NeighborGood is adding a new office building in downtown Dover – and staying true to the nonprofit’s mission of strengthening communities while bolstering Dover’s revitalization efforts and helping others to get their entrepreneurial start.
Visitors can check out the new NeighborGood Center at 223 W. Division St. for themselves during a ribbon cutting on Monday, Sept. 23.
The center hopes to be a hub for community resources while also helping to bridge gaps and strengthen the social fabric of the neighborhood, said Rona Harris, community development manager for NeighborGood Partners.
“We are passionate about growing and educating residents and providing them with the tools and resources they need to thrive independently,” Harris said. “Our goal is to be more than just a service provider – we aim to be a lasting partner in the community’s growth and success.”
NeighborGood’s new building will house employees of Restoring Center Dover, a resident-driven program that represents the surrounding community’s vision and strategies for restoring the vitality of central Dover.
Sharing space on the second floor of the 6,270-square-foot building is Delaware State University’s Center for Urban Revitalization and Entrepreneurship Division, which is dedicated to fostering entrepreneurial success and economic revitalization in distressed communities by providing comprehensive training, support, resources and physical space.
“Our mission is to address both the entrepreneurial skill gaps and the social determinants affecting business success, including youth engagement, to create a thriving ecosystem for local entrepreneurs to flourish,” said Michael Casson, dean of the DSU College of Business.
NeighborGood will retain its main office in West Dover, but the additional location downtown represents an important effort in overcoming the historical disinvestment and addressing the social and economic disparities in Dover, Harris said.
The center joins other community-focused programs also in the area, including The Scoop on Loockerman, which opened in 2023 as a social enterprise to help Dover youth gain valuable work experience, and The Hub Resource Center, which helps bridge gaps to services, especially for underserved residents.
“This location creates a beautiful asset and anchor in downtown Dover with the goal of encouraging entrepreneurship in the community,” said Patricia Kelleher, director of real estate development for NeighborGood Partners.
Together, these offerings support the residents who are working to revitalize the area around them. Best of all, they add to a growing sense of community.
“In the past, there were some troublesome houses on this block, and working with Central Delaware Habitat for Humanity, we were able to purchase and redevelop them, In all, Habitat and NeighborGood have built 65 homes in downtown Dover,” Kelleher said.
“Now, if you drive down this block, there’s kids’ toys all over the lawns. It’s just completely transformed.”
NeighborGood Partners has helped thousands of Delaware families achieve their dreams of owning a home, thereby creating family stability and the foundation of wealth building through homebuyer and financial education programs. Other programs include the development of single family for sale housing in Central Dover, assisting aspiring entrepreneurs start their businesses, and lending for the development of affordable housing and community facilities.
Sponsored by NeighborGood Partners
This article is sponsored by NeighborGood Partners, a nonprofit service provider offering pre-purchase and foreclosure prevention counseling, financial education, and DEHAP rental housing assistance. The editorial staff of Spotlight Delaware had no role in its production.
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