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:

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 one of 25 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 25 neighborhoods across the U.S. to replicate this success.

Learn more about Purpose Built Communities here.

News from Around The WRK Group

  • Community Power: Designing Imani Commons Park for All Ages and Interests

    The Kingswood Community Center hosted a dynamic 90-minute event aimed at gathering community input for the future development of the Imani Commons park. The post Community Power: Designing Imani Commons Park for All Ages and Interests appeared first on The WRK Group.

  • Watch The WRK Group’s 2023 Impact Video

    Watch our 2023 Impact Report Video and see the progress The WRK Group has made in Wilmington this past year. The post Watch The WRK Group’s 2023 Impact Video appeared first on The WRK Group.

  • The Warehouse, SL24 UnLocke the Light Foundation, and Mayor William T. McLaughlin Fund Open Two New Spaces in State-Of-The-Art Wilmington Teen Center

    The Warehouse, a community center serving teens and young adults in the City of Wilmington and part of The WRK Group, has partnered with SL24 UnLocke the Light Foundation to open Sean’s Room, a mental health support room, and with the Mayor William T. McLaughlin Fund to open The Mac, a newly renovated gymnasium, in their building on the Northeast side of Wilmington. These two new spaces will provide valuable opportunities and support to The Warehouse’s hundreds of teen and young adult members. The post The Warehouse, SL24 UnLocke the Light Foundation, and Mayor William T. McLaughlin Fund Open Two New Spaces in State-Of-The-Art Wilmington Teen Center appeared first on The WRK Group.

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 one of 25 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 25 neighborhoods across the U.S. to replicate this success.

Learn more about Purpose Built Communities here.

 

News from Around The WRK Group

  • Community Power: Designing Imani Commons Park for All Ages and Interests

    The Kingswood Community Center hosted a dynamic 90-minute event aimed at gathering community input for the future development of the Imani Commons park. The post Community Power: Designing Imani Commons Park for All Ages and Interests appeared first on The WRK Group.

  • Watch The WRK Group’s 2023 Impact Video

    Watch our 2023 Impact Report Video and see the progress The WRK Group has made in Wilmington this past year. The post Watch The WRK Group’s 2023 Impact Video appeared first on The WRK Group.

  • The Warehouse, SL24 UnLocke the Light Foundation, and Mayor William T. McLaughlin Fund Open Two New Spaces in State-Of-The-Art Wilmington Teen Center

    The Warehouse, a community center serving teens and young adults in the City of Wilmington and part of The WRK Group, has partnered with SL24 UnLocke the Light Foundation to open Sean’s Room, a mental health support room, and with the Mayor William T. McLaughlin Fund to open The Mac, a newly renovated gymnasium, in their building on the Northeast side of Wilmington. These two new spaces will provide valuable opportunities and support to The Warehouse’s hundreds of teen and young adult members. The post The Warehouse, SL24 UnLocke the Light Foundation, and Mayor William T. McLaughlin Fund Open Two New Spaces in State-Of-The-Art Wilmington Teen Center appeared first on The WRK Group.

REDEVELOPMENT

We are replacing 293 units of 1950s era public housing with 700 high-quality, mixed income rental units, making a a portion of 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 a portion of 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.