Growing Access, Growing Community: My Journey with Delaware Urban Greens

Growing Access, Growing Community: My Journey with Delaware Urban Greens 

I wanted to share what it’s been like serving at Delaware Urban Greens because the work here reaches far beyond gardening and produce. It’s community, dignity, and real solutions taking root in Wilmington. This fellowship has given me a front-row seat to seeing how hands-on work can strengthen health, belonging, and access. 

As a National Health Corps fellow, I’m committed to work that challenges the barriers families face around food access and wellness. Structural oppression shows up in everyday things—like the availability of nutritious food. My host site is directly addressing these inequities, and my role allows me to support that mission in meaningful, sustainable ways. 

Delaware Urban Greens (DUG) Mission is to strengthen community health by increasing access to fresh, local produce and providing hands-on education around food, wellness, and sustainable growing. DUG’s vision is A healthy, equitable Wilmington where nutritious food and wellness resources are accessible to every family. 

Key Services/Programs: 

o Community refrigerator program 

o Partnerships with schools, YMCAs, local farms, and community organizations o Urban agriculture education and wellness-based programming 

o Nurture & Nourish initiatives (superfood demos, sound healing, and wellness engagement) o Community outreach and resource coordination 

o Donation and partnership development to sustain ongoing food access efforts 

I support capacity building, partnership outreach, communication strategy, and community programming. This includes writing pitch letters, supporting donation requests, coordinating community refrigerator partnerships, and helping craft wellness-centered experiences. 

Food insecurity is one of the clearest outcomes of structural oppression—especially in communities where healthy, affordable food options are limited. Delaware Urban Greens responds by: o Maintaining a community refrigerator that provides free, fresh produce 

o Connecting residents with wellness resources and food education 

o Building partnerships that increase access to high-quality, nutrient-rich foods o Designing culturally relevant wellness experiences 

o Centering dignity, respect, and equity in every initiative 

My work strengthens these efforts by expanding partnerships, enhancing outreach, and building sustainable systems behind the scenes. One of the most impactful parts of my work has been supporting the sustainability of our community refrigerator. Keeping the refrigerator stocked is essential families rely on it weekly. But behind every cucumber and every bag of greens is a whole system that needs resources, partners, funding, and consistency. 

A moment that stands out for me was helping secure new financial support and partnership commitments during a time when donations were slowing down. I spent days reaching out to farms, writing pitch messages, and communicating the real impact our refrigerator has on the community.  When the support came in—enough to keep the refrigerator stocked again—it was a powerful reminder that advocacy can be a form of nourishment too.

Seeing that refrigerator filled again, knowing the effort it took to make it happen, was deeply meaningful.  It made me understand that the work isn’t just about food, it’s about stability, dignity, and showing up for people. 

This experience reflects what the National Health Corps emphasizes: strong systems, strong relationships, and strong community care. 

This experience has sharpened my understanding of health equity. Access to nutritious food shouldn’t depend on where someone lives or how much they earn. Through this role, I’ve learned how to advocate more effectively, communicate needs clearly, and build partnerships that last. Looking Forward, I’m excited to help deepen our partnerships and continue strengthening the systems that sustain the community refrigerator program. I’m also looking forward to shaping more wellness-centered programming and exploring creative ways to engage and uplift the community. 

I encourage readers to learn more about food insecurity in Wilmington and how community-led solutions like community refrigerators play a major role in addressing those gaps. Even small acts like donating produce, volunteering, or spreading the word make a difference. 

“Food is one of the first ways we experience community—and one of the strongest ways we can rebuild it.” 

Thank you for taking time to learn about this work and for supporting organizations like Delaware Urban Greens. Every bit of awareness and engagement helps strengthen the community.