City of New Castle

Utility Bill Assistance Resources for Delawareans

 

Utility Bill Assistance Resources for Delawareans:

• Delmarva Power Customer Relief Fund-bit.ly/DelmarvaCustomerRelief
• Delaware Energy Fund- energizedelaware.org
• LIHEAP- dhss.delaware.gov/dss/liheap/
• Weatherization Assistance Program-de.gov/wap
• Home Energy Checkup and Counseling-energizeddelaware.org/hec2/

The City of New Castle Board of Health needs your help!

 

The City of New Castle Board of Health needs your help!

We’d like to know more about what health-related topics are of interest to our community members. A survey to help us better understand your needs will be posted on the City website during the month of April and we would greatly appreciate it if our neighbors would take the couple of minutes (it’s very short!) to complete this survey. Also, please encourage others in your household to do the same – the more people of various ages who do this survey, the more complete our picture of what New Castilians want will be. IF you complete  paper survey at the City Health Fair in October of 2025, please don’t complete the electronic one as the information is the same and your responses have been recorded.

Thanks so much for your help! The survey can be accessed directly at:

https://forms.gle/hfuzCAbv5H1hYNju7

OR there will also be a button you can click on the City website: https://newcastlecity.delaware.gov

OR you can click the QR code below to go to the survey.

We’d like to know more about what health-related topics are of interest to our community members. A survey to help us better understand your needs will be posted on the City website during the month of April and we would greatly appreciate it if our neighbors would take the couple of minutes (it’s very short!) to complete this survey. Also, please encourage others in your household to do the same – the more people of various ages who do this survey, the more complete our picture of what New Castilians want will be. IF you complete  paper survey at the City Health Fair in October of 2025, please don’t complete the electronic one as the information is the same and your responses have been recorded.

Thanks so much for your help! The survey can be accessed directly at:

https://forms.gle/hfuzCAbv5H1hYNju7

OR there will also be a button you can click on the City website: https://newcastlecity.delaware.gov

OR you can click the QR code below to go to the survey.

🚧 Traffic Advisory – atTAcK addiction 5K Run | Saturday, March 7 🚧

 

🚧 Traffic Advisory – atTAcK addiction 5K Run | Saturday, March 7 🚧

 

The atTAcK addiction 5K Run returns to New Castle this Saturday morning. This event supports individuals and families impacted by addiction.

 

Residents should expect temporary road closures and traffic delays along the race route between approximately 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM. Please follow the directions of traffic control officers and event personnel and allow extra travel time.

 

📍 Event Parking:

• William Penn High School
• George Reed Middle School

Shuttle service will be available.

 

🗺️ Please review the race route map attached.

Thank you for your patience as we support this important community event.

Delaware Grocery Initiative

 

The Delaware Grocery Initiative and First State Food System Program (DGI/FSFSP) is back for 2026 with $700K in available funding! The goal is to expand access to healthy foods in food deserts in Delaware and areas at risk of becoming food deserts, by providing grants and other forms of financial assistance to eligible food businesses and organizations, to Delaware farmers; small, community and independent grocery retailers offering culturally diverse foods; food banks; food pantries; and other food supply chain businesses and organizations. Awarded funds may be used to support operations, capital expenses, equipment purchases, and other projects that expand supply chain capacity and strengthen collaboration among community partners.

DSB will hold a webinar on Feb. 18th at 12:30 p.m. Changes to this year’s Delaware Grocery Initiative include increased funding, a scaled funding model similar to what was used for the Fall 2025 EDGE Grant Competition, and an improved online portal for applying. Registration is required.
 

Eligible Businesses and Operations Include:

• Farmers/Food Producers: producing for supply – fruits, vegetables, animal proteins, or other food products
• Retailers: independently owned grocery stores, cooperative groceries, neighborhood markets, corner stores, restaurants, farmers markets, on-farm stores, food trucks, or farm stands 
• Other Food Distributors: food pantries, food closets, faith-based organizations, soup kitchens
• Storage: food aggregation facilities, food refrigeration or freezers 
• Transportation: pickup and delivery of food products
• Processing: commercial kitchens, food prep facilities, food washing or cutting facilities
   

Timeline:

• Application window opens – Feb. 20, 2026
• Application Due Date – completed applications must be submitted electronically by 4:30 p.m. on March 20, 2026.
• Awardees Notified – late April, 2026
• Awardees Publicly Announced – Week of May 18, 2026
   

Accessing the Application:

To access the application, DSB first requires you to first create an account in the Division of Small Business Portal. This will speed up the disbursement of funding should you be selected as an awardee. Once you have created your account, you will be able to access the application.

You can create an account by clicking on the link directly below…it will take you to the DSB Small Business Portal.
 

Access the DSB Small Business Portal (link opens in new window)

 

Submitting Your Application:

Applications are due 4:30 p.m. on March 20, 2026. You must submit your application with all required documentation through the online application. No documents will be accepted via email.

 

Visit this website for more information: Delaware Grocery Initiative and First State Food System Program – Division of Small Business – State of Delaware

Winter Storm Clean Up

 

After a long and busy week, we would like to thank the City of New Castle Public Works Team, The Municipal Services Commission of the City of New Castle and Cirillo Brothers for their hard work to prepare for and cleanup from Winter Storm Fern. The snow and ice have been difficult to clean up, but everyone has been working diligently to keep the area as clean and safe as possible. We appreciate the patience and support of the community. 

We also thank all residents who have worked to clear their sidewalks and support their neighbors in clearing their sidewalks. We know this was no easy task due to the heavy ice and we thank you for your efforts to keep our community safe. 

Impending Winter Weather

 

The City is monitoring the impending weekend winter weather, which includes extremely cold temperatures and heavy snowfall of several inches, from late Saturday evening through Monday. 

To support public safety and snow removal operations, residents are asked to:

• Avoid travel and stay off the roads if possible.
• Do not push or shovel snow into roadways.
• Keep snow clear of home vent pipes and exhaust vents.
• Check on neighbors who may need assistance during extreme cold.
• If off-street parking is available, please  move vehicles, if possible, to facilitate plowing.
• Please make sure you remove any snow or ice from sidewalk within 24 hours of the end of the storm.
• Register for Code Red notifications for alerts related to the storm, public safety, trash removal, etc. .

Public Works crews will be working throughout the storm to keep main roads and emergency routes open. Please be patient during snow removal efforts, as poor road conditions are expected and post-storm cleanup may take time.

 

 

 

Christmas Tree Curbside Recycling

 

After the holidays place your tree curbside.  Public Works teams will collect trees as teams are available.

Food Bank Donations

 

Thank you to all who participated in the City of New Castle and DE Historical and Cultural Affairs (Via the New Castle Courthouse) Food Drive to benefit the Food Bank of Delaware.  Your donations totaled

To 672 pounds of food donated, plus monetary donations provided directly to the Food Bank. 

Public Works Department Holiday Pick-up Schedule

City Offices will be closed on Wednesday, December 24th and
Thursday, December 25th, for the Christmas Holiday.

Public Works Department Holiday Pick-up Schedule:

 **REVISED PUBLIC WORKS SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF DECEMBER 25th**

There will be NO Trash Pick-up on Wednesday and Thursday, December 24^th and 25^th.

     Regular Schedule                              Revised Schedule

Monday, December 22nd                 Monday, December 22nd

Tuesday, December 23rd                 Tuesday, December 23rd

• No Yard Waste Pick-Up
• Citywide Recycle Pick Up on Friday, December 26th

 

City Offices will be closed on Thursday, January 1st for the New Years Day Holiday.

Public Works Department Holiday Pick-up Schedule:

 

**REVISED PUBLIC WORKS SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF JANUARY 1st**

There will be NO Recycle Pick-up on Thursday, January 1st.

 

• Citywide Recycle Pick Up on Friday, January 2nd

December Mobile Food Pantry

 

In Partnership with The City of New Castle, Harvest Christian Academy & the Food Bank of Delaware

December Mobile Food Pantry
Saturday, December 6, 2025

10:00a.m.- Until Supplies Last
Harvest Christian Academy
1101 Delaware St.
New Castle, DE 19720

Delaware House Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown, Senator Nicole Poore, and the City of New Castle will be hosting a mobile food pantry to support local families.