Business Incubator Program

This October CCC will celebrate its 20th Anniversary. After much reflection on the role of the CCC within the community over the last twenty years and in light of the client documentation gathered from client databases over the last seven years, CCC wrote a concept paper entitled “Creating a Healthier Community Initiative.” It was presented to the City of Boynton Beach Commissioner’s and the Boynton Beach Chamber of Commerce in March of 2007. The concept paper outlines the role CCC has played in previous years with regard to its food programs.

It identifies a real problem with the health of the community due to nutrition related diseases and the burden placed on the tax payer to provide social services, and then identifies the action needed to resolve some of these issues by creating “opportunity structures” through a public private partnership. It identifies the need to change the perception of a food pantry and the quality of the food it provides. It states that a food pantry should provide quality protein, more fresh produce, (rather than the high sodium, sugar, and starches that are typical pantry donated staples), in order have any impact on breaking the poverty cycle.

When data provided by individuals who request financial aid requests are viewed, 30% are depilated to a point of disability, no longer able to work, due to nutrition related diseases. That result leaves 1,638 children living in poverty. The direct response by CCC to this community health issue is to establish a steering committee to assist in the implementation of a 5-year plan to establish a non-profit grocer. The grocer will be created as an “opportunity structure” for the community and a business incubator format was chosen. The “ Green Market Program " is a perfect program “play pen” (training area) for the grocery incubator.