The effort to cut municipal budgets without compromising critical public services has taken a toll on programs that support communities' quality of life: library services, job training, help for the elderly and for children. One volunteer group, New Castle County Pride, has formed several private/public-sector partnerships to help plug the gaps in government services. The group has raised more than $100,000 in contributions and grants to fund several new local initiatives. This week, for example, New Castle County held its annual Historic Preservation awards, which had been suspended since 2004 because of funding cuts. Volunteer help from County Pride put the ceremony back on track. County Executive Chris Coons calls the group, "a wonderful partner for county government."
County Pride has focused considerable resources on job-training initiatives—a timely effort in a county that has been rocked by the loss of manufacturing and financial-service jobs. Chelsea Bordeaux reports on one such program: Re-wire to be Re-hired.
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