United Medical LLC is urging individuals, businesses and community partners to help YWCA Delaware meet its $1.5 million Resilience Fund goal, with $650,000 still needed by March 2027. The fund is a one-time special campaign designed to sustain critical services as nonprofit funding becomes increasingly uncertain. Kemal Erkan, CEO and founder of United Medical, chairs the fund’s Advisory Committee and has been a driving force behind the effort.
Erkan’s leadership was recognized at YWCA Delaware’s October 7 Celebration Breakfast at DuPont Country Club, where he received the Dorothy Height Leadership Award. Named for the civil rights icon and longtime YWCA leader, the award honors commitment to equity, human dignity and opportunity—values that Erkan has demonstrated through his work on the Resilience Fund and his support of YWCA Delaware’s mission. The breakfast, themed “Generation to Generation, Empowering Every Story,” highlighted the organization’s intergenerational impact and introduced The Story Exchange, an interactive experience connecting guests with stories of resilience.
The Resilience Fund is particularly urgent because much of YWCA Delaware’s housing and crisis intervention work relies on federal support. The fund will serve as a financial safeguard, helping to prevent service disruptions for programs that include safe housing, 24/7 support for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking, financial counseling, and youth development. In 2025 alone, 9,594 individuals participated in YWCA Delaware’s programs statewide. Managed by the Delaware Community Foundation, the fund will release resources only with YWCA Board approval when significant funding gaps arise, ensuring that services continue for current clients while preparing for growing community needs.
“Reaching $850,000 reflects a meaningful commitment from this community, but the remaining $650,000 is critical,” Erkan said. “We have an opportunity to prepare before a funding gap becomes a crisis for the people who depend on these services. Every new donor and every additional commitment brings us closer to that goal.” Melissa Gonville, CEO of YWCA Delaware, echoed the sentiment: “For someone seeking safety or a family working to regain stability, reliable support can make all the difference. The Resilience Fund is about protecting that continuity. We are deeply grateful for the generosity that has brought us this far, and we are asking our community to help ensure that progress is not interrupted by uncertainty in funding.”
The campaign has garnered support from a range of sponsors, including Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, which was a primary sponsor of The Story Exchange, as well as Delaware First Health, J.P. Morgan Chase, Pennoni, Barbacane Thornton & Company, Corporation Service Company (CSC), Delaware Community Foundation, Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospitals, New Castle County and TD Bank. Honorary co-chairs Gemma Lowery of ChristianaCare and Katherine S. Ward, Executive Director of the Delaware Press Association, helped represent this year’s focus on leadership, service and intergenerational impact.
United Medical encourages supporters to contribute to the remaining $650,000 by visiting www.ywcade.org/resilience-fund. More information about United Medical is available at www.umusa.net, and details about YWCA Delaware’s broader programs can be found at www.ywcade.org. The push to close the funding gap underscores the broader challenge facing nonprofits and the importance of community-led financial resilience in protecting essential services for women and families.
