We are proud to announce that the Community Enrichment Lab (CEL) has made a $25,000 donation to FCDI’s Advanced Manufacturing & Robotics Center (AMRoC) Fab Lab. The announcement was made at the Innovation Gathering at the University of South Florida on October 17th. This donation is the first of many investments the CEL plans to make in the Tampa Bay community to lay the foundation for the future of innovation in our community.
“The Community Enrichment Lab is focused on finding every possible way to provide members of the Uptown Innovation District with the tools necessary to advance professionally and contribute to the benefit of their neighborhood by personal and communal advancement. The CEL hopes to be a focal point between existing resources and residents, and whenever possible, to add missing foundational elements to the District ecosystem.
AMRoC has shown that they are a crucial educational organization that is providing a much-needed service in our area. ”In fact, if a child from this area ends up working at NASA in the future, I would be almost certain they participated in AMRoC’s programs at some point,” said Christian Leon, Executive Director of the CEL.
Terri Willingham, founder of AMRoC, explained the needs that will be met by the contribution. “We’re very grateful to the CEL for its generous support of AMRoC and our education and workforce training initiatives. This funding will provide workforce training for up to 250 people in the community.”
CEL funding will help provide:
- Access for Uptown Community area residents to earn Career Diplomas and Certifications across 25 technical and employability competencies
- High-end automotive repair training and certifications for those ages 16+
- Afterschool STEM programs for Uptown area youth ages 8-14
AMRoC is a 7500 sq. ft. public Fab Lab developed by the nonprofit Foundation for Community Driven Innovation and based at University Mall. The mission of AMRoC Fab Lab is to build community capacity through opportunities for developing resiliency and self-reliance, build personal empowerment through creative self-expression, and to help bridge the manufacturing & industry talent gap in the process.
For more information on AMRoC please follow the link: https://amroctampabay.com/
The CEL’s mission is to convert the intellect and innovation of the Uptown Innovation District’s businesses and institutions into transformational opportunities to improve the lives and prospects of the area’s residents and stakeholders. The CEL will initiate and support efforts to alleviate generational poverty, optimize health & wellness, and promote social enterprise, local entrepreneurship, and urban renewal.
For more information on the Community Enrichment Lab please follow the link: https://thecel.org/
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