2024 Year in Review

In 2024, our network of 16 food distributions provided enough food for our clients to be able to prepare over a half million meals. The LCS team of staff, partners, and volunteers offer healthy food options and provide nutrition security in schools, churches, senior housing, and community centers.

Choice Pantry volunteers, ready to pack food bags for our clients

To keep people stability housed we provide timely emergency financial assistance for rent, utilities and security deposits. Our case managers also conduct assessments and develop plans with clients; connect them to support services like legal aid and financial education; and coordinate care and support them for success.

LCS staff member, Jean Washington
works on an assistance application bags for our clients

As part of our commitment to the health and wellbeing of our clients, LCS is partnered with the Delaware Quitline to provide access to free quit-assist products and services to those trying to quit tobacco. We also conduct statewide outreach to hundreds of organizations, providing education and training to health care providers and community organizations to give them the tools they need to help patients and clients improve their health.

Health Program Manager, Romie Lutz,
at a conference for smoking cessation

Poor nutrition is often an underlying cause of poor health and a risk factor for many health conditions. LCS partners with ChristianaCare on the Delaware Food Farmacy to address health disparities through food. The program combines health and social care, food delivery, and nutrition education to help patients achieve long-term health improvements by providing them with holistic care. We also bring healthy food to schools and assist pediatric patients with sickle cell disease to get the nutritional support they need.

LCS staff member, Steph Hall, assists a Lettuce program
mom receive food from the Bayard School pantry

Since 2021, LCS has partnered with ChristianaCare on the the Delaware Food Farmacy. This approach, the idea that Food is Medicine, has been an enormous success, helping to address chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and congestive heart failure.

The success of this program has allowed us to expand our services to women with the potential for high-risk pregnancies.

LCS staff member, Jenn Williams helps pack bags
for the Delaware Food Farmacy

This 2024 program expansion implements a comprehensive program for pregnant women who are obese, living in poor food environments and receiving prenatal care with ChristianaCare. It provides pregnant patients and their family members with 9-months of medically tailored groceries high in micronutrients critical for a healthy pregnancy. Participants are also provided with culinary equipment, skills training and recipes.  Community health workers, registered dieticians and health coaches offer nutrition assessment and education and ongoing support for dietary behavior changes and achieving goals for a healthier pregnancy.  We will measure changes in key program outcomes, such as changes in dietary quality, food security as well as obstetrical outcomes (i.e., gestational diabetes, NICU days and cesarean delivery).

It's crucial for expecting mothers to receive proper nutrition & support

In 2024, we broke ground on the LCS Food Hub, a warehouse/fulfillment center next to our main facility at 2809 Baynard Blvd. This facility represents a major leap forward in our ability to serve the growing needs of our community. It will be a hub for our Food is Medicine and nutrition security programs that are designed to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations. The new site allows LCS to expand our aggregation of healthy foods from local Delaware farmers and other sources, and custom pack more medically tailored groceries for delivery to homes and a variety of community partners. It will support the Delaware Food Farmacy, other nutrition security programs, and our existing pantry network that serves over 50,000 people a year. We will be able to buy in bulk, accommodate additional volunteers, and operate multiple programs at a time.

We are so excited for the grand opening, info coming soon!

This infrastructure improvement will enable more opportunities to coordinate the activities of community-based organizations, health care providers, local farmers, educators, and others for comprehensive, evidence-based programming. It will enhance community food distribution, especially locally grown fresh fruits/vegetables, and provide additional freezer/refrigeration storage for perishables to enhance the quality of food that is available to our clients.

To learn more about the food hub, check out our informational page for updates!

In 2024, we had a diverse revenue stream and maintained a strong financial condition.*

We achieved a surplus, approximately 70% of which is restricted for programs and remaining Food Hub construction. The balance can be used reserves and future program development.

*Unaudited numbers as of 12/31/24, rounded to the nearest zero

We couldn't do what we do without the support of so many. We thank all of those who have supported us this past year, with a special thanks to the following community partners!