752 Neighbors and Counting

Neighborhood House serves our community in many ways, but our Family Services program meets people at particularly vulnerable moments. I wanted to share with you what this important work has looked like this year.

When a neighbor seeks assistance, whether in Wilmington or Middletown, they're often at a breaking point. The burden has become too heavy to carry alone, and our Family Services team is there to help them find a way forward.

Through the first seven months of 2025, we served 752 clients across both locations, distributed 3,691 bags of food, and provided $60,091 in emergency assistance. What those numbers don't capture is the relief on someone’s face when they hear, “We can help.”

Our Middletown office has seen the number of monthly clients nearly double — from 61 in January to 113 in July. For many low-to-moderate income families in Southern New Castle County, Neighborhood House has become a lifeline connecting them to resources, support, and community. 

In Wilmington — where we’ve been a steady, reliable presence for almost 100 years — the challenges are just as pressing. Among our 264 clients from January to July were 39 seniors whose fixed incomes can’t keep up with rising costs.

The economic realities are sobering. In our region, where the median family income is $119,400, 89% of our Family Services clients are trying to get by on less than $36,000 annually. It's nearly impossible math when you factor in the cost of healthcare, transportation, housing, food, utilities, and childcare.

As we head into the final months of 2025, the need isn't diminishing. But neither is our commitment to be there for our neighbors. With your continued support, we'll keep doing what we've always done: meeting people where they are with help, hope, and respect.

I'm grateful you're with us. Having you in our corner means so much.

~ Alison