Next Gen South awards grants to Beebe and Delaware Futures

The Next Generation of Southern Delaware, a Delaware Community Foundation fund directed by young professionals living and working in Kent and Sussex counties, has awarded $5,000 grants to Beebe Medical Foundation and Delaware Futures.

Beebe Medical Foundation is expanding its wound care stations as part of the Community Harm-Reduction Outreach Program. This initiative aims to improve health outcomes for individuals facing substance use disorders, providing crucial support where it’s needed most.

Delaware Futures continues its transformative work in the lives of youth, offering academic enrichment, mental health support and college preparation to ensure brighter futures for students in the region. 



“At Next Gen South, we are committed to supporting initiatives that create meaningful, lasting impacts in our community,” said Samantha Mears, Next Gen South chair. “Delaware Futures empowers high school students with academic enrichment, mentorship and hands-on experiences to prepare them for college and beyond. Beebe Medical Foundation’s initiative to install hygiene stations addresses a critical gap in care, providing some of our state’s most vulnerable individuals with access to basic sanitation and wound care. By investing in these programs, we hope to foster both personal and community well-being, ensuring more people have the support and resources they need to thrive.”

Established in 2012, Next Gen South’s charitable fund began distributing grants the following year. Since then, the organization has provided more than $100,000 in support of initiatives tackling deep-rooted social issues affecting the most vulnerable residents of Kent and Sussex counties. Its priorities evolve over time to align with the shifting needs of the communities it serves.