ProActive Business Opportunities
Recognizing that many individuals may want to start a business but do not have any ideas what they want to do, SCA constantly looks out for ideas for viable businesses that will contribute to personal and community
self-reliant well-being. SCA conducts pre-feasability studies and idenitifies resources for the most promising and has a number of possibilities on hand to offer the entrepreneurs to be.
Here are a few of the business opportunities currently available.
Certified Retail Bakery Kitchen
SCA helped the African American American Legion Post to rezone the Hut for commercial uses and helped get their kitchen certified for use as a retail bakery. The Post is willing to rent their kitchen at a very reasonable cost for start-up or part-time bakers.
Black Mushroom Growers Cooperative
SCA had been in conversation with several Black farmers who had tried the drill-and-plug-logs method for growing mushrooms but were discouraged because of the inefficient process and sporadic harvests. these issues have deterred recruiting the new growers needed to raise production to marketable quantities. SCA connected with someone who has all the skills necessary to establish growers in the much easier and more productive method using chips and spent grain as grow medium. 14 Black farmers have expressed interest in a mushroom cooperative. SCA is currently funding a propagation and inoculation lab in Ellerbe, NC and is writing a curriculum for a day-long learn mushroom growing workshop.
Urban Farm Cooperative
There are 4 unbuildable lots in Habitat for Humanity's oldest Moore County neighborhood of 85 houses and 250 people. Habitat has agreed to make this almost 3 acre available to a for-profit urban farm to be worker-owned by the Habitat neighbors. Phase one is a 100' x 100' plot for produce that has been completed. Soil has been worked, compost added, deer fencing installed and parts for an automated drip irrigation system are on hand. Worker Cooperative has been formed.