Featured Post from ChristianaCare

ChristianaCare Announces $1.6 Million Community Benefit Investment in 25 Nonprofits to Improve Community Health

Over $5.6 million has been distributed across Delaware since 2019 to address social needs that impact patient health.

Feb 12, 2025

6 min

Bettina Tweardy Riveros, J.D.

In another milestone commitment to community health, ChristianaCare today announced a $1.6 million investment in 25 local nonprofits, unveiling the recipients of its Community Investment Fund during a special celebration at The Ministry of Caring in Wilmington.


Since 2019, ChristianaCare’s Community Investment Fund has provided more than $5.6 million to 64 organizations, addressing social, behavioral and environmental health factors.

”ChristianaCare is empowering and supporting our nonprofit partners so they can help meet the many needs of the people they serve, and work with us to improve patient health and create healthy communities and a healthy Delaware,” said Bettina Tweardy Riveros, chief health equity officer at ChristianaCare.


CaptionResizeWrap TextRemove


This year’s recipients received funding to support health improvement initiatives in neighboring communities and address critical issues and community needs.


“Each of these recipients is making a significant and positive impact by addressing critical health challenges throughout our communities, including food insecurity, housing insecurity and environmental health. At ChristianaCare, we are honored to be joining forces with these 25 organizations to provide them with more resources so that they do more for those in need. It is another way we care for our community,” she said.


The funded initiatives will be implemented throughout the upcoming year and were selected based on the quality of applicants’ proposals and implementation plans, and on the alignment of their proposals with the critical issues prioritized by the community in ChristianaCare’s Community Health Needs Assessment and Community Health Implementation Plan.


Recipient Spotlight: Healthy Food for Healthy Kids

"The impact of ChristianaCare’s 2024 Community Investment Awards funds on Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids will be felt not only in 2025 but for years to come. This funding will expand our program to an additional school, serving over 600 more students, and support data and research for future growth." Healthy Food for Healthy Kids, Lydia Sarson, Executive Director.


Recipient Spotlight: Project New Start

“Approximately 85% of the justice-involved individuals served by Project New Start are housing and food insecure. With ChristianaCare’s 2024 Community Investment Fund Award to Project New Start, which began 11/01/24, we have already been able to assist 23 individuals with clothing and household goods; 20 individuals with transportation assistance; 17 individuals with food support; and 7 individuals with housing as of 12/31/24. The impact of these funds cannot be overstated as this investment by ChristianaCare provides Project New Start the means to provide the critical basic needs an individual requires to live with dignity without the trauma of worrying about where they will sleep, how they will eat and how they can sustain employment. We are so grateful to ChristianaCare for their ongoing support.” Priscilla Turgon, Founder and Executive Director of Project New Start, Inc.


Recipient Spotlight: YMCA of Delaware - Central YMCA Supportive Housing Program

“The Central YMCA Supportive Housing Program, in partnership with Christiana Care, serves low-income men at risk of homelessness who often face trauma, addiction, disabilities or lack of family support. Through stable housing, nutritious meals, welcome packages, rental assistance and supportive activities, the program fosters community wellbeing, improves health outcomes, prevents homelessness and empowers residents to achieve self-sufficiency.” Jimia Redden, Executive Director of Housing.


CaptionResizeWrap TextRemove


This year’s Community Investment Fund recipients are:


• AIDS Delaware: AIDS Delaware’s mission is to eliminate the spread and stigma of HIV/AIDS, improve the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS and promote community health through comprehensive and culturally sensitive services, education programs and advocacy.


• Black Mothers in Power: Black Mothers in Power seeks to eradicate racial health disparities for Black birthing people and Black babies throughout Delaware.


• Boys & Girls Club of DE: Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware inspires and enables young people, especially those most in need, to reach their full potential as productive, responsible, caring citizens.


• Children and Families First DE: Children & Families First is one of Delaware's oldest and most trusted non-profit leaders in providing the supports and services children and their families need to thrive.


• Claymont Community Center - Brandywine Resource Council: Claymont Community Center is a base for a variety of community organizations supporting educational, social, recreational, cultural, personal development, financial and wellness needs.


• Delaware Center for Horticulture: The Delaware Center for Horticulture cultivates greener communities by inspiring appreciation and improvement of the environment through horticulture, education and conservation.


• Delaware Futures, Inc: Delaware Futures empowers at-promise high school and middle school youth across the state of Delaware by providing year-round, trauma-informed curricula tailored to students at each grade level.


• Delaware Nature Society: Delaware Nature Society connects people and nature to create a healthy environment for all through education, conservation and advocacy.


• Do Care Doula: Do Care Doula provides grant-funded Doula training and development, subsidized Doula support and a variety of community outreach programs.


• Healthy Food for Healthy Kids: Healthy Food for Healthy Kids supports educators in Delaware, bringing life-lasting benefits of gardening and good nutrition to kids.


• Jefferson Street Center: The mission of JSC is to advance community-driven priorities in Northwest Wilmington that promote the conditions necessary for all residents to thrive.


• Latin American Community Center: LACC seeks to empower members to become contributing members of society through advocacy and offers programs and services to anyone ages of one to 101.


• Milford Housing Development Corporation: Milford Housing Development Corporation is a value-driven, nonprofit, affordable housing developer, providing services throughout Delaware. Its mission is to provide decent, safe, affordable housing solutions to people of modest means.


• Ministry of Caring: Since Brother Ronald began the ministry in 1977 with the first shelter for homeless women on the Delmarva Peninsula, the Ministry has worked ceaselessly to ease the needs and struggles of our neighbors.


• ONCOR Coalition: ONCOR’s vision is to build and promote spaces that connect people to the city and each other. It promotes positive relationships through community-based educational programs and recreational opportunities.


• Our Daily Bread Dining Room of MOT: ODB is the only soup kitchen in the Middletown, Odessa and Townsend region. ODB is a volunteer run organization with over 300 volunteers. Volunteers help purchase and pick up food and ingredients, prepare and serve meals and clean and maintain the facility.


• Project New Start: Project New Start provides a comprehensive cognitive behavioral change/workforce development initiative for individuals transitioning out of state and federal institutions.


• Ray of Hope Mission Center: Ray of Hope’s mission is to recognize and address the needs of those who are struggling within our community and assist them in their efforts to provide for themselves and their families, both physically and spiritually.


• St. Patrick's Center: Serving people in Wilmington’s East Side neighborhood since 1971, St. Patrick’s Center is a nonprofit organization that operates a Senior Center, and provides meals, groceries, clothing, paratransit and social service support to the public.


• The Resurrection Center: The purpose of the Resurrection Center is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and create a spirit-filled environment that hungers for the Gospel and to serve as liberating agents in the midst of the world.


• Voices of Hope: Voices of Hope’s mission is to empower lives and foster recovery. The nonprofit is dedicated to supporting individuals and families facing substance use disorder. Through compassion, education and community engagement, Voices of Hope strives to break the chains of addiction, promoting a healthier, brighter future for all.


• West End Neighborhood House: At West End Neighborhood House, staff, clients, volunteers and donors work together to resolve complex social challenges throughout Delaware. Through outcomes-driven programming, the West End Neighborhood House provide support that meets community needs in finances, housing, education, employment and family services.


• Westside Family Healthcare: Westside Family Healthcare is a community-minded, non-partisan health center located in Delaware. Westside opened its doors in 1988 and has maintained status as a Federally Qualified Health Center since 1994.


• Wilmington HOPE Commission Inc.: The Hope Commission is a reentry program that helps formerly incarcerated men return to their community. It offers support services that address factors known to lead to repeat offenses.


• YMCA of Delaware: The Central YMCA Supportive Housing Program offers housing for men aged 18 and older. Residents benefit from dorm-style accommodations, discounted access to the fitness center and connections to a range of health and human service providers in partnership with the YMCA.


Connect with:
Bettina Tweardy Riveros, J.D.

Bettina Tweardy Riveros, J.D.

Chief Public Affairs Officer and Chief Health Equity Officer

Leads health equity and government affairs strategies to advance ChristianaCare's vision and mission to serve the community.

Community EngagementHealth PolicyStrategyVisionGovernment Affairs
Powered by

You might also like...

Check out some other posts from ChristianaCare

ChristianaCare Advances New Health Campus in Camden, Delaware to Close Care Gaps featured image

3 min

ChristianaCare Advances New Health Campus in Camden, Delaware to Close Care Gaps

ChristianaCare has taken another major step to expand access to high quality care across Delaware by submitting a Notice of Intent to the Delaware Health Resources Board to develop a new health campus in Camden. Like the Georgetown campus announced in February, the proposed campus will include a health center and a neighborhood hospital and is part of the $865 million statewide commitment announced last July. “For many people in central Delaware, getting timely emergency or specialty care can still mean long drives or long waits,” said Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH, president and CEO of ChristianaCare. “We are investing in facilities that bring care closer to where people live. This campus reflects our commitment to ensuring every Delawarean, no matter their ZIP code, can count on timely, compassionate, high-quality care close to home.” Closing Care Gaps in Central and Southern Delaware The approximately 38,000‑square‑foot Camden campus will be located on the west side of Route 13, just south of Lochmeath Way. It is expected to open in late 2028 or early 2029 and will bring primary care, specialty care and outpatient services together in one location, supported by eight emergency department beds and eight inpatient beds. The project will create 83 new jobs for the community, including 60 positions at the neighborhood hospital and 23 at the health center. Kent and Sussex counties are both designated as Medically Underserved Areas by the Health Resources and Services Administration. At the same time, the region is growing quickly. By 2030, the population in central and southern Delaware is expected to increase by 8 percent, with residents aged 65 and older growing even faster, by 22 percent. Shortages in primary care, behavioral health and specialty services have forced many residents to travel long distances for care. The Camden campus will help change that by bringing essential services closer to home. Expanding Capacity on a Strong Foundation The Camden campus represents a $58.1 million investment and reflects ChristianaCare’s focus on access, coordination and community need. ChristianaCare already provides a broad range of services in Kent County, including primary care, specialty care, behavioral health, rehabilitation, home health, hospice and virtual care. The Camden campus will build on this foundation by increasing capacity and making care more convenient as demand grows. Partnering to Deliver Care Close to Home ChristianaCare is partnering with Emerus Holdings, Inc. on the neighborhood hospital component. Emerus is the nation’s leading developer of this model, with 49 acute care facilities across the country. “Communities are stronger when people can depend on care close to home,” said Vic Schmerbeck, CEO of Emerus Holdings, Inc. “We are proud to partner with ChristianaCare to deliver a neighborhood hospital that provides high quality care in a setting designed around the needs of the community.” Growing Access Across the Region The ChristianaCare Georgetown campus is planned for 20769 DuPont Boulevard at an estimated cost of $65.1 million. ChristianaCare is also expanding this innovative care model beyond Delaware. In July 2025, the system opened a neighborhood hospital at its West Grove Campus in southern Chester County, Pennsylvania. Additional campuses are planned in Springfield and Aston in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

ChristianaCare Forms Joint Venture For Cardiovascular Ambulatory Surgery Center featured image

4 min

ChristianaCare Forms Joint Venture For Cardiovascular Ambulatory Surgery Center

ChristianaCare, Cardiovascular Physicians of Delaware and its partner organization, US Health Partners, have formed a joint venture to establish a new cardiovascular ambulatory surgery center in Newark. This new facility will be launched through the ChristianaCare Atlas ASC partnership. This is a pivotal moment showcasing the power of a local health system, strength of a national ASC management company, and expert community-based physicians working together to deliver a lower cost, easy-to-access model of care to our community. “The ChristianaCare Cardiovascular Surgery Center at Newark represents a deep partnership between ChristianaCare and community cardiovascular experts who are truly committed to caring for this region,” said Kert F. Anzilotti, M.D., MBA, chief physician executive and president of The Medical Group at ChristianaCare. “By working side by side with trusted community physicians, we are aligning expertise and decision making to strengthen heart care across the region and ensure it continues to evolve with the needs of the people we serve.” “By expanding access to outpatient heart care, we can reduce wait times, improve the patient experience and lower the overall cost of care—while using our hospital resources more wisely and preserving capacity for patients who need complex or urgent cardiac services,” Anzilotti added. “With over 30 years of providing cardiac care to Delaware residents, we are proud to collaborate on this center,” said Brian Sarter, M.D., president of Cardiovascular Physicians of Delaware. For patients, this is about getting the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Patients will receive specialized heart care in a focused setting designed for same day procedures, with a smoother experience, faster recovery and seamless coordination with hospital care if it’s ever needed.” “This joint venture brings together ChristianaCare and Cardiovascular Physicians of Delaware’s strong clinical leadership and a proven outpatient care model,” said Aaron Snyder, M.D., chief executive officer of US Health Partners. “Our aim is to build and run a center that is efficient, reliable and patient-focused from day one, so physicians can focus on care and patients can count on a high-quality same-day experience close to home.” Reducing the Cost of Heart Care Ambulatory surgery centers lower the cost of heart care by safely moving appropriate procedures out of the hospital and into a more efficient outpatient setting. Most patients return home the same day, while hospitals preserve capacity for complex and urgent cases. As reported in Ambulatory Surgery Center News, outpatient procedures performed in ambulatory surgery centers cost 30 to 40 percent less than the same care delivered in hospitals, improving access and efficiency as demand for heart care continues to grow. The move also frees up limited hospital resources to better care for people with more complex or urgent cardiovascular needs. Meeting a Growing Need for Heart Care Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in Delaware, and demand for cardiovascular care is rising. According to the Delaware Population Consortium, the number of New Castle County residents age 65 and older is projected to increase by 23 percent by 2035, increasing pressure on cardiovascular services. Forecasts show outpatient heart and vascular procedures could reach nearly 10,800 annually for New Castle County residents by 2029 and more than 24,000 across the broader region, according to health care analytics firm Sg2. At the same time, hospital operating room capacity remains limited. Cardiovascular Physicians of Delaware’s many decades of experience in Newark and across the state positioned the group as a natural fit for the collaboration. Focused on Same Day Cardiovascular Care Expected to open in late 2027, the nearly 9,000 square foot center will be located on the second floor of the HealthCare Center at Christiana, across from Christiana Hospital. The center will focus exclusively on outpatient heart and vascular procedures. Services will include diagnostic heart catheterizations, coronary and peripheral vascular interventions, ablation procedures, pacemaker/ implantable defibrillator implantations and other minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures. Hospital based cardiac care will continue to be available for patients who need inpatient treatment, emergency care or more complex services. Other Details The project will cost an estimated $9.3 million and is expected to create 14 full time jobs across clinical, administrative, leadership and support roles. The facility represents an additional investment beyond ChristianaCare’s previously announced $865 million commitment to Delaware, reinforcing the organization’s focus on expanding services and improving health outcomes statewide. Key features of the surgery center include two new cardiac catheterization/ electrophysiology labs, dedicated pre operative and post anesthesia care space and on site sterile processing and administrative areas. Atlas Healthcare Partners will manage and operate the center, while Cardiovascular Physicians of Delaware will provide clinical oversight and perform outpatient surgical cases. ChristianaCare and Atlas Healthcare Partners formed the joint venture in 2024 to build an ambulatory surgery center network across the Mid-Atlantic region.

Union Hospital Earns Healthgrades 2026 Patient Safety Excellence Award for Second Consecutive Year featured image

1 min

Union Hospital Earns Healthgrades 2026 Patient Safety Excellence Award for Second Consecutive Year

Union Hospital has once again been ranked among the top 10% of hospitals nationwide, earning the 2026 Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award™ for the second year in a row. In a landscape where many hospitals struggle to maintain consistency, Union Hospital is delivering a sustained streak of high reliability, driven by disciplined safety practices and a culture that puts patient protection first. Campus president Joan Pirrung captures it well: “Our caregivers are relentless about safety. Achieving this honor two years in a row shows the unwavering commitment they bring to every patient, every day.” At the heart of this repeat achievement is a team of caregivers who’ve built a culture where safety isn’t a program—it’s a daily practice. If you’re interested in the story behind these results, I can connect you with campus president Joan Pirrung for additional insight or interviews.

View all posts
Powered by