Wilmington Housing Authority (WHA) and City Partner to Launch Wellness Checker Program
April 21, 2023
Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki, City Council Member Zanthia Oliver, and Raymond Fitzgerald, Executive Director of the Wilmington Housing Authority [whadelaware.org] (WHA), today announced the June launch of a new Wellness Checker Program to enable WHA residents to opt-in to weekly wellness calls – regular phone calls made by the WHA’s Wellness Checker Team to ensure that residents are taking care of themselves properly. The calls may include morning and evening check-ins, meal and hydration reminders, medication alerts, or companionship through conversation. The voluntary program, supported by a $10,000 grant from the City, is FREE for residents who wish to participate.
“This special partnership will assist the Wilmington Housing Authority in its ongoing mission to provide a safe and sustainable living environment for residents to thrive,” said Mayor Purzycki. “We are happy to help ensure that the WHA Wellness Checker Team receives the training, resources, and additional support necessary for this program to be successful. My thanks to Council Member Oliver for alerting my Administration about the opportunity to support this needed WHA program.”
“This is just one more small but significant example of the efforts this Administration has made to provide individual residents with the support they need to live full, active, healthy lives,” the Mayor continued. “From free FitLot classes and other activities offered through our Parks and Recreation Department to our employee health and wellness program that is making the City’s 1,000 workers and their families healthier while holding down medical costs, to the new weekly Community Outreach Walks by our police officers and their community partners, to helping residents maintain safe, livable homes in desirable neighborhoods through our renewed focus on community reinvestment, we remain committed to the idea, espoused by the World Health Organization, that a truly healthy City creates an accessible social, physical, and cultural environment that furthers the pursuit of health and wellbeing.”
“Wilmington Housing Authority is excited to partner with the City of Wilmington on this new initiative,” said Executive Director Fitzgerald, “and we very much look forward to supporting our residents with this crucial service. These check-in calls can help make sure residents are eating properly, exercising, staying hydrated, and taking their medication. The calls are also designed to provide companionship for residents who live alone, thereby supporting their mental and emotional health in addition to their physical needs.”
About The Wilmington Housing Authority
As the largest direct provider of affordable housing opportunities in the State of Delaware, we’re committed to developing, providing, and managing safe, and affordable housing for low-income families in the city of Wilmington. Funded primarily by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, our mission is to provide well-maintained, decent, and safe housing in a professional, efficient, and fiscally responsible manner. The Wilmington Housing Authority administers over 2,000 housing choice vouchers, manages nearly 2,000 units of public, tax credit, and market-rate housing, and serves over 7,000 low-moderate-income residents of the city of Wilmington.