The director of Code Purple Kent County is stepping down.
Rebecca (Becky) Martin founded Code Purple Kent County to help homeless people on cold winter nights.
The group says it currently has about six sanctuary locations and served around 3,000 people last winter between November and March.
But Martin says she feels Code Purple has gone beyond opening sanctuaries when nighttime temperatures fall below freezing, “To me we accomplished bringing awareness to the community and the State - the issue of homelessness in these areas. We’ve also been able to bring a lot of resources to the people in need.”
Now she says it’s time for some fresh faces to lead the organization, "And a little bit of a younger person to be a director and bring some new ideas and new visions for Code Purple.”
Ennio Emmanuel and Dr. Maribel Zaragoza take over as co-directors.
Emmanuel says he hopes to build on Martin’s vision, “I think for us, this was a big opportunity to make this grow into something that is going to be long-lasting - beyond Becky and beyond myself and beyond Dr. Maribel. And I think in order to be able to do that, we have to also begin to look at services beyond what we do with sanctuaries.”
Emmanuelsays that includes addressing housing issues in Delaware that contribute to homelessness and assisting undocumented immigrants that are homeless.
Emmanuel says he hopes poeple will follow the organization on social meadia, like Fabebook and Instagram; he hopes to have a YouTube channel soon.
Rebecca Martin will still be involved with the organization, serving on it's board, to help in any way she can.
