WITH THE COMMUNITY,
FOR THE COMMUNITY
We are working alongside our community and transforming
Wilmington’s Riverside Neighborhood into a healthy, vibrant place to live and thrive.
With the community, for the community.
We are working alongside our community to transform Wilmington's Riverside Neighborhood into a healthy, vibrant place to live and thrive.
Our three pillars of revitalization:
Making a change together
After decades of inaction and systemic racism, the people of Northeast Wilmington’s historic Riverside neighborhood are ready for a change.
A public housing project originally developed for returning white, World War II veterans, Riverside has been part of Wilmington’s framework since the early 1950s.
After the conclusion of World War II, the flawed GI Bill allowed white veterans and their families the opportunity to purchase homes, while the same opportunities were not afforded to Black veterans. Over several decades, the white families of Riverside moved out, building generational wealthy in other neighborhoods and cities.
Following this massive example of “White flight”, Black residents, shut out of other communities due to redlining and other racist housing policies, moved into the now vacant subsidized housing community and have been historically ignored ever since.
As a result, Riverside, a once close-knit and thriving urban hamlet, has been relegated to the fringes of Wilmington, creating a pocket of concentrated poverty without the needed support structures to ensure individual and family success.
The Purpose Built Communities Model
As the 19th of 28 members of the Purpose Built Communities Network, REACH Riverside is working in partnership to create a vibrant community where all have the opportunity to thrive and succeed.
The Purpose Built Communities’ comprehensive model for neighborhood revitalization focuses on creating mixed-income housing, a cradle-to-college education pipeline, and community wellness. In the mid-1990s this approach transformed the East Lake neighborhood in Atlanta. Launched with funding from Tom Cousins, Warren Buffet and Julian Robertson, Purpose Built Communities now works with 28 neighborhoods across the U.S. to replicate this success.
Learn more about Purpose Built Communities here.
MAKING A CHANGE TOGETHER.
After decades of inaction and systemic racism, the people of Northeast Wilmington’s historic Riverside neighborhood are ready for a change.
Originally developed for returning white, World War II veterans, Riverside has been part of Wilmington’s framework since the early 1950s. After the conclusion of World War II, the flawed GI Bill allowed white veterans and their families the opportunity to purchase homes and develop generational wealth. The same opportunities were not extended to black veterans. Following this massive example of “White flight”, Black residents, shut out of other communities due to redlining and other racist housing policies, moved into the now vacant subsidized housing community and have been historically ignored ever since.
As a result, Riverside, a once close-knit and thriving urban hamlet, has been relegated to the fringes of Wilmington, creating a pocket of concentrated poverty without the needed support structures to ensure individual and family success.
OUR METHODOLOGY
As the 19th of 28 members of the Purpose Built Communities Network, REACH Riverside is working in partnership to create a vibrant community where all have the opportunity to thrive and succeed.
The Purpose Built Communities’ comprehensive model for neighborhood revitalization focuses on creating mixed-income housing, a cradle-to-college education pipeline, and community wellness. In the mid-1990s this approach transformed the East Lake neighborhood in Atlanta. Launched with funding from Tom Cousins, Warren Buffet and Julian Robertson, Purpose Built Communities now works with 28 neighborhoods across the U.S. to replicate this success.
Learn more about Purpose Built Communities here.
REDEVELOPMENT
We are replacing 293 units of 1950s era public housing with 700 high-quality, mixed income rental units, making up to 130 homes available for affordable ownership, and creating the conditions for community-serving businesses to enter the neighborhood. All without displacement of existing residents.
EDUCATION
We are fostering a world class education pipeline from childhood through high school and beyond to ensure growth and achievement at every level.
Community Health
Health and wellness offerings meet the needs of our Riverside neighbors. Services include revolutionary teen engagement through The Warehouse, senior participation through the Jimmy Jenkins Senior Center, resident economic empowerment case management, emergency support, and a primary healthcare center at Kingswood Community Center.
REDEVELOPMENT
We are replacing 293 units of 1950s era public housing with 700 high-quality, mixed income rental units, making up to 130 homes available for affordable ownership, and creating the conditions for community-serving businesses to enter the neighborhood. All without displacement of existing residents.
EDUCATION
We are fostering a world class education pipeline from childhood through high school and beyond to ensure growth and achievement at every level.
COMMUNITY HEALTH
Health and wellness offerings meet the needs of our Riverside neighbors. Services include revolutionary teen engagement through The Warehouse, senior participation through the Jimmy Jenkins Senior Center, resident economic empowerment case management, emergency support, and a primary healthcare center at Kingswood Community Center.
Proud Member Of:
Our partner organizations:
A dynamic new space in Northeast Wilmington designed for teens by teens that provide our city’s youth with the tools and opportunities they need.
Kingswood Community Center (KCC) has empowered the community of Riverside and Northeast Wilmington since 1946. KCC provides an array of social services such as education, food assistance, financial literacy workshops, and much more.
