Cinnaire is proud to support the Urban Acres Produce (UAP) workforce development initiative. UAP is a component of the East Side Rising’s Blueprint Community Program, a Federal Home Loan Bank-sponsored community revitalization effort. Their mission is to create job and entrepreneurship opportunities in the food industry through retail and wholesale produce distribution networks that utilize urban community gardens and local growers. UAP is developing an industry on Wilmington’s distressed East Side that creates job opportunities, promotes entrepreneurship, and increases social capital from within the community. The program teaches students how to run and operate a small business venture. In addition to teaching basic business skills, UAP is also creating access to fresh and healthy produce for the underserved neighborhoods of Wilmington’s East Side. Cinnaire’s Wilmington, DE office has been working closely with the East Side Rising and Urban Acres teams to secure funding for a new van to accommodate their training program, increase logistical efficiency and mobility, and expand the market in gardening and produce sales. We are happy to announce that with a combination of grant contributions from Discover Bank and the State of Delaware, coordinated and raised by Cinnaire, the fundraising goal has been met and the van is now fully operational and bringing healthy foods to an underserved community!
