This month, learn how YWCA Delaware's ALICE Asset Building Program can help working households build credit, reduce debt, save for the future, and prepare for homeownership. You'll also find opportunities to walk with us in the Delaware Juneteenth Parade, celebrate Pride Month, join a community conversation on voting accessibility and disability rights, attend free workshops and homeownership education events, and connect with supporters at our Sussex County Resilience Fund Community Gathering. Plus, read about our recent advocacy efforts in Dover, housing policy updates, Youth Development program successes, and save the date for YWCA Delaware's 2026 Celebration Breakfast, Generation to Generation: Empowering Every Story. | | |
Do You Qualify for YWCA's ALICE Asset Building Support?
If you’re working full time but still feel like you can’t get ahead, YWCA Delaware's ALICE Asset Building Program was built for you.
We serve ALICE households—Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed—people who earn too much to qualify for assistance, but not enough to comfortably cover basic costs like housing, childcare, food, transportation, and healthcare.
Eligible participants receive two years of consistent financial coaching, followed by continued support, with a clear focus on improving credit, reducing debt, building savings, and preparing for homeownership. That includes access to trusted lenders, homebuyer education, down payment assistance resources, and matched savings opportunities.
The goal of YWCA Delaware’s ASSET Building program is to help program participants move toward mortgage readiness within about 2 years, with a longer-term goal of homeownership within 5 years, by providing access to tools most households are never directly connected to.
You may qualify if your household income is approximately:
- $15,000–$36,000 (single adult)
- $36,000–$48,000 (single parent with 1 child)
- $24,000–$72,000 (family of 3)
- $28,000–$94,000 (family of 4)
If you’re reading this and thinking, “I’m probably just outside the cutoff,” you’re still encouraged to attend. ALICE households often sit right on the edge of traditional eligibility systems—that’s exactly the gap this program is built to address.
We're hosting three online ALICE Asset Building Information Sessions via Zoom on Wednesdays, June 3, 10, and 17 at 6:00 p.m.
These sessions will walk you through the program, eligibility, and whether this support is a good fit for your situation.
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Walk with YWCA Delaware in the DEJA Juneteenth Parade
Join YWCA Delaware at the Delaware Juneteenth Association's 32nd Annual Freedom Parade and Festival on Saturday, June 13. The parade begins at 11:00 a.m. at Rodney Square between 11th and King Streets in Wilmington and proceeds to Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park on Rosa Parks Drive, where the festival kicks off at 12:00 p.m. Be sure to visit the YWCA Delaware table during the festival for swag, resources, and snacks.
YWCA Delaware staff, board members, volunteers, and supporters will be sporting this year’s featured Juneteenth t-shirt design, Free Under the Sea, created by sixth grader Alicia Whitney, which features a stunning Black mermaid wrapped in Pan-African colors.
Anyone who registers to walk with YWCA Delaware will receive a free YWCA Delaware Juneteenth t-shirt while supplies last.
| | First Place Winning Design, "Free Under the Sea" by Alicia Whitney | |  | Delaware Artist: Alicia Whitney, 6th Grade, First State Montessori Academy | | | Unable to join the parade but still want to support YWCA Delaware? Purchase YWCA Delaware’s 2026 Juneteenth T-Shirt designed by Alicia Whitney for $10 here: https://givingtools.com/give/439/5950. | | |
Learn on the Job: Small Skills That Make a Big Difference
We're excited to welcome D’Veda Mitchell, PMP, CSP, Operational Excellence and Early Career Talent Lead at DuPont, as the facilitator of YWCA Delaware's upcoming career development workshop, Learning on the Job: Small Skills That Make a Big Difference.
With more than 25 years of experience in leadership, talent development, and workforce training, D’Veda will share practical strategies to help participants grow professionally and build confidence in the workplace.
Workshop Details:
Thursday, June 25, 2026
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
YWCA Delaware Home-Life Management Center, 709 N. Madison Street, Wilmington, DE 19801
This workshop is free and open to adults ages 18 and older.
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Advocacy Happens Everywhere
From Community Conversations to Inside the State Capitol
In May, YWCA Delaware spent time in Dover advocating alongside partners working to create systems that work for everyone. We joined the Ex-Prisoner Lobby Day to speak with legislators about reentry support, probation reform, and reducing barriers for justice-involved individuals, including waiving court fees for those unable to pay them. Delaware supervises more than 17,000 people across prisons and probation on any given day, with about 4,500–5,000 currently incarcerated and thousands more returning home each year. With nearly 3 out of 4 formerly incarcerated people rearrested within three years, strengthening reentry support and reforming probation practices are essential to community stability and long-term public safety.
Lauren White, our Sexual Assault Response Center (SARC) Legal and Medical Services Trainer, also attended the annual Women’s Caucus meeting, collaborating with organizations across Delaware working to strengthen protections and support for women.
We thank Reps. Cyndie Romer and Mara Gorman for hosting these important conversations and creating space for advocacy that moves Delaware forward.
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Why Delaware Needs More Paths to Stability
During Housing Day at Legislative Hall, YWCA Delaware's Chief Housing & Community Impact Officer, Lisa Forever, LMSW, MSCJ, and Chief Development Officer, Felisha Lawrence, met with Representative Franklin D. Cooke to discuss Delaware's growing need for affordable and diverse housing options.
The conversation highlighted the state's shortage of affordable housing, the importance of workforce and supportive housing, and the connection between housing instability and mental health. YWCA Delaware also voiced support for Senate Bill 23, the Housing for Every Delawarean Act, which aims to increase housing supply and expand affordable housing opportunities across the state. Our Director of Community Engagement provided public comment in support of the legislation.
Housing affects far more than where someone sleeps at night—it impacts health, employment, family stability, and overall wellbeing.
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Sussex County Friends, You're Invited!
Join us for a special evening of connection, conversation, and impact at our upcoming Resilience Fund Community Gathering in Sussex County.
We are grateful to Colette and Kevin Daney for hosting this gathering at Kings Creek Country Club on Thursday, June 25, from 5:00–7:00 p.m.
The Resilience Fund helps ensure YWCA Delaware can continue providing safe housing, 24/7 support for survivors, financial counseling, youth development programs, and other critical services for women and families across Delaware—especially during times of funding uncertainty.
Every day, resilience looks different: a family moving into stable housing, a survivor finding support in a moment of crisis, or a young person building a brighter future. The Resilience Fund helps make those moments possible.
We hope our Sussex County community will join us to learn more about the impact of this important initiative and how, together, we can help ensure women and families have the resources they need to move forward.
| Let's Talk: Voting and the Disability Community | |
Join us on Monday, June 15, at 12 noon via Zoom for an important community conversation on voting accessibility for people with disabilities in Delaware. Moderated by Nina Kegelman, Voting Rights Advocate at CLASI Delaware, this discussion will explore the barriers that voters with disabilities continue to face, from polling place accessibility and transportation challenges to gaps in ADA enforcement and access to assistive technology.
Panelists include Emmanuel Jenkins, Community Relations Officer, Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council; Carol King-Ries, Member, National Federation of the Blind of Delaware; and Heidi Mizell, Certified Family Peer Specialist and Family Navigator, Autism, Delaware. Together, they will examine what’s working, what still needs to change, and how Delaware can ensure every eligible voter can cast a ballot with dignity, independence, and confidence.
| Ending the School Year Strong | |
As the school year comes to a close, YWCA Delaware would like to congratulate the nearly 400 students who participated in our Youth Development programs this year. We applaud your hard work, growth, and achievements, and wish you a safe, relaxing, and fun-filled summer.
A special congratulations to the Class of 2026 on reaching this exciting milestone! Your dedication and perseverance have brought you to this moment, and we look forward to seeing all that you accomplish in the years ahead.
This year, our Youth Development team expanded programming at Dover Middle School, Gauger-Cobbs Middle School, Mt. Pleasant High School, William "Hicks" Anderson Community Center, and Wilmington Montessori School. Through our ESTEEM program, 87% of participants reported increased self-esteem and a stronger sense of purpose. At Archmere Academy, more than 80 students have completed YW Leader training since the program launched, and 100% of alumni remain actively engaged in building more inclusive communities.
As we celebrate another successful school year, we're also looking ahead. This summer, YWCA Delaware will continue empowering young people through engaging programs that help them build confidence, develop leadership skills, and prepare to become the changemakers of tomorrow.
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Save the Date - YWCA Delaware's Annual Celebration Breakfast
Wednesday, October 7, 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
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Save the date and join us for YWCA Delaware’s 2026 Celebration Breakfast, Generation to Generation: Empowering Every Story, on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. at the DuPont Country Club.
This inspiring morning will celebrate our stories of strength, joy, leadership, and collective impact. Be part of our community that continues showing up for one another, impacting generations through YWCA Delaware’s housing programs, 24/7 SARC services, and economic empowerment support.
Sponsorships and reservations are now available, and we invite you to be part of this uplifting and motivational celebration that helps us to continue to touch the lives of more than 8,000 Delawareans each year.
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Celebrating Pride Month: Standing with Our LGBTQ+ Community
This Pride Month, we celebrate the courage, resilience, and contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals and communities while reaffirming our commitment to creating spaces where everyone feels seen, valued, and supported.
We are proud to stand with LGBTQ+ leaders, advocates, families, and individuals who live authentically and help build a more inclusive world. Pride is both a celebration and a reminder of the ongoing work to ensure equity and belonging for all.
That commitment is reflected in the services we provide every day. YWCA Delaware's Sexual Assault Response Center (SARC) and Home-Life Management Center serve survivors of all identities and backgrounds. From the moment someone reaches out, they will find compassionate, confidential support in a safe and welcoming environment. Whether you are seeking help for yourself or someone you care about, our SARC advocates are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Need support? Call our 24/7 SARC hotline at 800-773-8570.
This Pride Month and every month, YWCA Delaware remains dedicated to ensuring that all people have access to the support, safety, and respect they deserve.
| | Upcoming Free Workshops and Opportunities | | |
YWCA Delaware Locations
100 W 10th St, Ste 515, Wilmington, DE 19801
709 N. Madison Street, Wilmington, DE 19801
701 N. Clayton Street, Wilmington, DE 19805
15 Reads Way, Suite 200, New Castle, DE 19720
20123 Office Circle, Georgetown, DE 19947
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YWCA Delaware is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.
(302) 655-0039
www.ywcade.org
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