Camden, NJ – On Wednesday, October 23, civic and business leaders from around the southern New Jersey region gathered to celebrate continued progress in the City of Camden  and highlight the many successful programs, projects and policies making a positive impact on local residents and businesses at Camden Community Partnership’s 2024 Annual Meeting.

Mayor Carstarphen spoke on the various initiatives that the City of Camden and its partners have put in motion to continue to contribute to Camden’s growth and progress, including the unveiling an innovative new programs Buy Camden 1st in partnership with LAEDA, a leading a leading nonprofit community economic development organization based in Camden that is focused on businesses and individuals who face barriers to starting, securing capital and operating small businesses.

Are you a small business that wants to sell goods or services to large corporations, healthcare institutions, and universities in Camden? Or, are you a company that wants to do business with Camden-based small and/or minority-owned businesses?

Either way, you should join in the City’s BuyCamden1st movement! The movement’s centerpiece is the BuyCamden1st.com website, home to a comprehensive, searchable Business Directory of the City’s small businesses, including those that have achieved Camden Verified status. The Business Directory is designed to make it easy for large corporations, healthcare institutions, universities, employees, fellow small businesspeople, and residents to find Camden-based businesses from which they can purchase goods and services.

Get listed in the Business Directory by completing the Business Inclusion Form at www.BuyCamden1st.com/get-listed/, complete and submit it. It’s as easy as that!

S T A Y T U N E D . . .

Businesses that have completed the Camden Verified process led by LAEDA can level up their listing. The Camden Verified seal sets apart those businesses that have undergone rigorous vetting, ensuring they are ready and able to meet the needs of corporations, institutions and universities in the City. Visit BuyCamden1st.com/camden-verified/  to get more information on Camden Verified and complete the application. LAEDA will help with the rest!

BuyCamden1st.com will also include helpful, up-to-date information and business-building resources that can help you grow your business, including access to the expertise and assistance of LAEDA to achieve Camden Verified status, purchasing and procurement opportunities, news updates, and more!

Camden, NJ – Thursday, October 17, 2024 – Family, friends and supports of LAEDA graduating class came together to gather at LAEDA’s Annual Graduation Ceremony where LAEDA’s President & CEO, Raymond Lamboy, presented LAEDA’s new and updated logo for 2024. During his remarks, he shared the meaning and evolution of the logo as the organization’s mission evolved through its 37 years of work Empowering People and Revitalizing the Community.

Displayed on the stage were the first three logos of LAEDA’s history (at left).   Mr. Lamboy discussed the logos displayed, “In 1987, the first logo was a hand-drawn image of a streetscape, two hands shaking and an arrow indicating upward mobility.  The streetscape indicates neighborhood revitalization and the hands shaking indicates community and coming together. All within the shield of determination and safety.

13 years later, in the year 2000, our logo continued to evolve with the revitalization of the City of Camden.  The State Aquarium opened in 1992 and the aquarium dome was included in a city skyline that replaced the streetscape. The clasped hands continued indicating collaboration and community.

In 2010, our logo continued to change with the times.  Color was added to indicate diversity.  The city scape now has a sun rising over it, indicating Camden’s continued rebirth.  The shaking hands are now of two different colors indicating the evolution of LAEDA’s client base and its collaboration across communities.

Since 2010, LAEDA has evolved.  We now operate in multiple cities here in South Jersey, we are undertaking new and innovative programs and continue to have at our center community and collaboration.  As we worked at designing our new logo, we wanted to create an image that evokes motion, that reflects our diversity and sets a limitless trajectory into the future.”

Mr. Lamboy, unveiled the new logo and described it’s meaning to the audience.  “The city scape has given way to central graphics emoting skyscrapers, shaking hands have transformed into bands of orange and blue sweeping around our recognizable shield conveying motion and the coming together of communities. The white open space in the middle, leaves open the endless possibilities of the future. The Latin American Economic Development Association, Inc. has given way to LAEDA est 1987. This is in recognition of the diversity of our community of entrepreneurs and the diversity of the communities we serve.  Thank you to the LAEDA team and our graphic artist, Jessica for your determination and patience in developing this forward facing image.”

As the months go by, LAEDA will be incorporating its new logo and look into all its materials, website and education materials.