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In 2024, only 26% of Delaware students entering fourth grade were reading at or above grade level. That's three out of four kids who are not where they need to be when it comes to literacy. Summer often makes things worse. When school lets out, many children lose months of progress. By the time they're back in the classroom, they're already behind. Get Delaware Reading is a statewide effort to change that. Instead of watching kids fall behind, community organizations across

There's a verse in the Bible I come back to often: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). This week, that verse came to mind again as I looked at what our Middletown team was able to accomplish last year. In 2025, they served nearly a thousand of our M.O.T. area neighbors — 969 to be exact. They gave out more than 5,000 bags of food and made sure 185 families had gifts under their Christma

As 2025 comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on what this community has made possible. This year, hundreds of families found support and encouragement at Neighborhood House. Children had safe, empowering environments to learn and grow. First-time homebuyers got the keys to their new houses. Seniors received the help they needed to maintain their stability. And through it all, our neighbors were reminded that they're not alone — that there are people who truly care abou

Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is share what we know. That's the lesson our Comprehensive Housing Counseling team keeps coming back to as they guide clients through the homebuying process. This year, 70 people participated in housing education workshops at Neighborhood House — both the eHome online course and virtual Homebuyer Education Seminars. When we asked Renee White , our Housing Administrator, what she'd want everyone to know about the value of these progr

A few years ago, Crystal came to us during a particularly difficult season of her life. At the time, she felt like she had nowhere else to turn, and the people around her couldn't seem to see past their assumptions. As she put it, "Many couldn't believe that someone who looked like me could be in need." That combination of struggling and struggling alone is one of the hardest things a person can face. It increases how vulnerable they feel and makes asking for help even more

Fifteen years ago, John Reed nearly lost his home to foreclosure. "My wife and I didn't have a HUD-certified housing counselor to guide us," John recalls. "We ended up making some tough and unnecessary decisions simply because we didn't have the right information." That painful experience changed everything for him. Today, as Neighborhood House's Director of Comprehensive Housing Counseling, John makes sure families can easily access the resources and guidance he would have b

Recently, we asked Beverly Beckles, our Youth Development Director, to take us behind the scenes of our Before and Aftercare Program. The goal was simple: help us better understand what makes those out-of-school hours at Neighborhood House so transformative for kids. Of all the things that stood out in Beverly’s answers, perhaps the most significant was that there are some students who don’t always want to leave at the end of the day. When their parents arrive for pickup, the

Most people know Alison Windle as Neighborhood House's Executive Director. What they might not know? She's also an avid fisherwoman who has competed in tournaments with the Upper Eastern Shore Anglers. "Anything to do with the Chesapeake Bay suits me," Alison says — whether that's fishing, gardening, or creating flower arrangements inspired by the natural beauty around her. But as much as she loves the Bay, it's the work happening at Neighborhood House that really lights her

Across Delaware, conversations are happening around kitchen tables and in grocery store aisles. Parents are quietly calculating budgets, wondering what happens if November food assistance doesn't arrive. Seniors are making mental notes of which bills they might need to delay. Working families who are already stretching every dollar are facing a new kind of stress about something as basic as putting food on the table. The ongoing federal government shutdown has put November SN