Wilmington Street Team
WILMINGTON STREET TEAM (WST)
What is WST?
The Wilmington Street Team is a community-based violence prevention initiative working directly in neighborhoods most impacted by violence. Created as part of the City of Wilmington’s Community Public Safety Initiative, WST brings trained, credible messengers into the community to help prevent harm, de-escalate conflict, reduce retaliation, and connect residents to support.
The work depends on presence and trust. Street Team members know the neighborhoods they serve and build relationships before a crisis happens. They listen, respond when tensions rise, help mediate conflict, and stay connected after the immediate moment has passed.
Network Connect helps extend that response beyond violence intervention. Through neighborhood hubs, community partners, and resources across our network, WST can connect residents to food, clothing, transportation, employment assistance, overdose-prevention resources, and other essentials that support greater stability.
Violence does not happen separately from the rest of life. WST works with that reality in mind, pairing immediate intervention with practical support and coordinated follow-through. It is Network Connect’s approach to Violence Prevention and Intervention in action: reduce harm now, strengthen safety over time, and make sure people have somewhere to turn next.
Learn about WST Programming
Current WST violence-prevention activities include:
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Public Safety Round Tables - WST hosts bi-weekly round tables on behalf of the Wilmington Community Advisory Council in Wilmington’s East Side and Prices Run neighborhoods. Residents receive updates on community interventions, raise concerns, and hear directly from organizations offering resources and services.
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Community Events - Throughout the year, WST creates opportunities for residents and team members to connect outside moments of crisis. Family gatherings, game nights, resource giveaways, and other neighborhood events help strengthen relationships and make the team a familiar presence in the community.
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East Side Hub and Northeast Hub - The hubs provide trusted neighborhood spaces where residents can access practical resources including bus passes, clothing, diapers, employment assistance, food, laundry services, and other essentials. They also give the Street Team a consistent place to connect people with support beyond the immediate need.
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Dispatch Calls - The Wilmington Police Department dispatches WST to appropriate nonviolent calls where a community-based response can help de-escalate the situation, understand what is needed, and connect people to the right support.
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Community Encounters - Street Team members maintain a regular presence throughout Wilmington neighborhoods through outreach, violence disruption, safe-passage support, resource connection, and everyday engagement with residents. Those relationships help the team recognize concerns earlier and respond with people the community knows.
Funding for this program will end in December 2026.
