Community-Building and Education

At the heart of ICHDE’s Community Building and Engagement (CBE) program is the belief that resident engagement and leadership are vital for a community to thrive.

Our CBE program focuses on empowering residents to take active roles in shaping their communities through resident leadership development, youth mentorship,  and collaborative partnerships.

Our focus areas include:

• Community Outreach: From senior programming and services for unhoused and displaced residents to mobile health initiatives and onsite counseling for mental health and substance abuse, we bring critical resources directly to the community. Immediate rehab treatment and access to health van services are also available.
• Food Distribution:  Through a partnership with The Harvest Outreach People Project (HOPP),  we distribute fresh produce every 4th Friday. We are now providing more than 50 families each month with fresh produce.
• Community Gardens and Urban Farming: Our year-round community garden and urban farm are spaces that bring neighbors together and provide fresh and nutritious produce. Our community garden is cared for by residents and includes year-round programming that includes workshops on canning, planting, and seasonal planting. The urban farm offers our youth a unique workforce development program that creates pathways to careers in agriculture and opportunities for educational scholarships.
• Climate Change and Environmental Justice: Addressing environmental challenges, including the Northeast Rising Brandywine River Flood Study, we are working to mitigate flood risks and advocate for sustainable solutions that protect our neighborhoods.
• Youth Mentorship:  Focusing primarily on girls from elementary through high school, we provide mentor pairing, leadership development, character building, and financial literacy training. Activities include arts, wellness programs, family support and advocacy, retreats, and field trips. The youth mentorship program is expanding to include programming for boys in 2025.
• Resident Leadership Development: With the support of NeighborWorks America, we cultivate community leaders who actively engage in creating safer, more connected neighborhoods. Through training and collaboration, our residents build relationships with local businesses, government, and law enforcement while striving to improve the safety of our neighborhood. Currently, our 2024 Community Leadership Institute (CLI) is developing a community project to be showcased in June 2025 during NeighborWorks Week.
• Substance Abuse Prevention: We deliver programming to address substance abuse, tobacco use, and alcohol dependency to provide our residents and youth with prevention strategies and support resources.

Current partnerships

Our work is supported through collaborations with organizations and agencies, including:

• Delaware Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health (DSAMH)
• The Harvest Outreach People Project (HOPP)
• Network Connect
• Conscious Connections Inc.
• City of Wilmington Parks and Recreation
• Sacred Heart Village
• Grace United Methodist Church
• ChristianaCare Health Services (CCHS)

Get involved in your community! Contact us to find out how: [email protected]