Public Safety
Lights On, Wilmington Strong
In early 2019 West Side Grows Together partnered with the Help Initiative Inc., to install lights on the exterior of 500 homes in a target area around Judy Johnson park based on concentrated areas of criminal activity in the area. Additionally, this program saves homeowners and renters money on their utility bills by installing energy efficient lights bulbs on the exterior of homes free of charge. The Lights On Wilmington Strong project was established with financial support from Christiana Care and Energize Delaware.
Food Insecurity Program
West Side Grows has teamed up with The Village Tree and Bright Spot Farms to help provide 30 shares of fresh local produce each week to food insecure families. The novel program is sponsored through a grant of $25,100 from St. Francis Hospital, addressing food insecurity and health challenges in the West Side. Families are identified through in-patient screenings performed at St. Francis Hospital. Each week fresh local produce is harvested and delivered from Bright Spot Farms and The Village Tree to designated pick-up sites. In addition to produce shares, the program supports volunteer opportunities at The Village Tree and West Side Grows community garden, as well as gardening and healthy food workshops.