County Executive Meyer announces opening of application process for Delaware Health Corps members, names Tonya Richardson as Program Director

April 12, 2021

New Castle, DE – New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer announced today that the county will begin accepting applications for National Health Corps Delaware Members for the 2021 Pilot Program Cohort. To apply, prospective applicants should visit application.nationalhealthcorps.org.

“This again puts New Castle County on the forefront of fighting this pandemic,” said Meyer. “Starting today, we are actively recruiting individuals from the hardest hit communities across our state to raise their hand to serve. This is a unique opportunity to start your career or change your career to have an impact on our county for years to come.”

New Castle County will operate this pilot as an AmeriCorps program using federal CARES Act funds, and member activities will focus solely on ongoing COVID-19 response, including vaccine programs and addressing health inequities associated with the pandemic. The pilot program will offer Members a $18,000 living stipend for 1,200 hour service term ending on December 31, 2021, and will also offer health insurance, assistance with childcare and transportation if needed during service, and an Education Award at the completion of the service term.

National Health Corps Delaware will be led by program director Tonya Richardson. Richardson is a New Castle County native who has served in organizational leadership roles with the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League, Girls Inc. of Delaware and Winterthur Museum and Country Estate. Most recently, she served under Mayor Mike Purzycki and Wilmington City Council. She is also an AmeriCorps alumna, graduating from the charter class of Public Allies Delaware and has since managed several AmeriCorps programs in Delaware including the Redding Junior Scholars Program at the University of Delaware and LEAP for Kids of Connecticut.

New Castle County is home to the pilot expansion of the National Health Corps program into Delaware. National Health Corps is an AmeriCorps National Direct program whose mission is to increase access to health care to underserved communities, promote health, reduce health care costs and develop new healthcare professionals.

Prospective Members’ assignments include capacity-building and direct service work including roles as Care Coordinators, Health Educators, Case Managers, Patient Navigators and Outreach Coordinators at some of the state’s most well-known and innovative nonprofit organizations, who are already meeting the needs of Delawareans in the throes of the pandemic.

County Executive Meyer, along with Senators Chris Coons and Tom Carper and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester announced this new program in January.

Unlike many AmeriCorps programs around the country and even among the other sites in the National NHC Network, the Delaware program will only accept applications from those who are residents of New Castle County. County Executive Meyer believes that this key difference in application requirements exponentially improves the program’s ability to become a workforce development and career exploration opportunity for New Castle County residents.  The other requirements to apply are simply that applicants have earned their High School Diploma or GED and are at least 18 years old. Once vetted, successful applicants must also clear criminal history checks and meet citizenship requirements.

Any New Castle County resident who is interested in career exploration or continuing their career in community health, would like to experience a profound opportunity in grass-roots and community-based nonprofits, or is interested in being a part of the  movement to help eradicate COVID-19 in Delaware is invited to visit the launch of the [nationalhealthcorps.org]National Health Corps new national website on Monday, April 12, 2021 to learn more and apply. Applications will be accepted beginning April 12.  Interviews will begin upon receipt of applications and the program will begin in mid-May. Apply [application.nationalhealthcorps.org]here.

Founded in 1994, and administered by the Health Federation of Philadelphia, the NHC has 119 members serving at sites in Chicago, New York, Florida, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco.  NHC members serve at community host sites including community health centers, health departments, schools, and community-based public health organizations.