Kingswood Community Center, a service partner of The WRK Group, (The Warehouse, REACH Riverside, and Kingswood Community Center), is celebrating its 75th anniversary.
Created in 1946, the Kingswood United Methodist Church opened its doors to local youth and laid the foundation for today’s Kingswood Community Center (KCC). Originally, KCC served white members of the community, but that changed under the leadership of then-Executive Director Francis Norton and Recreation Director of Youth Ernest Webster, a black community resident. Through their combined guidance, KCC extended it services to include the first community day care center for black children.
Today’s KCC serves as an educational sanctuary for Wilmington’s children as well as a place to build lasting community at the Jimmy Jenkins Senior Center. KCC provides an Early Learning Academy, serving children ages 12 months to five years and provides academic support and enrichment activities for school-aged children, ages five through 12. The Jimmy Jenkins Senior Center, located within KCC, addresses the needs and interests of seniors in our community by providing them with support that focuses on maximizing independence. KCC also provides community and family services that deliver support and information through referrals to local services for individuals and families.