Community Enrichment Initiatives Inc. (CEII) believes in the power of community. CEII is a non-profit corporation that enriches the lives of those in need in our community through initiatives that promote personal empowerment, self-sufficiency and productivity. We fight hunger and poverty through short and long term sustainable initiatives that promote health and wellness, personal empowerment, education and self-sufficiency in the Wilmington community.
We operate Willowdale Farms, a network of community gardens and an urban farm.
We enrich programs and enhance facilities at the MLK Center. See MLK Community Kitchen.
CEII builds relationships and leverages resources to operationalize service delivery through public/private collaborations with government, other non-profits, local businesses and teams of dedicated volunteers. We move forward with plans for programs and projects as resources and funds are available. Our current source of funds are donations and grants. A priority is to develop an income stream and generate revenue to pay ongoing operating expenses. In this way we create sustainable opportunities in our community and generate income to sustain our efforts.
I want to share a story about something that is deeply meaningful to me. While a high school student, I volunteered in the after-school program at the Martin Luther King Community Center in downtown Wilmington, NC. Over time, I understood the pressing needs of the students, their parents, and the community itself. I realized that just a few additional resources could make a significant difference, but I was faced with many questions: Where would these resources come from? How could we use them most effectively?
I saw the potential in my students and the possibilities for the MLK Center. With that vision in mind, I contributed $2,000 from my summer job savings and appealed to the community to match my donation in order to enhance the programs at the Center. A year later that effort led to the founding of the nonprofit Community Enrichment Initiatives Inc. A dedicated board of volunteers came together with the mission of serving our community's needs and empowering individuals.
The MLK Center, which was the initial inspiration for the nonprofit, continues to be the heart of our efforts.
Thank you for your support and for continuing and being part of this journey.
Warm regards,
Bonnie Hu
After a full career as a mechanical engineer, I retired to Wilmington, NC to be closer to my daughter and grandchildren. I spend time with my grandchildren. I also spend time in the community and keep on learning.
On my retirement bucket-list was to become a Master Gardener. My mother had a garden and it brought joy and longevity into her life. I completed the County's Master Gardener training. To spread the information to our community and “give back”, I started the non-profit association Wilmington Green to create and maintain sustainable community gardens. Initially, I envisioned placemaking opportunities for gardeners to enrich their lives but I soon learned there was a greater community need.
As a member of the Cape Fear Food Council I learned just how bad food insecurity was in New Hanover County: thousands of people were food insecure and one out of every 5 children under eighteen was food insecure. Food insecurity and hunger were more urgent needs than placemaking so our community garden mission was revised to support our food insecure neighbors.
A team of volunteers installed a community garden at the Heart Center of the local nonprofit Hospital. There I learned our general nutrition was not good and the disastrous effect it had on our health-heart disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension and obesity. Our mission expanded to educate others about the benefits of eating healthier foods.
In 2018 Wilmington Green merged into the nonprofit corporation Community Enrichment Initiatives Inc. (CEII) to benefit from its 501c3 nonprofit tax exempt status and for long term sustainability of the community gardens. Wilmington Green became a project of CEII and is now known as Willowdale Farms.
We developed ten community gardens and the 2-acre Willowdale Farm. We built a full size commercial greenhouse to grow transplants for all of our gardens. We have an outdoor kitchen to field wash and pack vegetables for distribution and to demonstrate healthy cooking and for tastings. We built a barn for more storage space. We assisted dozens of local schools and gardens with technical support and free transplants. We thrive because of our dedicated volunteers and community collaborations.
My mom lived to be 94; and I think she would be proud of our work at Willowdale Farms. We work to “Build a Stronger Healthier Community”!
David C. Brenner
Certified Master Gardener
Willowdale Farms Manager
CEII Board Member
Our volunteer Board of Directors work as Project Managers for our various programs and projects.
