Slam Dunk and Habitat for Humanity

Sussex County Councilman Sam Wilson recently raised a sincere question about the Slam Dunk to the Beach basketball tournament. Why, he wondered, should Sussex Council support the tournament with $10,000 of taxpayer money?

Councilman George Cole replied that the tournament this year provided a million-dollar boost to the Sussex economy in restaurant, hotel/motel and retail sales.

Many years ago, former Delaware Gov. Pete duPont spoke to an annual meeting of the Positive Growth Alliance. His central point: Never do anything to slow a thriving economy. "When you have a thriving economy," he said, "there is money available to do other good works." Sussex Council's relatively modest grant to Slam Dunk is an excellent investment in a thriving economy.

Sussex, for the most part, has a strong, broad-based economy. Development, tourism, agriculture, healthcare and manufacturing all contribute. The positive economic impact of those sectors together, in turn makes it possible for important humanitarian organizations like Habitat for Humanity to succeed.

Despite our strong economy, Habitat estimates that 45 percent of Sussex County households have annual incomes of $37,980 or less. That places them in the target range for Habitat assistance for construction of a new home or renovations to substandard homes.

A large chunk of Habitat's revenues comes from donations to their ReStore operation in Georgetown, which sells new and gently used donated appliances, furnishings, building materials, and plumbing and electrical supplies.

Habitat recently opened a second ReStore. Located in a former antiques business on Route 9 near Lewes, that store will put the operation much closer to the all-important donors in the rapidly developing Lewes and Rehoboth corridor. Habitat expects profits generated from this donor-driven model will increase by 300 percent, allowing it to continue to build more affordable homes.

The donations are possible because we have a strong economy - boosted by events like Slam Dunk - that allows people to build, renovate and upgrade. A strong economy also allows entities - just like our county government - to invest in organizations from Slam Dunk to Habitat For Humanity that help strengthen the core of our communities.