AmeriHealth Caritas Foundation Awards Grant to Local Nonprofit to Provide Housing and Support for Young Women Aging Out of Foster Care

Duffy’s Hope Inc., a local nonprofit that provides mentorship and enrichment programming for at-risk youth in Wilmington, DE, received a $100,000 grant from the AmeriHealth Caritas Foundation to support the opening of a transitional residence program for young women ages 18-22 aging out of foster care in New Castle County, DE.

The grant will help Duffy’s Hope enhance and expand programs that address and prevent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and improve health outcomes for children and families. Young women who will reside in the single-family home will also have access to mental health support services, career counseling, financial literacy, and transportation for work and/or job training.

“We are very grateful for the support of the AmeriHealth Caritas Foundation,” said Allen “Duffy” Samuels, the founder of Duffy’s Hope. “This grant will allow us to welcome our first four young women into the Hope House providing them the intellectual, emotional and interpersonal growth opportunities that they need to become successful.”

Samuels, a former local star high school basketball player who later played professionally with the Harlem Globetrotters, founded the nonprofit in 1998. After years of running free summer youth basketball leagues and mentoring programs, his wife implored him to create a transitional residence program for young women.

It is important for youth aging out of the foster care system to have access to a comprehensive range of essential services such as housing assistance and counseling. According to the National Foster Youth Institute, 20% of youth aging out of foster care become homeless instantly and 25% will continue to experience the effects of trauma. Having such access as those provided by Duffy’s Hope via the Hope House may increase healthy outcomes for youth potentially disrupting negative effects of ACEs.

“We value community-based organizations like Duffy’s Hope who are essential in promoting community wellbeing in historically underserved communities, by offering holistic, whole-person care programs,” said Lauren Maloney, director of the AmeriHealth Caritas Foundation.

The AmeriHealth Caritas Foundation is dedicated to preventing and mitigating ACEs, which the CDC classifies as potentially traumatic childhood events or aspects of a child’s environment that can undermine their sense of safety, stability, and bonding. A higher prevalence of ACEs is linked to an increased risk of negative health and well-being outcomes, in adulthood, though interventions and protective factors can buffer those harmful effects.