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When Grassroots Feels Invisible: Why A Needy Wilmington Still Pushes Forward

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When we started A Needy Wilmington, there was nothing like it. And truthfully, there still isn’t. We built something different: a mobile, remote-hybrid nonprofit while most others were tied to brick-and-mortar operations. We proved that compassion doesn’t need four walls it just needs willing hands, and we’ve been blessed with hundreds of volunteers and donors who’ve helped us bring that vision to life, especially during the fall and winter seasons.


Unlike many nonprofits, we don’t take salaries. We have no overhead, no bills except the website, which has been graciously funded for years by our angel donor, C.P. We keep a small surplus, not for comfort, but to fuel the next campaign or be ready for an emergency. That’s how lean we are. That’s how committed we’ve always been.

But things changed after COVID.


We could have closed, like so many others did when things got tough. But we refused. Still, the reality is that nonprofits with corporate grants, big-name donors, or celebrity backing move in a different lane than grassroots efforts like ours. They get visibility. They get the spotlight. And meanwhile, we keep grinding letters, calls, emails, endless hours just to prove that the need in our community still exists.


I give my evenings after my 9–5 job, often 8–10 extra hours, 3–5 days a week, chasing donors and trying to “sell” the concept of compassion. Sometimes it feels like screaming into the wind. Because while we’ve touched thousands of lives children, families, veterans, the homeless the “no’s,” the ignored emails, the empty meetings pile up higher than the wins.


And maybe that’s the hardest part.

It’s easy for people to feel proud of a cause when someone else is carrying the weight. It’s harder to keep believing in what you do when the following you once had begins to fade. Maybe nine years is long enough. Maybe the community feels this kind of work is no longer needed.



I hope we’re wrong.


Because I don’t see anyone else doing what we do. I don’t see new grassroots organizations stepping into the gap. And I know deep down that status quo won’t carry us forward without fresh energy, support, and belief, even the strongest foundation will collapse.

One day, each of us will need something or someone. That’s why A Needy Wilmington exists. And it’s why we’re still here, even when it feels like the world has moved on without us.


So here’s my ask: if you’ve ever believed in what we do, if you’ve ever been helped, inspired, or proud to say you’re part of this movement don’t just cheer from the sidelines. Give a little of your time. Share our message. Donate what you can. Help us remind Wilmington that grassroots still matters.


Because when we disappear, it won’t be us who loses. It’ll be the community.

 

P.S. They say nothing in life is free but what we do is. And look at how many have benefited because of it. Every contribution, no matter how small, helps lift a community that lives far below the poverty line. Together, we give HOPE to those who once thought they couldn’t have it, and in doing so, we build a community they can finally be proud of.

 

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