THE CHALLENGE PROGRAM
Hello friends of the Challenge Program - welcome to our first ever newsletter! We are pleased to share updates on our projects, trainees, Tastings event, and more with you. It has been an eventful year here at CP and we want to fill you in on all that we have going on. Most of all, we’d like to thank you for your support - we couldn’t do it without you.
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Andrew McKnight, Executive Director
LENEISHA OWENS
Leneisha had planned to enroll in Del Tech but was having personal challenges and applied to The Challenge Program in March 2024. At first, she thought, “I can’t do this!” but her Instructor Vince Hernandez (with CP for over 25 years) pushed and motivated her. “He broke it all down for me…he doesn’t give up.”
Vince described Leneisha as super nice, ambitious, and not afraid of new challenges. She became Vince’s “go to” – she knew what tools to use and could handle jobs from start to finish.
Leneisha said “I felt good at The Challenge Program – I wanted to be here. Each day it was ‘What are we doing today?’” Her two favorite projects were a timber frame shed with a deck and ottomans built from Princeton squash court floorboards, an extremely tedious process involving removing nails and sanding. Leneisha and other trainees went on a road trip with staff to deliver the ottomans to Princeton, a great experience for them.
Leneisha also earned her Flagger certificate and feels she really accomplished things at CP: “I loved it. I can do whatever I put my mind to.”
Her career goal and dream is to help people. She recently enrolled in Del Tech’s Human Services and Psychology program and moved into her own apartment. She comes back to visit CP and feels a real connection with the staff, who sometimes help her with schoolwork and give her advice. We are so proud of Leneisha!
BY THE NUMBERS: OUR IMPACT
YEARS OF IMPACT:
29
YOUTH SERVED:
500+
THE GIBBS CENTER UPDATE: WE ARE ALMOST THERE!
Our new 14,000 sq. ft. furniture manufacturing workshop (The Gibbs Center) will triple CP Furniture’s capacity and significantly expand training and employment opportunities for alumni. The Gibbs Center was designed by DIGSAU, which also designed our awardwinning Construction Training and Education Center (CTEC). Challenge Program trainees and staff have built a good portion of it, including the dramatic timber frame. The majority of the project has been completed; HVAC, sitework, and finishes are underway. We are in the home stretch and are still raising funds to complete the building, move in, and cover operating costs as we ramp up to full capacity. We hope to relocate our equipment and staff and be fully operational by the end of March. Please come see our progress at 1136 East 7th Street!
IN THE LAST PROGRAM YEAR:
• 114 trainees and alumni served
• 27 certifications
• 7 GEDs
• 12 job placements
• 12,380 hours of paid training and services
• $185,000 in trainee wages
CHALLENGE PROGRAM PROJECT:
SUNDAY BREAKFAST MISSION
Instructor Jim Ennis and his crew (RJ, Xavier, and Nhaki) are working on a full renovation of an affordable housing property for a local nonprofit, Sunday Breakfast Mission. The two-bedroom, one-bath home will provide transitional housing for homeless individuals in their New Life Program (https://sundaybreakfastmission.org/what-we-do/new-life-program).
The approximately 9-month project started with a full demo (“full gut”), including removing a 3-story chimney to make room for new stairs. The trainees will have the opportunity to work alongside subcontractors such as electricians, install new windows and doors, and do the finishing (drywall, trim, and painting), hardscaping and landscaping.
In their own words, here is what the trainees have learned so far: RJ - “I’ve learned how to read blueprints and how to build stairs, as far as stringers, risers, treads – all of that.” Xavier - “I’ve learned a lot like reading the measuring tape, subflooring, different tools, bits, and measurements.” (His favorite part is “Just showing up and being a part of it.”) Nhaki: “I learned how to build a wall. I’ve never done that before. We built a room.”
Rev. Tom Laymon, Sunday Breakfast Mission’s CEO, said “We are so grateful for The Challenge Program. Our 2nd Street houses are being prepared to provide important extended time housing for graduates of our Lifechange programs for Men and Women. We have seen tremendous success in the pilot program and are looking forward to the completion of this and more houses.”
CP FURNITURE PROJECT: LONGWOOD GARDENS
As part of Longwood Gardens’ $250 million “Reimagined” expansion, CP Furniture is using fallen trees from their woodlands to make custom furnishings. After milling the logs into slabs and drying them in our kiln, each slab was hand selected to make bonsai display cases, a conference table, benches, restaurant tables, and a host desk. Serving boards, coasters and candle holders are also being sold in their gift shop.
Our team is excited to be part of this unique and sustainable project. Our partnership was featured in a blog and video developed by Longwood Gardens: https://longwoodgardens.org/blog/2024-03-13/thing-reimaginedbeauty-community-and-sustainability
Other current Challenge Program and CP Furniture clients include Awbury Arboretum, Connell Company, Fitler Club, Germantown Friends School, Longwood Gardens, Morey’s Pier, Mt. Cuba Center, La Pizzeria Metro, Platinum Dining Group, Princeton University, St. Joseph’s University, Sunday Breakfast Mission, Talula’s Garden, White Dog Café, and Woodlawn Trustees.
With DE Department of Labor funding, CP Furniture launched a Carpentry PreApprentice program in fall 2023 which provides CP alumni with 3-months of paid curriculum and hands-on training/work experience in construction, woodworking, and welding. It has been a great success so far: of the six who have graduated (100% completion rate), four are working in construction earning $15.50-$20/hour, one is working on an Associate’s Degree in Architectural Engineering at Del Tech, and one is working at CP Furniture while searching for a job.
Edwin Rivera (bottom center photo) graduated from the first Pre-Apprenticeship cohort, where he gained paid work experience at CP Furniture and further honed his woodworking skills. We are excited to report that he recently accepted a full-time Junior Technician position at CP Furniture!
At our second annual Tastings Under the Timbers event on October 10, 2024, around 200 supporters, friends, staff, and alumni joined us at The Gibbs Center to sample the best in regional cuisine and beverages provided generously by our partners, all of which are our clients. We heard inspiring speeches from dignitaries and board members, and we honored Deja Green, our 2024 Alumni Awardee. The event raised critical general operating funds for our organization. Please visit our event landing page (tastingsunderthetimbers.cpfurniture.org) to learn more and hear Deja’s story. Mark your calendars to celebrate with us next year on Thursday October 9, 2025!
DONATE CONTACT
Please consider making a year-end donation to The Challenge Program. Use the QR code below to give online or send a check to the address at the right. Your support is extremely important to us!
The Challenge Program
1124 East 7th Street Wilmington, DE 19801
302-655-0945
www.challengeprogram.org www.cpfurniture.org
STAY CONNECTED
www.facebook.com/ChallengeProgramDelaware www.linkedin.com/company/the-challenge-program www.instagram.com/cp_furniture/
2024 TASTINGS UNDER THE TIMBERS
