaware helps us to leverage significant additional investment to create the community our residents want and deserve,” said Pastor Margaret Moon-Taylor, Executive Director, Be Ready Community Development Corporation