During a conversation with Mayor Todd Culotta regarding the future of Milford, a statement he was revealing. He commented that Milford has a strong sense of community. The morning of the interview, Westside Diner suffered damage from a fire. Westside, owned by City Councilwoman Madula Kalesis, closed in order to deal with the damage. Culotta stated that he went to the restaurant as soon as he could to see how he could help and that a lot of people were asking how they could assist.
“A lot of people come out and say ‘well, that’s an important business to us. We’ll help where we can.’ Folks that work there may face hardship,” Culotta said. “We know the struggle so we come together and support them as best we can. That is what Milford is, right there.”
Culotta was correct. Several fundraisers were held to support the Westside staff who were out of work until the restaurant reopened this week. The community feeling, however, extends beyond helping one restaurant who suffered a loss.
“Most of Milford grew up here and have been here all our lives,” John Eisenbrey said. “That’s what we do. Spent 75 years in Houston and Milford.”
Even those who have moved to Milford from other areas see that the town is quick to help when it is needed.
“I don’t know if it is something in the water, but it’s the best thing about this community,” Councilwoman Nadia Zychal said. “It’s fundamentally decent. Maybe it’s the humility of knowing not everything is in our control and anyone can have an unexpected setback, and there is nothing better than helping out someone when you can.”
Volunteerism is strong in Milford and many of those who do so say it is because it gives back to the community. Downtown Milford Inc. provided details to the City of Milford in March 2025 that their organization had contributed over 1,571 volunteer hours.
“When you volunteer, you help hold up the foundation of civil society. Volunteers lend their energy and talents, help their neighbors, and strengthen their communities. Volunteers nationwide are making meaningful contributions to many causes to improve lives and advance the greater good,” said Dr. Akilah Watkins, Independent Sector president and CEO. “Volunteering is a critical form of engagement with nonprofits that strengthens the nonprofit workforce and drives trust in the sector. No dollar estimate can fully reflect the value of volunteers to the wellbeing of our communities and our nation, but organizations use this number to quantify the importance of volunteering.”
According to Independent Sector, one hour of volunteer time can be counted as roughly $34.79 in economic value. This would mean that Downtown Milford Inc. alone has helped contribute almost $55,000 to the local economy with volunteers. They are not alone. The Food Bank of Delaware reported that in 2024, they had 3,449 volunteers, adding almost $120,000 to the local economy.
Milford residents seem to understand that in order for a community to thrive, they must step up to help. Whether the assistance is throwing a fundraiser for someone in need, helping a neighbor with a task they cannot afford or simply stopping to see if someone whose car is broken down needs help, Milfordians step up when needed.
