In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Day,  Monday, January 18, 2022, Network Connect will host a FREE STORE at 1226 N. King Street Wilmington, Delaware.

The store will be open to the community from 10:00 AM -2:00 PM giving out free winter clothes, coats, race kits, books, and take home Covid-19 testing kits.

The free-store movement began in the United States in the 1960s in San Francisco. Today, several European countries have thriving free stores, and there are also many free stores throughout the US, but none in Delaware. All stores share a common philosophy: that there are more than enough goods to go around; scarcity should not be an issue.

Network Connect is launching a traveling free store to take place in a different community each month. For our first event, it will take place in downtown Wilmington, across the street from our King Street office. A free store provides a unique way for people to responsibly donate items to others who can use them, free of charge, in a way that also builds community. They are teaming up with United Way, who will provide take-home COVID-19 tests.

The mission of Network Connect is to improve the coordination of youth-serving organizations by building effective partnerships for youth, families, communities, and organizations.

The Network Connect Story

As its motto suggests, “We Are the Network Connecting Communities,” Network Connect is a nonprofit that takes a community connection, resource building, and information awareness approach to youth development with the community at its center.

What makes Network Connect unique is the people behind the organization. Network Connect’s founders, Erin Hutt and Cierra Hall-Hipkins look like the community they serve, while also having the necessary experience in employment creation services and working with vulnerable populations to contribute to the organization’s success.

Most importantly, serving youth is the founders’ passion and commitment. Erin and Cierra see this work as a way to give back to the community that raised them; both attended Wilmington Public Schools and both are raising sons, so they see this work as an investment in their sons’ future and the future of the youth of Wilmington.

Looking to the future Erin and Cierra hope to expand Network Connect, “to youth everywhere who are underserved.” They also teach their youth that they hope to see them leading Network Connect in the future.

Network Connect promotes youth development through four key programs, Community Well-being Ambassadors, Teen Co-Learning Spaces, Future Culture Creators and Reverse the ACES.

Current Programs

Community Well-being Ambassadors:

The Community Well-Being Ambassador (CWA) Initiative is a community-driven, place-based prevention strategy to increase the capacity of targeted neighborhoods in the City of Wilmington by promoting community well-being and resiliency among their residents across the life span.

Teen Co-Learning Spaces:

The Network Connect Teen Co-Learning Space is a year-round learning support program for middle school and high school students. The Co-Learning space features assistance with classwork and tutoring; support for virtual students; mentoring to support academic performance; recreational, cultural, and creative activities to strengthen continued learning; and nutritious meals and snacks.

Future Culture Creators:

The Future Culture Creator Employment Program provides youth ages 14-19, who are currently enrolled in school, with an enriching, constructive year round-training, employment, and internships through subsidized placement with local creatives, community-based organizations, and non-profit organizations.

Reverse the ACES:

RACE to Wellness is a campaign developed by Network Connect to Reverse the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) amongst teens. ACEs can include experiences such as: experiencing violence, experiencing abuse or neglect, or a death in the family. ACEs can also include environmental factors such as drug or alcohol abuse, incarcerated Family Members, mental health issues in the family, or separated parents.

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