1	""Change has come to..." "Change has come to America, but we are the reality of that change by simply becoming part of service projects, volunteerism. That is change in motion.“ ---Usher, 2008
2	The Local Issues Public Safety Public Health Issues Housing/Demographics Education Economy Seniors Youth
3	Public Safety (Source: Wikipedia) The Wilmington Police Department (WPD) is led by Chief of Police Michael J. Szczerba and is authorized to deploy up to 289 officers in motor vehicles, on foot, and on bicycle in order to protect and serve the citizens of the city. It recently joined the ranks of 350 other departments nationwide in achieving operations accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. The Wilmington Fire Department (WFD) is led by Chief Willie Patrick Jr. and maintains six engine companies, two ladder companies, a marine fire fighting force, three ambulances, and one rescue squad. In recent years, the department has promoted a ride along program which gives city residents an opportunity to evaluate possible career decisions. In addition, department officials have enacted a program that requires firefighters to be involved with community associations on a regular basis. Wilmington is the only municipality in Delaware with a career fire department. Crime Drugs and gangs gained a greater profile in the city throughout the 1980s and 1990s, as did many cities across the country. As a result of these trends, the city encountered an escalation of violent crimes (murder, assault, armed robbery), and put Wilmington among the nation's most dangerous cities for its size. To counter this crime wave, Wilmington became the first city in the U.S. to have its entire downtown area under surveillance: some $800,000 worth of video cameras (some bought with public money, some by downtown businesses) have the exteriors of all buildings in view, and the technicians who monitor them dispatch the city's police to the scene of any crime or suspicious activity they see, while it is still happening. Recently, the city has expanded the surveillance program into some of the more crime-ridden neighborhoods. Among the residential streets, the Wilmington Police Department started a program known as jump-outs, in which unmarked police vans would cruise crime-prone neighborhoods late at night, "jump-out" at corners where residents were loitering and detain them temporarily. Using loitering as probable cause, the police would then photograph, search, and fingerprint everyone present. This would improve the police's records in case fingerprints or eye-witnesses were available at future crimes, along with catching anyone with drugs or weapons on them. Controversy spread from the theory that such a practice may be a violation of civil rights. New Public Safety Measures
4	Crime Statistics Crime Rate per 100,000 people (Source: Wikipedia; 2006 Census Bureau population estimates: 72,826) (Source: Wikipedia)
5	Public Health Issues (Source: Wikipedia) The city has one of the highest per capita rates of HIV infection in the United States, with disproportionate rates of infection among African-American males. Efforts by local advocates to implement needle exchange programs to combat the spread of infection were obstructed for several years by downstate and suburban state legislators but a program was finally approved in June 2006.
6	Housing/Demographics (Source: Wikipedia) As of the census of 2000, there were 72,664 people, 28,617 households, and 15,882 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,698.1 per square mile (2,585.8/km²). There were 32,138 housing units at an average density of 2,962.4 per square mile (1,143.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 35.52% White, 56.43% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.16% from other races, and 1.96% from two or more races. 9.84% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The largest ancestries include: Irish (8.7%), Italian (5.7%), German (5.2%), English (4.4%), and Polish (3.6%). There were 28,617 households out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.6% were married couples living together, 23.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.5% were non-families. 37.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.19. In the city the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $35,116, and the median income for a family was $40,241. Males had a median income of $34,360 versus $29,895 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,236. 21.3% of the population and 16.8% of families were below the poverty line. 30.4% of those under the age of 18 and 20.1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
7	Education (Source: Wikipedia) Wilmington is served by the Colonial, Red Clay, Brandywine, Christina and NCC Vo-Tech school districts for elementary, junior high, and high school public education. The Delaware Vo-Tech High Schools include Delcastle Technical High School, Hodgson Technical High School, Howard High School of Technology, and St. Georges Technical High School. There are also many private schools such as Salesianum, St. Mark's, Archmere Academy, Ursuline Academy, Wilmington Friends School, Tower Hill School, The Tatnall School, St. Elizabeth High School, Padua Academy, Nativity Preparatory School, Albert Einstein Academy, Wilmington Montessori School, Christ the Teacher School, Corpus Christi School, St. Elizabeth Elementary School, Pope John Paul II School, St. Ann School, Our Lady of Fatima School, Immaculate Heart of Mary School, St. Mary Magdalen School, St. Matthew School, St. Paul School, St. Mary Magdalen School, St. Anthony of Padua School, St. John the Beloved School, St. Catherine of Siena School, Newark Center for Creative Learning and the Immaculate Heart of Mary School. Wilmington also hosts several charter schools, including the Charter School of Wilmington and East Side Charter School. The Delaware Military Academy is another charter high school funded by the government and run by military personnel. Wilmington also has Cab Calloway School of the Arts, which was founded in 1992 as a magnet school focusing on the performing arts. Wilmington's new addition is Henry C Conrad Schools of Sciences with founded in 2007 is also a magnet school focusing on biotechnology and health care. Universities and colleges Delaware College of Art & Design Delaware Technical & Community College Drexel University - Wilmington Campus Springfield College - Wilmington Campus University of Delaware - Wilmington Campus and Downtown Building Widener University - Wilmington Campus, Widener University School of Law and University College Wilmington University Delaware State University - Wilmington Campus Goldey-Beacom College Article on School Psychologist Eugene McGowan… click here.
8	Economy (Source: Wikipedia) Much of Wilmington's economy is based on its status as the most populous and readily accessible city in Delaware, a state that made itself attractive to businesses with pro-business finance laws and a longstanding reputation for a fair and effective judicial system. Wilmington has become a national financial center for the credit card industry, largely due to regulations enacted by former Governor Pierre S. du Pont, IV in 1981. The Financial Center Development Act of 1981, among other things, eliminated the usury laws enacted by most states, thereby removing the cap on interest rates that banks may legally charge customers. Many major credit card issuers, including Bank of America (formerly MBNA Corporation), Chase Card Services (part of JPMorgan Chase & Co., formerly Bank One/First USA), and Barclays (formerly Juniper Bank), are headquartered in Wilmington. The Dutch banking giant ING Group N.V. headquartered its U.S. internet banking unit, ING Direct, in Wilmington. In 1988, the Delaware legislature enacted a law which required a would-be acquirer to capture 85 percent of a Delaware chartered corporation’s stock in a single transaction or wait three years before proceeding. This law strengthened Delaware's position as a safe haven for corporate charters during an especially turbulent time filled with hostile takeovers. Wilmington's other notable industries include insurance (American Life Insurance Company [ALICO], Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Delaware), retail banking (including the Delaware headquarters of: Wilmington Trust, PNC Bank, Wachovia Bank, JPMorgan Chase, HSBC, Citizens Bank, Wilmington Savings Fund Society, and Artisans' Bank), legal services, and automobile manufacturing (General Motors). Delaware's only two remaining homegrown 2006 Fortune 1000 companies, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company and Hercules, both have their global headquarters in downtown Wilmington. This is two less than previous years due to the acquisition of MBNA by Bank of America, and Conectiv through Pepco Holding's subsidiary, Delmarva Power. In addition, the city is the corporate domicile of more than 50% of the publicly traded companies in the United States, and over 60% of the Fortune 500.
9	Seniors Housing- Home Options Activities- Senior Citizens Guide Elderly Care- Your Own Home Meals- Meals On Wheels Self-esteem- Volunteer Match Life skills participation- Mentoring
10	Youth Issues Education- U.S. Department of Education Guidance- Bread For The Journey Crime- At Risk Youth Substance abuse- Kennedy For Kids Mentoring/Earl Woodlen, Jr. Self-esteem- YWCA Life skills- YMCA
11	In regards to our youth… “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future. “ --- Franklin D. Roosevelt
12	Life Skills Network Government- Hope Commission Community- Start NOW Program Mentors- Big Brothers/Big Sisters Parents- Parent Information Center Teachers- Parent Teacher Student Organization Students- Start Now Program
13	Youth Outreach Internet Programs- SHARE Network, Banksnet.com TV/Radio Production Workshop Programs- Community Communications Corporation/Dr. Benjamin “Twin B” Brown Website: http://www.ccmediatv.org (Channel CCC Web TV) School District Channel Programming- Funding provided through Channel 22 Community Center Programs- United Way Volunteer Mentoring Programs- Delaware Hispanic.com/ Nancy Lopez Business Marketing Programs- YWCA
14	Grant Requests CCC is currently seeking incremental grants from multiple funding sources in the amount of $15,000 each. The grants will be used for ongoing costs of conducting the workshops, purchasing cable time (leased access) and operating Channel CCC Web TV station. Programs will be cablecast and webcast from students of the workshops and community businesses in the form of advertising sales. These workshops make the positive outshine the negative by giving children and adults the opportunity to create programming for their community. Please contact Dr. Benjamin “Twin B” Brown at 302.762.3725 or email him at cccincbb@yahoo.com.
15	Volunteering "You don't have to have a Ph.D. to serve. We know that a lot of us doing just a little can make a major contribution. The goal is to keep that going throughout the year.“ ---Martin Luther King, III