University of Delaware Office of Public Relations The Messenger Vol. 5, No. 1/1995 Revitalizing a Wilmington, Del., neighborhood A series of exciting revitalization programs are underway for Wilmington, Del.'s, Southbridge neighborhood, thanks to the combined efforts of the UD centers for Community Development and for Black Culture, the Wilmington-based community center Neighborhood House and a new national program, Public Allies. The groups-all of which include UD alumni and staff-are joining forces to promote economic development in Southbridge and to encourage neighborhood youth to pursue educational opportunities beyond high school. UD graduate and undergraduate students are working with Neighborhood House youth, as the Center for Community Development simultaneously focuses on economic development initiatives in Southbridge. Both projects are supported by Public Allies, which has assigned an intern to coordinate the work with youth and to set up and monitor community service projects. Part of the Americorps national service program, Public Allies is funded by federal and local monies. Programs planned in conjunction with the Center for Community Development include a survey of neighborhood businesses and residents to determine banking needs and the feasibility of establishing a banking facility in Southbridge. In addition, the center will develop a neighborhood income statement and balance sheet, which will summarize the neighborhood's economic resources. The document can then be used as a resource for community and economic development. Timothy Barnekov, director of the Center for Community Development, and Bryan Nance, a graduate research assistant in the center, are working with Wayne Brown, Delaware '71, director of Neighborhood House, to implement the bank survey and economic document. "I am excited about this collaboration," Brown says. "It is a win-win situation for all of the organizations involved. Hopefully, it can be a model for efforts in other communities in Delaware." The UD Center for Black Culture's mentoring program is a community outreach component of the program, "Each One Reach One." The program, designed for upperclass students to mentor incoming freshmen, was developed during 1994-95, based on the seven principles of Kwanzaa and ROADS-an acronym for Responses, Order, Attitude, Discipline and Spirituality. The goal is to teach students to be responsible citizens in the University and surrounding community, and the concept of giving something back to others is a key part of the program. "This project gives UD African-American students an opportunity to reach back and help African-American youth," Vernese Edghill, Delaware '72, director of the center, says. "I think the value of this partnership is that it gives context to populations that can benefit from University of Delaware services, and it's a two-way relationship that also gives back to the University students who are involved," Antoine Allen, Delaware '93, director of Public Allies, says. Ayanna Brown is the Public Ally appointed to coordinate the project and serve as community outreach coordinator. A 1994 UD history graduate, she is a graduate student in the College of Urban Affairs and Public Policy.