On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, Camden’s small business community came together for an exciting opportunity to connect, network and showcase their services at the Buy Camden 1st Procurement Fair held at Subaru of America’s headquarters. The event brought together entrepreneurs, corporate representatives, and community leaders to strengthen partnerships and highlight the impact of the Buy Camden 1st initiative. It was wonderful to see the connection between small businesses and corporations as they shared ideas, resources, and opportunities throughout the event.
Camden continues to create opportunities for local entrepreneurs through the Buy Camden 1st initiative. The program focuses on helping Camden small businesses connect with larger corporations and institutions located in the city. By encouraging companies to purchase goods and services from Camden businesses first, the initiative helps keep economic activity, jobs, and opportunities right here in the community.
The program is a partnership between the City of Camden and the Latin American Economic Development Association (LAEDA), a nonprofit organization that works to help entrepreneurs start, grow, and strengthen their businesses. Through this collaboration, small businesses gain more access to procurement and purchasing opportunities with major corporations, universities, healthcare systems, and other anchor institutions across Camden.
At the center of the initiative is the Camden Verified program. Businesses that complete the Camden Verified process go through a vetting process that helps ensure they are ready to provide goods and services to larger organizations. Once a business becomes Camden Verified, it shows corporations and institutions that the company is a trusted local vendor prepared to do business at a larger level.
A key person helping lead this work is Merfred Feliz, also known as Mimi, Special Programs Coordinator for the Women’s Business Center at LAEDA. She also serves as the Camden Verify Coordinator. In this role, she recruits and evaluates Camden businesses that are interested in becoming Camden Verified and helps guide them through the process.
Mimi works closely with entrepreneurs across the city, helping them understand the requirements to become verified and connecting them with opportunities to work with Camden’s major corporations and institutions. Her work plays an important role in helping local businesses gain more visibility and access to contracts and purchasing opportunities that can help them grow. “Events like this give Camden entrepreneurs the chance to introduce themselves directly to corporations that are looking for local vendors,” Mimi said. “It helps create relationships that can open doors for future opportunities.”
Another important member of the LAEDA team who attended the event was Jiao Xu, Program Manager of the Business Services Center. Through LAEDA’s programs and technical assistance, Jiao works with business owners by providing guidance, support, and resources that help them strengthen their businesses and prepare for new opportunities.
Raymond L. Lamboy, President and CEO of the Latin American Economic Development Association (LAEDA), also participated in the fair as a panelist. During the discussion, he shared insights on the importance of initiatives like Buy Camden 1st and how building stronger connections between Camden’s small businesses and the city’s larger employers can create more opportunities for local entrepreneurs to grow and succeed.
Another key part of the initiative is the “Buy Camden 1st Business Directory”, an online platform that allows corporations, institutions and organizations obtain access to locate Camden-based vendors for their projects. The directory gives businesses a place to highlight their services and provides important information such as contact details and the types of products or services they offer.
More importantly, the directory helps keep small businesses connected. It creates opportunities for networking, collaboration, and relationship building between entrepreneurs and larger organizations that are looking for local vendors. By making it easier for companies to find Camden businesses, the directory helps open the door for partnerships and procurement opportunities that might not have happened otherwise.
The directory continues to grow as more businesses and organizations recognize its value. Currently:
● 170 Camden small businesses listed in the Buy Camden 1st online directory, representing a fivefold increase from the previous directory
● There has been an 82% increase in active users of the directory year over year
● The Buy Camden 1st website has attracted 3,000 active users in the past five months
These numbers show that more businesses, organizations, and institutions are using the platform to connect and work together.
For many small businesses, being noticed by established corporations can be one of the biggest challenges. The Buy Camden 1st initiative helps bridge that gap by creating opportunities for networking, visibility, and collaboration. Through events, procurement fairs, and the online directory, the program helps build relationships that can lead to real business opportunities. “When Camden businesses succeed, the entire community benefits,” Mimi added. “Buy Camden 1st is about making sure local entrepreneurs have a seat at the table and access to the opportunities that exist right here in their own city.”
By strengthening connections between Camden entrepreneurs and the city’s largest employers, the initiative helps ensure that local businesses have the opportunity to grow, succeed, and continue contributing to Camden’s economic future.
Businesses interested in learning more about the program or becoming Camden Verified are encouraged to connect with LAEDA.
To learn more about the Buy Camden 1st program or how to get your business listed or verified, please visit: https://laeda.com/buy-camden-1st/
You can also contact the Latin American Economic Development Association (LAEDA) to learn how the program can help your business connect with new opportunities and partnerships.