Building Opportunity in Delaware

Cynthia Primo Martin retired from her role as the founder and executive director of Trustees of Color in 2019, but she didn't retire from the work. Now, she's back with a book, the “Handbook for Nonprofit Leadership: Recruiting, Training and Engaging Trustees of Color.” DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay sits down with his friend Cynthia this week to talk about her work, her book, and how true equity in the nonprofit sector begins in the boardroom. “Handbook for Nonprofit Leadership: Recruiting, Training and Engaging Trustees of Color” is published by Cedar Tree Books and available for purchase online.

Faye Blake, the founder and executive director of Pathways to Success, joins the podcast this week to talk about how her nonprofit works to build equity in Sussex County by “filling in the gaps” that students can fall through on their way to a high school diploma. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay hosts this conversation about how building trust is an essential first step toward building opportunity, and how Pathways to Success kept clearing the path during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pathways to Success is a Georgetown-based nonprofit with a mission to prepare youth, adults, and their families for successful lives, utilizing innovative and creative approaches in mentoring and education.

Lossie Freeman is the director of corporate partnerships for Zip Code Wilmington, an organization founded to promote equity in Wilmington by building opportunities for people in marginalized communities to enter the workforce as software developers and data engineers. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay is our host for a discussion that details how Zip Code Wilmington has trained almost 500 software developers in the past six years and placed them into jobs in the Wilmington area.     Zip Code Wilmington is a nationally recognized coding school in Wilmington that was one of the first nonprofit coding schools in the country, with a motto that reminds us that talent is evenly distributed across the community, but opportunity is not.

Chaz Rzewnicki, the president and CEO of Dover Federal Credit Union, joins us for this episode of DCF's Building Opportunity in Delaware podcast to talk about the role credit unions play in advancing equity, inclusion, and diversity in the community.   DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay once again hosts a wide-ranging discussion, diving into the subject of unconscious bias and how financial institutions can train their employees to recognize it and take steps to rectify it. They also talk about what lending organizations can do to make it easier for BIPOC communities to open small businesses and buy a home.

Dr. Annie Norman, Director of the Delaware Division of Libraries, joins us to discuss how libraries build equity by improving access to social services and opening doors of opportunity through education. The built-in infrastructure of libraries across the state makes them the perfect candidate to deliver a multitude of services — education and workforce training, technology and wifi access, youth programs, health services, and yes, of course, books! Dr. Norman shares how libraries pivoted during the pandemic to help communities in need, how partnerships with other organizations have increased access to vital services, and what the future looks like for Delaware Libraries.

Arreon Harley-Emerson, Director of Music and Operations at the Choir School of Delaware, joins DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay for a conversation about how nonprofits and arts organizations can build equity - and opportunity - in the communities they serve. Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Find all podcast episodes at delcf.org/podcast.

Season 3 of our "Building Opportunity in Delaware" podcast is almost here! This season, we're meeting nonprofit leaders who are working for equity throughout the state, and talking about what it takes to make things right for everyone. Season 3 starts on October 25. Subscribe now, and don't miss a single conversation!

Development Director Debbie Strengari and Sister Cecilia join us from Little Sisters of the Poor in Newark to discuss providing community-centric, residential care for the elderly poor.  Little Sisters of the Poor received a $40,000 grant from the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund to help fund the PPE, cleaning equipment, and staff needed to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus and care for residents of the Newark facility. The Little Sisters were the first nursing home in the state to experience deaths from the virus. Since those difficult early weeks of the outbreak, they’ve received support through a partnership with Christiana Care, and have been able to establish new protective measures, including frequent testing, to keep their residents healthy. Now faced with the reality of life in lockdown, the Little Sisters and their residents are using new technology, as well as socially-distanced activities, to stay connected with one another and their families outside the facility.   We also talk with Sheila Bravo, president & CEO of the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement (DANA), and one of the DCF’s key partners in establishing the Strategic Response Fund.  All six episodes in this second season of Building Opportunity will feature stories about how the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund has helped nonprofits meet the needs of our community during this crisis. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay is our host.  You can listen and subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Find all podcast episodes at delcf.org/podcast. 

Susan Kent, executive director of Love INC of Mid-Delmarva, joins us to talk about providing housing and support for the homeless, while building a comprehensive social-service delivery system with a network of churches and nonprofits in Sussex county.   Love INC of Mid-Delmarva received a $50,000 grant from the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund to provide shelter for the homeless in Sussex County. The organization strives to build strong, holistic relationships with clients in order to provide compassionate, comprehensive aid. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve partnered with hotels to provide shelter for the most vulnerable members of the homeless community.  We also talk with Cynthia Pritchard, president & CEO of Philanthropy Delaware, and one of the DCF’s key partners in establishing the Strategic Response Fund.  All six episodes in this second season of Building Opportunity will feature stories about how the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund has helped nonprofits meet the needs of our community during this crisis. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay is our host.  You can listen and subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Find all podcast episodes at delcf.org/podcast. 

Carolyn Fredricks, president and CEO of Modern Maturity, discusses how the largest nonprofit senior center in the state has adapted quickly to provide essential services to seniors across Kent County.   Modern Maturity has received a total of $100,000 in grants from the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund to deliver meals and provide grocery shopping services for seniors in Kent County who are among the most vulnerable to the virus. As the Meals on Wheels provider for the county, they’ve expanded operations significantly. At a peak moment during the pandemic, volunteers were cooking 2,500 meals per day and performing 3,000 wellness checks per month. They’ve also started teaching remote exercise classes on Facebook and YouTube, and hosted a socially-distanced tailgating party at their center in Dover.   We also talk with Sheila Bravo, president & CEO of the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement (DANA), and one of the DCF’s key partners in establishing the Strategic Response Fund.  All six episodes in this second season of Building Opportunity will feature stories about how the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund has helped nonprofits meet the needs of our community during this crisis. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay is our host.  You can listen and subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Find all podcast episodes at delcf.org/podcast. 

Father-and-son team Retired Major Kevin Conley and US Army Specialist Dylan Conley join us this week to discuss Warriors Helping Warriors, a grassroots organization in Middletown that connects veterans to employment opportunities, health care and housing. Warriors Helping Warriors received a $10,000 in grant from the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund to continue providing case-management for veterans. Kevin Conley cofounded the organization in 2010 when he returned from Afghanistan and faced his own difficulties navigating the healthcare system. During the pandemic, they have pivoted quickly to provide a safe environment for residents to shelter-in-place and self-quarantine in the event of testing positive for COVID-19. We also talk with Cynthia Pritchard, president & CEO of Philanthropy Delaware, and one of the DCF’s key partners in establishing the Strategic Response Fund. All six episodes in this second season of Building Opportunity will feature stories about how the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund has helped nonprofits meet the needs of our community during this crisis. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay is our host. You can listen and subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Find all podcast episodes at delcf.org/podcast.

Margaret Guy, executive director of Stop the Violence Prayer Chain Foundation, talks about providing educational and social services to children and families who live at or below the poverty level, and who are often impacted by domestic and gun violence. Stop the Violence Prayer Chain Foundation received $2,500 in grants from the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund to continue providing essential supplies for children in Wilmington during the crisis. In the past, the organization has offered after-school tutoring, educational trips, life-skills classes and apprenticeships, and has even partnered with Comcast to produce a children’s show. Now they’re finding new ways to connect with a community affected by the social and economic impacts of the pandemic. We also talk with Sheila Bravo, president & CEO of the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement (DANA) and one of the DCF's key partners in establishing the Strategic Response Fund. All six episodes in this second season of Building Opportunity will feature stories about how the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund has helped nonprofits meet the needs of our community during this crisis. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay is our host. You can listen and subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player. Find all podcast episodes at delcf.org/podcast.

In the Season 2 premiere of our Building Opportunity in Delaware podcast, Rob McCreary and Kathleen Seipel from the Family Counseling Center of St. Paul's join us to talk about providing emotional and behavioral health services to uninsured families in low-income communities in Delaware. The Family Counseling Center of St. Paul's received $43,000 in grants from the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund to continue providing mental health and family counseling services statewide during the pandemic. Rob and Kathleen serve many of our most essential workers — custodians, caregivers, supermarket clerks — who are members of Delaware's Spanish-speaking community and find themselves in new and stressful conditions both at work and at home. All six episodes in this second season of Building Opportunity will feature stories about how the Delaware COVID-19 Strategic Response Fund has helped nonprofits meet the needs of our community during this crisis. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay is our host. You can listen and subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcast player. Find all podcast episodes at delcf.org/podcast.

Bear Library specialist Adriana Camacho-Church talks about the role of libraries in building opportunity. The Bear Library's ESL programs for Spanish and Chinese speakers help people learn how to read, write, find job opportunities and integrate into their communities, benefiting the community as a whole. Camacho-Church also writes a monthly series in Delaware's Out & About Magazine called "Worth Recognizing: Community Members Who Go Above and Beyond." Our nine-episode Building Opportunity in Delaware podcast series focuses on how can we build opportunity and strengthen community for all. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay talks with Delawareans who are building opportunity through the arts, faith communities, libraries and everything in between. You can listen and subscribe on Apple, Spotify. and Google Podcasts. Find all podcast episodes at delcf.org/podcast.

Rev. Edwin Estevez, senior pastor of Grace Church UMC and the Riverfront Church in Wilmington, talks about the role of the faith community in building opportunity. The son of Guatemalan immigrants, Estevez grew up in North Jersey and is now a proud Delawarean. With his leadership, Grace Church is launching a kitchen incubator to empower people struggling with poverty to learn culinary and restaurant skills, transforming the church campus into a green, energy-efficient example of "creation care," and opening Grace Cafe, a welcoming "third space" for conversation and reflection over a cup of coffee. Our nine-episode Building Opportunity in Delaware podcast series focuses on how can we build opportunity and strengthen community for all. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay talks with Delawareans who are building opportunity through the arts, faith communities, libraries and everything in between. You can listen and subscribe on Apple, Spotify. and Google Podcasts. Find all podcast episodes at delcf.org/podcast

Diane Laird, executive director of the Downtown Dover Partnership, talks about building opportunity through collaboration and economic development. The DDP drives improved quality of life for the diverse residents, downtown workers, students, tourists, shoppers, kids, families and seniors who spend time in downtown Dover. Our nine-episode Building Opportunity in Delaware podcast series focuses on how can we build opportunity and strengthen community for all. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay talks with Delawareans who are building opportunity through the arts, faith communities, libraries and everything in between. You can listen and subscribe on Apple, Spotify. and Google Podcasts. Find all podcast episodes at delcf.org/podcast.

Micheal Crumble, director of the H. Fletcher Brown Boys & Girls Club in Wilmington, talks about building opportunity for underserved youth. Following a 20-year career in the military, Crumble found a second vocation creating opportunities for kids to learn and grow. Under his direction, the H. Fletcher Brown Boys & Girls Club recently opened a digital arts lab, funded in part by the DCF. Our nine-episode Building Opportunity in Delaware podcast series focuses on how can we build opportunity and strengthen community for all. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay talks with Delawareans who are building opportunity through the arts, faith communities, libraries and everything in between. You can listen and subscribe on Apple, Spotify. and Google Podcasts.

“STEM Queen” Jacqueline Means, 17-year-old founder of the Wilmington Urban STEM Initiative, talks about building opportunity for girls through STEM education. Jacqueline grew up in the high-poverty Southbridge neighborhood of Wilmington and is currently a senior at the Delaware Military Academy. She has been featured on The Today Show, Access Hollywood, The Q, and TedX for her work engaging girls in science, technology, engineering and math. Our nine-episode Building Opportunity in Delaware podcast series focuses on how can we build opportunity and strengthen community for all. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay talks with Delawareans who are building opportunity through the arts, faith communities, libraries and everything in between. You can listen and subscribe on Apple, Spotify. and Google Podcasts.

In our third episode, David Stradley, producing artistic director of Delaware Shakespeare, talks about building opportunity and increasing community through the arts. Our nine-episode Building Opportunity in Delaware podcast series focuses on how can we build opportunity and strengthen community for all. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay talks with Delawareans who are building opportunity through the arts, faith communities, libraries and everything in between. You can listen and subscribe on Apple, Spotify. and Google Podcasts.  

In our second episode, Bryant Garcia, immigration program coordinator at La Esperanza in Georgetown, talks about building opportunity for Latino communities. Our nine-episode Building Opportunity in Delaware podcast series focuses on how can we build opportunity and strengthen community for all. DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay talks with Delawareans who are building opportunity through the arts, faith communities, libraries and everything in between. You can listen and subscribe on Apple, Spotify. and Google Podcasts.

We’re excited to welcome you to our Building Opportunity in Delaware podcast! How can we build opportunity and strengthen community for all? Over the next eight weeks, DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay talks with Delawareans who are building opportunity through the arts, faith communities, libraries and everything in between. Our first episode features James & Deborah Fallows, authors of Our Towns: A 100, 000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America. The Fallows joined us in November as the guest speakers for the DCF’s 2019 Building Opportunity Keynote, when they also had a chance to visit Wilmington revitalization projects downtown, on the West Side, and in Riverside. They later featured the Our Lens Challenge, a photo contest for Delaware high school students hosted by the DCF and community partners, in an article for The Atlantic. You can listen and subscribe on Apple, Spotify. and Google Podcasts.