Unique Minds Changing Lives Inc. plans major expansion

Unique Minds Changing Lives Inc., a nonprofit organization near Lewes, is looking to officially launch a major expansion campaign to better serve low-income and displaced families throughout Sussex County.

Founded by Helena Gibbs and her daughter Kristy Gibbs after the closure of a long-running support center in Ellendale, the organization opened its Lewes center doors in June 2022. They strive to change the lives of low-income families and individuals residing in Sussex County who have fallen into hardship, by providing different types of services to help restore, educate and stabilize them.

“I love to help people,” said Kristy, who serves as program director. “I love to be able to say that I went home today and I was able to make somebody’s day great.”

Unique Minds Changing Lives Inc. provides services such as an emergency support program for low-income families (food and clothing), monthly food drives, Unique Angels Program (girls ages 5-12), anger management classes, financial literacy/budgeting classes and credit repair workshops, breaking the barriers of low self-esteem classes, Thanksgiving food boxes/feeding, Christmas giveaways and more.

“We do different programming, different classes and different things to try to help restore [lives],” said Kristy. “It aligns with our mission to get people back up and going.” 

Over the last three years, the organization has outgrown its current center. To continue meeting the growing needs of the community, Unique Minds Changing Lives Inc. is launching a $486,400 campaign called Housing, Healing and Hope to fund a 1,500-square-foot addition to its facility. This expansion will allow the nonprofit to build four transitional housing rooms with eight beds for displaced or disabled individuals, construct a larger kitchen and expand the pantry to increase food distribution capacity, create private office space for one-on-one case management and client support, and add a dedicated classroom for mentoring, after-school support and summer programs.

“We have our plans, we have our bid and everything, and we have the amount it will cost to get done,” said Kristy. “We just ask for the support of the community and the different funders to make it happen.”

To learn more or make a contribution, go to uniquemindscl.com, email info@uniquemindscl.com or call 302-550-7266.