You’re Invited to YWCA Delaware’s

2026 Celebration Breakfast

Wednesday, October 7, 2026
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

at the DuPont Country Club

Join Us!

Our 2026 Celebration Breakfast is a powerful one-hour fundraising event supporting our Housing, Economic Empowerment, Youth Development, Advocacy, and Sexual Assault Response Center programs and services.

This year’s theme, Generation to Generation, Empowering Every Story,” celebrates YWCA Delaware’s lasting intergenerational impact on the families we serve. Here how our work lives beyond a lifetime and be part of a greater movement to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

Your presence at this signature event directly supports our transformational work. Whether you're a long-time supporter or new to our movement, your participation will help us empower every story for future generations.

Let us know you’re coming and help spread the word by using #YWBreakfast on your socials!

Become a Breakfast Sponsor

As we celebrate the multigenerational impact of our work, we invite your organization or company to stand with YWCA Delaware as a 2026 Celebration Breakfast sponsor. Your parternship is a powerful statement of your commitment to promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

Meet our
Honorary Co-Chairs

We are proud to welcome two remarkable women who embody the mission of YWCA Delaware through their decades of leadership, courage and public service.

Gemma Lowery, MBA, FACHDM, CATC.
Technology Manager, Digital Solutions
ChristianaCare Health System

For Gemma Lowery, service has never been confined to a job title. A lifelong Delawarean, educator, healthcare innovator, wife, mother, and proud grandmother, she has spent her career opening doors so others can access the resources and opportunities they need to excel.

For more than two decades at ChristianaCare, Gemma has championed innovative healthcare solutions that bring services directly to the people who need them most. Through her leadership of telehealth, virtual nursing, eICU, and hospital-at-home initiatives, she has helped expand access to quality care for Delawareans across the state, particularly those in rural and historically underserved communities.

As an educator with the University of Delaware, a mentor to emerging health technology entrepreneurs, and an advisor on telehealth policy and innovation, Gemma is helping shape a future where technology serves as a bridge rather than a barrier.

Gemma serves on multiple boards and advisory councils including MATRC, Delaware Valley HIMSS, and the American College of Health Executives. She is also a passionate mentor to global health tech startups and a consultant on telehealth legislation.

Known for her collaborative spirit and practical approach, Gemma believes lasting change happens when everyone has a seat at the table. Her dedication to expanding opportunity, strengthening communities, and uplifting others reflects the very values at the heart of YWCA Delaware's mission to eliminate racism and empower women.

Katherine S. Ward
Freelance writer/ Editor
Executive Director, Delaware Press Association

A writer, editor, educator, and tireless advocate for civic engagement, Katherine has been a cornerstone of Delaware's communications community for more than three decades. As Executive Director of the Delaware Press Association, she has helped strengthen one of the nation's most active state press organizations, championing journalists, writers, public relations professionals, photographers, educators, and students while nurturing the next generation of communicators.

Her commitment to advancing opportunities for women is deeply rooted in family history. Katherine's mother, Mary Sam Ward, was a trailblazer in her own right, serving in the Women's Army Corps during World War II, earning advanced degrees, helping establish the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women, and demonstrating through her actions that women's voices belong wherever decisions are made. That example left a lasting mark.

Over the years, Katherine has worn many hats. Teacher. Author. Mentor. Community volunteer. She has written extensively about Delaware women, guided award-winning publications, edited countless books across genres, and lent her expertise to organizations focused on government transparency, education, the arts, and public service. A steadfast supporter of freedom of information and First Amendment rights, she has worked to ensure that access, accountability, and civic participation remain within reach for all.

Whether mentoring young writers, advocating for open government, preparing meals for neighbors in need, or encouraging emerging leaders to find their voice, Katherine leads with curiosity, generosity, and purpose. Her lifelong dedication to education, equity, community engagement, and amplifying underrepresented voices reflects the very spirit of YWCA Delaware's mission to eliminate racism and empower women.

Thank You to Our Sponsors: