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Lower Sussex NAACP holds Freedom Fund Banquet
Esther Denise Peacock was honored with an Image Award for the work she has done in the Women’s Discipleship Ministries at Booker Street Church of God in Georgetown. Her pastor, the Rev. Bishop Marvin Morris, saw she had a passion for helping others, and asked her to to head a special ministry that focused on feeding the less fortunate with a Christmas Day dinner. With the help of her entire family, she launched the Feed the Multitudes Ministry in 2009. Each year she faithfully coordinates efforts to acquire the food items to feed dozens of individuals on that special day. Due to her efforts, approximately 200 people were served each year through 2015. Peacock is also involved with the Kitchen Committee for Everlasting Hope Ministries. This ministry focuses on helping individuals who have become addicted to drugs or alcohol. Peacock is shown receiving her Image Award from Lower Sussex NAACP President Jane Covington, left, and Master of Ceremonies Diaz Bonville.
October 5, 2016
Charlotte King was honored with an Image Award at the annual banquet. As a social worker, she provided direct services to children and families. Later as an administrator she crafted and implemented essential child welfare policies. During her career she worked in New York, Maryland and Washington, D.C. After professional retirement she became more involved in volunteer work. Currently she is actively involved in the Delaware League of Women Voters, where she was state president from 2013-15, the Delaware Commission for Women, the West Rehoboth Land Trust, and the Villages of Greater Sussex County. She is also a member of The Way Home board, a case management program for incarcerated persons transitioning back to their communities. She also founded the Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice whose mission is to educate, inform and advocate for racial justice, equality and fair opportunity. King is shown with Don Peterson, left, and Master of Ceremonies Diaz Bonville.
Dave DeShields is 11 years old and a sixth-grade student at Beacon Middle School. He began his volunteer services when he was 4 years old assisting in delivering soup and biscuits to homebound, elderly and those who were struggling or did not see hope. DeShields founded Operation H.O.O.P., Helping Out Other People, in 2015. Since that time he has collected and donated over 700 care packages and canned goods and given them to the homeless and others who are just trying to survive. DeShields and his sister, Tamia, have raised over $18,000 for homeless shelters in Sussex County. One of the highlights of DeShields’ life was when he was asked by Sen. Ernie Lopez, R-Lewes, to lead the State of Delaware General Assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance at Legislative Hall in Dover. DeShields is shown receiving his Image Award from Lower Sussex NAACP President Jane Covington, left, and Master of Ceremonies Diaz Bonville.
Jacques Bowe was born and raised in Sussex County. He graduated from Sussex Tech in 2006 and entered Wesley College Pre-Law program with a concentration in legal studies. Outside of school, Bowe serves as a licensed minister and has fully devoted his life to ministry. In 2011 he became a full-time faculty member at Sussex Tech. He is currently facilitating all Widener online courses at Sussex Tech. In 2013 he established a nonprofit organization called the Gentlemen’s Society. The Gentlemen’s Society mission is to help young males navigate through socioeconomic and educational difficulties. At the heart of the program is empowering the young men to take charge of their lives and their future, thus becoming authors of their own story. Bowe is shown receiving an Image Award from Executive Director of Pathways to Success Fay Blake, left, and Master of Ceremonies Diaz Bonville.
The Lower Sussex National Association for the Advancement of Colored People held its 18th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet Sept. 17 at Grace United Methodist Church in Georgetown. This year's theme was Pursuing Liberty In the Face of Injustice; Fighting for America's Promise – Our Lives Matter....Our Votes Matter.
The Lower Sussex NAACP always honors individuals in the community who are continuously giving of themselves for the benefit of others. This year's honorees are Jacques Bowe, Daeveon Deshields, Charlotte King and Denise Peacock. This year's keynote speaker was Dr. Jeremy J. Collins, advocacy and policy counsel at Southern Coalition for Social Justice in Durham, N.C.
