Best Start Wilmington - Local Support Network
The Local Support Network (LSN) is a team of Providence caregivers that since 2018 has supported Best Start Wilmington---a community-based network of residents, local stakeholders and organizations that improve the quality of life for families in Wilmington, CA. This network has achieved the following activities.
- Creation of a “community change agenda”. The agenda identifies a set of 5 community priorities that create healthy foundations for families in Wilmington. They are safety, health, environment, education, and immigration.
- Support the development of resident leaders, many of whom are graduates of Building Stronger Communities. These parents advocate for projects and influence policies that impact the quality of life in their neighborhoods. They implement a train-the-trainer model to generate peer-to-peer learning and support organizing efforts.
- Provide grants to community organizations for projects that move the 5 priority areas forward.
- Engage with stakeholders to design and implement systemic changes that improve the 5 key priority areas. Improvements have include:
- implementation of a decorative crosswalk
- expansion of green spaces in Wilmington
- support community-based organizations that want to expand services to families and children ages 0-5
- launch of a food distribution program during the COVID-19 pandemic that provides access to fresh produce, health kits and information of local resources to hundreds of families annually. This program continues to serve the needs of local families.
This project is funded by First 5 LA.