Supporting Newark Families: Inside the Newark Area Welfare Committee

September 30, 2025

For more than 90 years, the Newark Area Welfare Committee (NAWC) has quietly provided food, emergency assistance, and hope for families across Newark. What began as a small food cupboard has grown into a vital lifeline for neighbors struggling to make ends meet.

The Newark Area Welfare Committee’s food pantry operates out of the Newark United Methodist Church on Main Street. Open three days a week, the pantry is run by dedicated volunteers.

While food may be the organization’s most visible service, NAWC provides much more. “We have an emergency assistance program to help families and individuals with mortgage payments, rent, utilities. There’s also the shoe program and our outreach,” explained NAWC Vice President Tammy Sharp.

Through outreach, volunteers connect with school nurses and social workers, making sure families know where to turn when a need arises. Something as simple as purchasing a new pair of shoes can be a hardship for many families in community, explained Tammy. That’s where NAWC can step in.

“Oftentimes, families who are living paycheck to paycheck—buying one pair of shoes is fine, but then you have to buy two. That’s a whole other story. So if we can help them and support them that way, we will,” she said.

Rising Needs in Newark

Like food pantries across the state, NAWC is seeing a steady increase in demand. “Overall, it’s increasing. We definitely saw last year a significant increase,” Tammy pointed out. “We’ve seen some months this year where it was lower, but overall, year to year, over the past two years, we’ve seen a steady increase in the number of visitors to the food cupboard. And then to add to that, our emergency assistance has really seen a jump in need.”

The stories behind the numbers are powerful. NAWC Board President Lyn Henshaw recalled, “Someone right now had a death in their family, and they had to buy a plane ticket. That totally impacted their budget. They said, ‘Okay, this was money we had set aside to pay the rent, the utility, and now we’re spending it on the plane ticket. But now we have to figure out those other costs. How do we make ends meet?’”

Volunteers also see college students struggling. “We’re more aware of college students who can’t afford food,” said Tammy. “They’re sent over from another country, given a stipend, and perhaps their education is paid for. But they’re living on very little. And if they come with a family, the wife’s not able to work, so they can’t supplement their income.”

The community is facing so many challenges. “Housing and childcare are so expensive that it makes it hard for people to make ends meet,” explained Tammy.

With the holiday season quickly approaching and knowing that the need is great, the NAWC team is gearing up for its annual holiday shop. Families in need from the community will be invited to “shop” for their most-needed food items in December. It’s a holiday tradition that volunteers look forward to each year.

Recognizing the toll that poverty and food insecurity take on families, NAWC recently added a new pillar of service: mental health. They now partner with Josie’s Grace, which provides counseling and for mothers experiencing postpartum depression. “It warms my heart just to talk about it because the facility is so inviting, so warm and cozy for the moms,” said Tammy.

Partnering with the Food Bank

NAWC doesn’t work alone. A strong partnership with the Food Bank of Delaware allow them to reach more families, expand the pantry, and train other organizations to do the same. “With the Food Bank, we were able to do this [points to new pantry space within the church]. We’re able to expand service to the community on a larger scale,” said Lyn. And it’s been great to have other food cupboards like First Presbyterian come to us and say, ‘Hey, can you train us? Can you help set us up?’ That’s great. And then they learned how to go through the process so that they could be recipients of the Food Bank too.”

That spirit of collaboration strengthens the entire Food Bank of Delaware network of partners. Lyn explained, “So you guys [Food Bank of Delaware] are at the core, but then we’re all these little satellites out here, all working together to raise everyone up.”

Expanding Support

Tammy and Lyn expect demand to increase in the coming months. Cuts to the federal Medicaid and SNAP (formerly food stamps) programs will put added stress on local organizations as families navigate the changes.

Despite challenges, they remain committed to adapting and growing to meet the needs of Newark families. Worries about rising food costs, housing insecurity, and unstable funding are offset by the dedication of volunteers, strong partnerships, and the generosity of local donors.

“I’m afraid for what comes after in 2026 and the need for us as organizations to step up even more to help those in need,” said Tammy. “But I’m very thankful that I live in Delaware, where there’s such a giving community.”

To learn more about the Newark Area Welfare Committee, click here.