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Neighborhood House Through the Years

Every organization has a story that shapes its present and guides its future. Neighborhood House is no different. Our roots trace back to 1903 when Mrs. C. Wesley Weldin brought her vision for a deaconess home to the Woman's Home Missionary Society. They couldn't have known then that this dream would touch thousands of lives across generations, evolving from a modest deaconess home into a vibrant community center that continues to serve South Wilmington today.

 

This historical narrative traces our journey from Mrs. Weldin’s initial vision through decades of growth, challenge, and transformation. It shows how  much can be achieved when we work together to love and serve the communities God has placed us in. As you read, you'll find more than dates and details; you’ll discover the spirit of countless individuals who believed in the power of neighbors helping neighbors.

 

Whether you're a longtime friend of Neighborhood House, a curious resident of Wilmington, or a researcher interested in community development, we invite you to explore this chronicle of our past — not just as a historical record, but as a living document that continues to inform and inspire our work today.

 

A Dream Is Born

 

The story of Neighborhood House began with a talk given by Mrs. C. Wesley Weldin at the Woman's Home Missionary Society meeting on June 8, 1903. At this gathering, she shared “the subject which has been on my mind for some time, a deaconess home in Wilmington.” Mrs. Weldin proposed the idea despite having “no money in the treasury and no funds definitely pledged.” The Society moved forward in faith, determined to “look to God for His blessing and unite faith and works to secure immediate results.”

 

Though there were some discouraging years of waiting — a period of time in which their patience and resolve were tested — the breakthrough came in 1927 when the Riddle Memorial Deaconess Home was established at 307 West Street. That same year, responding to the City Missionary Society's identification of South Wilmington as “a fertile field,” the organization began offering classes at 500 S. Claymont Street on November 12.

 

Deepening Our Roots

 

The work expanded with the purchase of a property at 400 S. Heald Street, named in honor of Mrs. Mary Todd Gambrill, who contributed the first $1,000. By 1952, the second floor of what became known as the Mary Todd Gambrill Neighborhood House, which had always been rented as an apartment, was integrated into the growing program.

 

These two centers — Riddle Memorial Deaconess Home and Mary Todd Gambrill Neighborhood House — operated under the Woman's Home Missionary Society's guidance. In 1940, during the Methodist Churches’ merger, they became the heritage of the Peninsula Conference's Woman's Society of Christian Service.

 

Two conference committees, the Deaconess Work Committee and the House Committee, were directly responsible for the work at these centers. Then in 1947 a Deaconess Board was formed, in accordance with the plans of the Woman's Division of Christian Service. Later, the name of this governing body was changed to The Board of Managers of Conference Projects and by-laws were adopted by the Annual Meeting of the Peninsula Conference Woman's Society of Christian Service in 1952.

 

Finding Our Home on B Street

 

A pivotal 1957 self-study evaluation with the Delaware Welfare Council suggested consolidating operations in South Wilmington. This vision materialized in 1961 with the sale of both original properties and the purchase of Madeley Methodist Church. The newly consolidated Neighborhood House moved to 1218 B Street in the fall of 1962, celebrating its debt-free status with a dedication in 1964.

 

As the only community service agency in South Wilmington at that time, Neighborhood House could not be expected to serve more than a cross section of the total population. So, it became a moving force to stimulate action from other community service agencies to help meet the needs in this area.

 

Strengthening Our Connections

 

The 1964 General Conference of The Methodist Church approved the union of the administrative departments of The Board of Missions, which meant the agencies formerly under the direct supervision of the Woman's Division, of which Neighborhood House was one of many, were now agencies of The Methodist Church. The home mission work of the Woman's Division of Christian Service was thus transferred to the newly organized National Division for administration. The women transferred funding for this work with the understanding that support for the work, which was of particular interest to local women, would continue.

 

Minutes of the General Board meeting, February 17, 1965, recorded Rev. R. J. Cooke's announcement that Neighborhood House was designated a Conference Advance Special. This action maintained all existing support channels while opening new opportunities for financial support through official boards, local church commissions on missions, or individuals not related to the Woman's Society.

 

The 1968 union of the Evangelical United Brethren and The Methodist Church brought the home mission work, funds, and staff into the National Division of the new United Methodist Church, with the understanding that it would continue the responsibility for its administration and support.

 

The Work Continues

 

From a vision cast in 1903 to our current role serving families throughout New Castle County, Neighborhood House has shown what's possible when people join hands to lift up those around them. With each passing decade, we have adapted to meet changing needs while staying true to the Christian principles upon which we were founded. Today, we remain woven into the fabric of the neighborhoods we serve, driven by a simple yet powerful belief: that when neighbors help neighbors, communities grow stronger.

 

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Adapted from the Peninsula Conference Project's February 1975 document, Neighborhood House, Inc.

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Where You Can Find Us

Wilmington 

1218 B Street

Wilmington, DE 19801

(302) 658-5404

Middletown 

811 North Broad Street

Suite 219

Middletown, DE 19709

(302) 378-7217

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