Social Action Award

MIDDLETOWN (DE) ALUMNAE CHAPTER | EASTERN REGION AWARD SUBMISSION 2025-2026

Social Action Award

Community Voices in Action:

A Multigenerational Social Action Listening Tour & Civic Engagement Initiative

SOCIAL ACTION ISSUE

In alignment with national and regional Social Action priorities focused on civic engagement, advocacy, education equity, healthcare access, economic empowerment, and public safety, the chapter launched a comprehensive Community Voices in Action Listening Tour to intentionally engage youth, adults, and seniors across the community.

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The initiative was developed in response to growing concerns that the local community and residents, particularly seniors and youth, felt unheard by decision-makers and disconnected from civic processes that directly impacted their quality of life. Community members expressed increasing concern regarding healthcare affordability, rising living costs, school safety, housing instability, youth engagement opportunities, transportation barriers, mental health access, and a lack of visible action from elected officials.

To ensure authentic community-centered advocacy, the chapter hosted listening sessions, community conversations, and civic education programming designed to gather data, amplify resident voices, and create pathways for action-oriented engagement with local and state leadership.

MIDDLETOWN DE ALUMNAE (INPUTS) PLAN OF ACTION

The chapter’s objective was to:

Create safe, inclusive, and intergenerational spaces where community members could openly share concerns and lived experiences.
Collect actionable data to inform future advocacy initiatives and guide engagement with elected officials.
Strengthen civic awareness and participation among youth, adults, and seniors.
Increase understanding of public office, campaign processes, and political leadership opportunities.
Position the chapter as a trusted convener, advocate, and connector between the community and policymakers.
Build a sustainable framework for continued Social Action programming rooted in community voice and accountability.

The chapter implemented a multi-phase Social Action strategy that included listening sessions, survey collection, civic education programming, and stakeholder engagement.

Community Listening Tour

Three dedicated listening session were held. A youth session where risk management trained members of the Middletown (DE) Alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority partnered with the Delaware Youth Governor to facilitate a listening session with a panel and participants of his high school peers across the local service area. A second listening session was held virtually to allow working families to participate and have their voices included . A third and final listening session was held at the Senior Center to capture the voice of our senior community members. The chapter engaged seniors, youth, and adults through facilitated dialogue and survey collection to better understand pressing concerns impacting the community.

Participation & Reach

Total Attendance: 87 participants
- 34 Youth/Adults In-Person
- 28 Adults Virtual
- 25 Seniors In-Person

13 formal surveys were completed by seniors and attendees.

"To ensure authentic community-centered advocacy, the chapter hosted listening sessions, community conversations, and civic education programming designed to gather data, amplify resident voices, and create pathways for action-oriented engagement with local and state leadership."

Key Community Issues Identified:

The listening tour revealed significant concerns in the following priority areas:

Healthcare Access & Affordability

Limited access to healthcare providers in the MOT area
Long appointment wait times to obtain a medical appointment (3–7 months)
Rising healthcare and insurance costs
Need for healthcare resource navigation support

Economic & Financial Security

Concerns regarding Social Security and pension stability
Rising cost of living and increased taxes
Financial strain impacting caregivers and seniors

Civic Engagement & Representation

Desire for stronger responsiveness from elected officials
Transportation barriers impacting voter participation
Need for increased civic education and political awareness

Public Safety & Community Wellness

Concerns regarding aggressive driving, policing, and homelessness
Need for additional youth recreation and after-school programming
Increased concerns regarding food insecurity and mental wellness supports

Education & Youth Advocacy

School safety concerns, including gun violence
Food scarcity. Student lunch debt
Perceived gaps in school discipline policies and student voice inclusion
Concerns about outdated school funding models

Strategic Advocacy Alignment

To ensure accountability and strategic action, the chapter identified appropriate governmental and institutional stakeholders best positioned to address community concerns, including:

Governor’s Office
Lt. Governor
State Representatives
Mayor & Town Council
County Executive
Appoquinimink School District Superintendent & School Board

"The initiative successfully moved participants from awareness to action by empowering residents to view themselves as future civic leaders and advocates."

Civic Leadership & Candidate Readiness Program

To further support Social Action priorities centered on civic engagement and political empowerment, the chapter hosted an educational forum focused on campaign readiness and public office leadership development.

Program Highlights

71 registered participants
Peak live attendance: 48 participants
Live Program recorded and shared publicly, generating 313 Facebook views and 118 Instagram views as of February 2, 2026

The program featured transparent and relatable dialogue with experienced panelists and focused on:

Campaign rules and regulations
Campaign marketing and communications
Public leadership pathways
Increasing confidence in running for office

Measured Learning Outcomes

Post-program survey results demonstrated significant participant growth:

Understanding of campaign rules increased from 48.2% to 100%
Knowledge of campaign marketing increased from 69% to 94.5%
Interest in running for office increased from 20.7% to 50%

The initiative successfully moved participants from awareness to action by empowering residents to view themselves as future civic leaders and advocates.

The Result of the Social Action Engagement:

The chapter’s Social Action initiative produced measurable community impact and strengthened relationships between residents, civic leaders, and the sorority.

Program Outcomes

Successfully engaged more 158+ community participants across listening sessions and civic engagement programming.
Elevated the voices of seniors, youth, and adults through structured and inclusive dialogue.
Strengthened community trust by positioning the chapter as a responsive and solution-focused organization.
Collected critical data that now serves as the foundation for future advocacy priorities and Town Hall engagement with elected officials.
Increased civic knowledge, political awareness, and leadership interest among participants.
Amplified youth voice and affirmed the importance of intergenerational advocacy.
Clarified governmental responsibility pathways, helping residents understand which agencies and officials can address specific concerns.
Established momentum toward a future solution-focused Town Hall centered on accountability and action.

Program Strengths

Fostered authentic multigenerational engagement
Increased awareness of shared community priorities
Encouraged civic participation and leadership development
Created actionable recommendations for sustainable advocacy
Reinforced the chapter’s commitment to Social Action excellence and community empowerment

Continuous Improvement & Sustainability

The chapter identified several opportunities for growth and implemented strategic recommendations for the next programming cycle:

Expanding outreach through schools, faith-based organizations, and community partnerships
Hosting recurring Listening Tours to sustain engagement and trust
Incorporating youth-centered civic engagement into existing youth programming
Establishing clearer timelines and communication processes for follow-up accountability
Scheduling future candidate readiness programs earlier in the election cycle to maximize impact

Activities supporting National or Regional Social Action Priorities and their Impact.

In support of National and Regional Social Action priorities, the chapter launched the transformative Community Voices in Action: A Multigenerational Social Action Listening Tour & Civic Engagement Initiative to address civic engagement, healthcare access, education equity, economic empowerment, and public safety concerns impacting the community. Through three intentional listening sessions, including a youth forum in partnership with the Delaware Youth Governor, a virtual community session for working families, and a Senior Center listening session, the chapter created safe and inclusive spaces for residents to share lived experiences and community concerns.

The initiative engaged more than 158 participants through listening sessions and civic leadership programming. Participants identified critical issues including healthcare affordability, long medical appointment wait times, rising living costs, housing instability, school safety, food insecurity, mental health access, transportation barriers, and limited youth programming. To promote accountability and advocacy, the chapter aligned concerns with elected officials, local government agencies, and educational leadership best positioned to address identified needs.

The chapter hosted, “Passion to Politics”, a Civic Leadership and Candidate Readiness Program, that empowered 71 community members through education on campaign rules, public leadership pathways, and civic participation. Also, the program streamed live and garnered an additional 133 views from the community and generated over 386 Facebook and Instagram views in the 30 days following.. Program outcomes demonstrated measurable impact, including increased civic knowledge, greater interest in running for office, strengthened community trust, amplified youth and senior voices, and the establishment of a sustainable framework for ongoing advocacy and community engagement.

The Pre-program versus Postprogram survey results demonstrated significant participant growth:

Understanding of campaign rules increased from 48.2% to 100%
Knowledge of campaign marketing increased from 69% to 94.5%
Interest in running for office increased from 20.7% to 50%
Two of the program participants are currently running for local office during the 2026 election cycle.

The chapter participated in DDNC Legislative Days in Washington, D.C., meeting with Congressional representatives and staff from the offices of Congresswoman Sarah McBride, Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester, and Senator Chris Coons to advocate for Delta's National Social Action priorities.

The chapter's advocacy focused on protecting voting rights by opposing the SAVE Act and supporting the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Members thanked Delaware's Congressional delegation for their continued opposition to legislation that could create barriers to voter participation while encouraging ongoing leadership to protect equitable access to the ballot. Chapter members also advocated for passage of the Helper Act to expand homeownership opportunities for public service professionals and discussed the need for affordable housing, healthcare access, education, economic equity, energy affordability, responsible artificial intelligence policies, and responses to the opioid crisis.

As a result of these meetings, elected officials reaffirmed their commitment to opposing legislation that restricts voting access, pledged to continue advocating for equitable housing and healthcare policies, and encouraged Delta members to sustain grassroots advocacy through calls, letters, and constituent engagement. The Congresswoman's office also agreed to further review the Helper Act and expressed interest in continued dialogue through a future roundtable discussion. These advocacy efforts strengthened relationships with Delaware's federal delegation, elevated community concerns directly to policymakers, and reinforced Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.'s commitment to advancing social justice, civic engagement, and equitable public policy.

Activities held or participated in by the chapter in support of State/Local Social Action priorities or initiatives and their results.

In support of State and Local Social Action priorities, the chapter launched the impactful Community Voices in Action: A Multigenerational Social Action Listening Tour & Civic Engagement Initiative. The programming was a multi-phase engagement strategy that included three targeted listening sessions: a youth-focused forum facilitated in partnership with the Delaware Youth Governor, a virtual session for working families, and a Senior Center session designed to elevate senior voices.

Participants identified urgent concerns including healthcare affordability, extended medical wait times, rising living costs, food insecurity, school safety, student lunch debt, transportation barriers, homelessness, and limited youth programming opportunities. To promote advocacy and accountability, the chapter aligned these concerns with local and state stakeholders, including the Governor’s Office, State Representatives, Town Council, County Executive, and School Board officials. Additionally, the chapter hosted a Civic Leadership and Candidate Readiness Program that significantly increased participants’ civic knowledge, political awareness, and interest in public leadership, further strengthening sustainable advocacy and community empowerment efforts.

The Middletown DE Alumnae Chapter also participated in the 2026 Delta Day at the Delaware State Capitol, where Sorority members engaged directly with the Governor, State Senators, and legislative leaders regarding voting rights, affordable housing, civic engagement, education, and community advocacy. Members received legislative updates, discussed issues impacting Delaware communities, and were charged to remain actively engaged through voter education, advocacy initiatives, legislative monitoring, and continued conversations surrounding equity, access, and community empowerment.

The initiatives strengthened civic awareness, increased advocacy engagement, amplified community voices, and encouraged sustained voter education, leadership development, and community empowerment efforts throughout Delaware communities.

Chapter’s Advocacy activities in collaborative support for changes in policy or legislation.

The chapter’s primary social action activities for the program year were intentionally designed to influence policy dialogue and strengthen sustained engagement between community members and local and state leadership. In alignment with national Social Action priorities, the chapter collaborated with community stakeholders, the Delaware Youth Governor, educators, elected officials, and residents to identify and elevate priority issues affecting youth, adults, and seniors across the service area.

A key deliverable of this work was the structured alignment of community concerns with the appropriate decision-makers, including the Governor’s Office, State Representatives, Town Council, County Executive, and the Appoquinimink School District Superintendent and School Board. This ensured that resident feedback was translated into actionable policy conversations and accountability pathways.

Through a listening tour series, local officials engaged directly with residents and responded to concerns related to affordable housing, rising cost of living, mental health access, school safety and discipline practices, youth engagement opportunities, traffic congestion, homelessness, healthcare affordability, and school budget accountability. These sessions reinforced priorities for stronger communication, expanded after-school programming, enhanced Police Athletic League initiatives, and improved civic education.

In addition, the chapter implemented a Civic Leadership and Candidate Readiness Program, entitled “Passion to Politics”, to expand civic literacy, voter education, and leadership development. This initiative equipped participants with practical knowledge of civic processes and encouraged sustained civic participation and advocacy. Collectively, these efforts elevated community voice, strengthened civic engagement, and advanced the chapter’s role in supporting long-term systemic and policy-focused solutions.

Social Action activities conducted by the Chapter, including long-term social action goals of the chapter, and their respective outcomes.

The chapter implemented a comprehensive range of Social Action activities through its Community Voices in Action: A Multigenerational Social Action Listening Tour & Civic Engagement Initiative, advancing long-term priorities in civic engagement, advocacy, leadership development, health equity, educational justice, economic empowerment, and community accountability. Through intentional programming, the chapter created sustained opportunities for youth, adults, and seniors to engage in meaningful dialogue, strengthen civic awareness, and advocate for issues directly impacting their daily lives.

The chapter facilitated youth forums, virtual conversations for working families, and senior listening sessions to ensure broad, inclusive, and multigenerational participation. These sessions elevated critical community concerns, including healthcare access, food insecurity, school safety, housing instability, transportation barriers, mental health services, and public safety. The initiative also strengthened voter education, civic participation, and advocacy messaging through coordinated outreach and chapter communication platforms.

As part of its leadership development strategy, the chapter implemented a Civic Leadership and Candidate Readiness Program to increase civic literacy and prepare residents for public service and leadership opportunities. Outcomes reflected measurable growth in civic knowledge, political engagement, and interest in civic candidacy.

Collectively, these initiatives engaged more than 158 participants, strengthened community trust, amplified underrepresented voices, and established clearer advocacy pathways with elected officials.