PROGRESS​

As the largest city in Delaware, Wilmington is the state’s hub for industry, commerce, and promise. For many years, though, Wilmington has experienced a plague of recurring gun violence, a phenomenon that has escalated into a dangerous trend, and one that will not cease without intervention. The growing rate of gun-related incidents predominately threatens young African American males, the lifeblood and future of our cities. We could not sit by while this epidemic took the lives of our youth.

​Out of these recommendations came the Wilmington Community Advisory Council. The council exists today to create and explore opportunities to eliminate the gun violence epidemic from Wilmington and improve the quality of life for city residents. As we move into a new decade, we continue with this mission and invite you to join us in creating a safer Wilmington for the current generation and the future of Delaware. The council is a gathering of community leaders, young people, coalitions and community organizations of diverse backgrounds committed to halting gun violence in the city of Wilmington, Delaware. By connecting positive endeavors across the city, we strive to build a stronger community and present a fortified effort to remove violence from our streets. Above all else, the Wilmington Community Advisory Council is dedicated to supporting the lives of youth in Wilmington, empowering them to transition to adulthood and lead fulfilling, productive lives and give back to their communities.

Since releasing the Call to Action Report in 2017, the Advisory Council has served as a catalyst for action on the recommendations. State and community organizations have partnered with the City to begin implementation of the pilot projects, leveraging existing resources and seeking new funding where possible.

A few highlights include:

• Extended hours at community centers
• Increase in evidence-based programs at community centers
• Trauma training for leadership and staff at schools and community centers
• Development for City summer youth employment program participants
• Expanded services and programs at Hicks Anderson Community Center
• Supported almost $12M in awards to community partners for services to youth
  and their families
•  Supported the creation of the DHSS Community Partner Support Unit to
  help community organizations and members connect to needed services
• Supported the launch of the Community Intervention Team to address youth
  violence
• Supported United Way of Delaware in the creation of the Delaware Racial Justice
  Collaborative
•  Mobilized community partners to fight the spread of COVID-19 in the community
• Advocated for legislative reforms to impact the quality and accessibility of
  children’s mental health and rehabilitative services

We believe people are not just essential to implementing real changes in our communities, but that developing people themselves is the essential cause.