FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | September 25, 2026
Contact: Sarah Fulton (302) 401-1114
DOVER — Community leaders, elected officials, and neighbors gathered in Wilmington’s East Side on Friday morning to celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the newly reconstructed Peoples Settlement Association.
Ribbon cutting: Friday, September 25, 2026
Founded in 1901, Peoples Settlement Association has served generations of Delawareans in its 125-year history with social service resources, youth programs, and various forms of community events and engagement. The newly reconstructed community center now houses a daycare facility, a senior center, gymnasium, and many community spaces to hold programming for all ages.
“For generations, our organization has served the families that live on Wilmington’s East Side — and today, we’re reinvigorating our legacy of service by cutting the ribbon on this beautiful new facility,” said Peoples Settlement Association Executive Director Sandra Ballard. “I want to thank our former Governor and current Mayor John Carney for answering the call, and to our state senator Darius Brown for bringing this vision to fruition. We were honored to dedicate the John C. Carney Gymnasium and the Darius J. Brown Community Room as part of today’s celebration.”
Senator Darius Brown, a lifelong resident of Wilmington’s East Side community, played a key role in securing state funding to support the redevelopment of the historic community center. Sen. Brown, with the help of his colleagues on the Capital Improvement Committee, secured a significant state investment of $20 million to transform the facility into a modern and accessible community hub, while also celebrating its history and longstanding connection with the community.
Darius Brown, third from left, pictured with the Eastside Connection Little League Team
“This project is about more than a new building,” said Sen. Brown, representing Senate District 2. “This grand opening is about honoring the generations of people who have built Peoples Settlement into the institution that it is today and ensuring it remains for the generations that follow. As someone who grew up on the East Side, I know what a facility like this means to our neighborhoods. I’m incredibly proud to see these doors reopen and to usher in a new era for our children, seniors, and families.”
The reopening of Peoples Settlement Association is the culmination of years of planning, investing, and collaboration to revitalize the facility and expand its access for years to come.
“Peoples Settlement has been a cornerstone of the East Side for over a century. With the official opening of this new facility, I’m confident that its impact will reach even further for generations to come,” said Wilmington Mayor John Carney. “Investments in Peoples Settlement are part of a broader, ongoing commitment to strengthening our East Side neighborhoods and supporting the organizations that make a lasting difference in the lives of city residents.”
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