Help Initiative Inc
About Help Initiative Inc
Help Initiative started with something simple and practical, free lighting for homes, and built from there. Today, it helps low-income Delaware residents cut energy costs, spot home hazards, and connect with services that support safer, more stable day-to-day living. If you care about what happens inside the home, where utility bills, safety, and opportunity all hit at once, this is the kind of work that feels close to the ground and immediately useful.
What sets Help Initiative apart is how local and hands-on it is. Its work reaches into neighborhoods through direct outreach, then shows up with lighting, healthy home assessments, job preparation, food distribution, and other practical support. It is rooted in Delaware, and it works with public agencies and community organizations to do it.
Programs
The concrete work this nonprofit runs. Each program may later become a fundable project.
Lights-ON Delaware Strong
A neighborhood public safety and energy-efficiency lighting program that installs free LED front porch lighting and motion-activated solar backyard lighting at no cost.
Health-ON Delaware Strong
A free home-assessment program that uses the HUD Healthy Homes Rating System to identify and prioritize household health and safety hazards.
Jobs-ON Delaware Strong
A program that prepares qualified individuals in underserved communities for skills training and job opportunities in the green energy field.
Windows-ON Delaware Strong
Low-cost, energy-efficient window inserts for low-income households to reduce utility bills and improve home comfort.
Food-ON Children Strong
A food-distribution program that connects food banks with law enforcement to provide healthy food kits during domestic 911 calls.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
An initiative focused on reducing criminal activity and energy burden while building neighborhood trust through education and behavioral change.
Home Energy Counseling and Checkup Program (HEC2)
A home energy counseling and checkup program mentioned as part of the organization’s services.
Weatherization-ON Delaware Strong
A weatherization service named among the organization’s programs and services.
Heat-ON Delaware Strong
A heating-focused service named among the organization’s programs and services.
Home energy counseling and checkups
Home energy counseling and checkup services offered as part of the organization’s broader program set.
About this work
In their own words — what they do, who it reaches, and what your dollars actually fund.
Mission
The mission of the HELP Initiative is to improve the quality of life, health, safety, and economic prospects of Delaware’s low-income communities and populations through home energy consumption evaluation, higher-efficiency home lighting, heating and weatherization programs, education about energy usage, identification of in-home hazards, increased access to youth vocational training and job opportunities, and reduced dependence on social-service-based programs.
Who they serve
Low-income Delaware residents and underserved communities statewide, including households with high energy burdens, health and safety hazards, and youth seeking job opportunities.
Their impact
- Household energy expenses have been reduced by up to 30% through the Lights-ON Delaware Strong intervention.
- Area crime has been reduced by as much as 10% in served neighborhoods.
- More than 2,600 previous Lights-ON clients were contacted through the COVID-19 Test-Trace-Treat outreach.
- In 2022, lights were installed at 3,964 homes across 12 towns and cities statewide.
- Lights-ON Delaware Strong installed new LED lighting at 6,420 homes and delivered 336,877 watts of energy savings to homes and businesses.
- Lights-ON Georgetown installed new LED lighting at 508 homes and delivered 46,042 watt-hours of annual energy savings.
- Phase I of Lights-ON Dover Strong provided dusk-to-dawn LED lights for 187 homes.
How your donation helps
- Free LED lighting installations for low-income households
- Home energy counseling and checkups
- Heating and weatherization services
- Health and safety home assessments
- Housing improvement and energy education
- Neighborhood safety and public safety lighting campaigns
Our story
Help Initiative was established in Delaware in 2016 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. It began with Lights-ON Delaware Strong, a community lighting and safety program, and later expanded into a broader set of services brought together under the Unify Delaware brand.
Need help?
How someone in need can access Help Initiative Inc’s services.
Residents can complete the online form or call the call center at 833-224-9220 or 302-597-9044, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Program representatives provide details about program qualifications, eligibility criteria, and income requirements.
In their words
Dover Police Chief Marvin Mailey: "We have seen a tremendous decline in the number of burglaries committed in 2017, and we credit this program and proactive policing. Overall, the Lights-ON Dover Strong initiative has made these neighborhoods safer to live in."
Ways to help
Concrete needs and volunteer roles Help Initiative Inc has shared.
Volunteer opportunities
- Door-to-door volunteer support for Lights-ON Delaware Strong lighting installations
- Community outreach support for neighborhood safety and energy-efficiency campaigns
Recognition & press
In the media
- WDDE / Delaware Public Media audio interview about the Lights-ON Delaware Strong campaign
- WBOC-TV 16, Delmarvas News Leader, and FOX 21 feature on how Lights-ON Dover Strong made the city safer
Partners & funders
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this nonprofit and how its work happens.
How do residents take part in Lights-ON Delaware Strong?
Residents can be reached through door-to-door outreach, and the program installs free LED front porch lighting and motion-activated solar backyard lighting at no cost.
What does the Health-ON Delaware Strong assessment look for?
Health-ON uses the HUD Healthy Homes Rating System to inspect homes for hazards, prioritize risks, and recommend health and safety improvements.
How does the Food-ON Children Strong program work?
Food-ON works with food banks and law enforcement to distribute healthy food kits during domestic 911 calls, using nonperishable food kits placed in go-bags.
How can someone get more information about eligibility?
People can call the call center Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. or complete the online form, and program staff will share details about qualifications, eligibility criteria, and income requirements.
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