"Achieving our vision starts with community-centered partnerships that address the conditions in which kids grow, learn, and play," said R. Lawrence Moss, MD, FACS, FAAP, President and CEO of Nemours Children's Health. "In addition to providing exceptional medical care, Nemours recognizes that a child's community has a tremendous impact on their health. The Kingswood Community Center's holistic approach aligns with this philosophy, and by partnering together, we will create positive, lifelong health impacts for kids and families."
The Kingswood community impact loan advances Nemours Children's Health's goals to create long-term, sustainable health improvements that advance community change, promote economic opportunity, and improve health and well-being in the communities it serves. Nemours has long provided medical services in Riverside, and the fact that many Kingswood community members are also Nemours Children's patients helped spark this unique connection. The new facility will provide expanded services such as early learning and community programs that help children grow into healthy adults. Nemours Children's also plans to lease space in the facility to increase access to high-quality pediatric clinical care for local families.
"This partnership with Nemours Children's Health is a testament to what's possible when we come together with a shared vision for a stronger, healthier community," said Logan Herring Sr., CEO, Kingswood Community Center and The WRK Group. "Riverside is filled with potential, and with investments like this, we are building a future where every child, every family, has the opportunity to thrive. This is not just about health care—it's about hope, progress, and building the foundation for generations to succeed."
"Riverside isn't just where I work—it's the neighborhood that provided refuge for my family and me during very challenging times. I have witnessed the power of community-driven change, and I know that when organizations like Nemours Children's Health invest in our neighborhoods, it creates lasting impact," said Kingswood Community Center Board Chair James "Ray" Rhodes, who is also STEM Hub/Community Engagement director at Eastside Charter School. "This partnership ensures that families have access to the quality care they need, right here at home. It's an exciting moment for Kingswood, for Riverside, and for the future we're building together."
Nemours is providing bridge financing to close a critical funding gap and accelerate construction and programming at the center. The revitalized Kingswood Community Center, which has been providing critical resources in the community since the 1940s, will offer a comprehensive range of services, including early childhood education, fitness and arts programs, community outreach, and integrated pediatric and adult health care.
"By investing in community impact strategies, we help improve the way children grow and learn in the communities we serve in long-term, sustainable ways, reaping benefits beyond improved child health," said Jim Hunt, Chair of The Nemours Foundation Board of Directors. "This innovative approach underscores Nemours Children's Health's commitment to tackling the root causes of health for children in paradigm-shifting ways."
The Kingswood project was made possible through a blend of community-focused financing tools designed to spur investments in neighborhoods like Wilmington's Riverside.
About Nemours Children's Health
Nemours Children's Health is one of the nation's largest multistate pediatric health systems, which includes two free-standing children's hospitals and a network of more than 70 primary and specialty care practices. Nemours Children's seeks to transform the health of children by adopting a holistic health model that utilizes innovative, safe, and high-quality care, while also addressing children's needs well beyond medicine. In producing the highly acclaimed, award-winning pediatric medicine podcast Well Beyond Medicine, Nemours underscores that commitment by featuring the people, programs and partnerships addressing whole child health. Nemours Children's also powers the world's most-visited website for information on the health of children and teens, Nemours KidsHealth.org.
The Nemours Foundation, established through the legacy and philanthropy of Alfred I. duPont, provides pediatric clinical care, research, education, advocacy, and prevention programs to the children, families and communities it serves. For more information, visit Nemours.org.
SOURCE Nemours Children's Health
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