A Food Commercialization Center will offer aspiring food industry leaders and entrepreneurs convenient and abundant resources to ensure they can successfully meet their market launch objectives. The Cumberland County Improvement Authority is partnering with the Cumberland Empowerment Zone Corporation and the City of Bridgeton to develop, own and manage the 27,000 square-foot Food Commercialization Center…. Read more »

The CEZC has worked together with municipal administrations in revitalization efforts in the downtown corridors of both the City of Vineland and Bridgeton. In Vineland, many buildings have had façade improvements, paving the way for new businesses assisted with CEZC loan financing. The CEZC has also been an active participant in the city’s Main Street… Read more »

For 10 consecutive years, the CEZC has partnered with the County’s Department of Workforce Development and Wawa Food Markets in the Wawa Summer Youth Training Program. Under this program, the CEZC funds a portion of the cost of transporting EZ youth to shore communities for work at Wawa stores, thereby providing training and employment opportunities… Read more »

Another successful project supported by the CEZC is the Rutgers University Food Innovation Center – an initiative within the Bridgeton Empowerment Zone census tracts to promote a viable agricultural and food processing base in Southern New Jersey. The Center provides technical assistance to business and individual clients, assisting them in developing, testing and marketing food… Read more »

The Cumberland Empowerment Zone Corporation was a partner and financial supporter of the City of Vineland’s Community School Project. The City was a successful applicant to New Jersey Schools Construction Corporation (NJSCC) and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) to become one of six Demonstration Projects for the construction of a Community School. These… Read more »

The CEZC is also a committed partner in efforts to revitalize the County’s Bayshore region. The CEZC provided crucial funding to acquire shipping sheds that are now the sight of the successful Bayshore Discovery Project in Commercial Township. Moreover, the CEZC was a partner and financial contributor to key oyster revitalization projects, an industry that… Read more »

In addition to its economic development initiatives, the CEZC also administers highly successful education programs, most notably its 21st Century Community Learning Centers program (21st CCLC Program). Under this program, after school and summer learning opportunities are provided to students at 4 Cumberland County schools, serving in excess of 200 youth each year. With more… Read more »