- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Camden's 'Buy Camden 1st' Initiative Boosts Local Businesses
Mayor says the program has 'blossomed into a full-blown movement' to support small enterprises
Published on Mar. 5, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The city of Camden, New Jersey has launched a successful initiative called 'Buy Camden 1st' that aims to connect local small businesses with larger corporations and institutions in the area. According to Mayor Victor Carstarphen, the program has resulted in $66,000 in direct sales for micro-purchases, with the potential for much higher impact. The initiative includes business bazaars that showcase Camden's small enterprises to the city's biggest companies, encouraging them to source locally.
Why it matters
The 'Buy Camden 1st' program is an important effort to support the small business community, which the Camden Community Partnership president says is the 'lifeblood of any thriving city.' When small businesses succeed, it leads to job creation, wealth building, and economic resilience for the local neighborhoods.
The details
The 'Buy Camden 1st' initiative was launched around 16 months ago using federal American Rescue Plan funding, in response to calls from the small business sector for more assistance. It has included business bazaars that connect Camden's small enterprises with the city's largest corporations and institutions, encouraging them to source locally for everything from gifts to computer networks. According to Mayor Carstarphen, the program has already resulted in $66,000 in direct sales, with the potential for much higher impact.
- The 'Buy Camden 1st' initiative was launched roughly 16 months ago.
- The city's first-ever procurement fair, where the mayor spoke, took place on Wednesday, March 5, 2026.
The players
Victor Carstarphen
The mayor of Camden, New Jersey who spoke about the success of the 'Buy Camden 1st' initiative.
Dana Redd
The president and CEO of the Camden Community Partnership, who noted the significant downstream effects when small businesses succeed in the city.
Subaru of America
The company that hosted the event where the mayor spoke about the 'Buy Camden 1st' program at their headquarters in Camden.
What they’re saying
“We heard you when you said you wanted to do business with large corporations and institutions in the city and asked for our help.”
— Victor Carstarphen, Mayor (tapinto.net)
“The small business community is the lifeblood of any thriving city. When a small business succeeds in Camden, families stabilize, jobs are created locally, wealth begins to build, and dollars circulate within our neighborhoods, and that is economic security, that is resilience, and that is sustainable revitalization.”
— Dana Redd, President and CEO, Camden Community Partnership (tapinto.net)
What’s next
The city plans to continue building on the momentum of the 'Buy Camden 1st' initiative, encouraging more local businesses and large corporations to participate and support the growth of small enterprises in the city.
The takeaway
Camden's 'Buy Camden 1st' program demonstrates how a city can effectively leverage its purchasing power and connections to large institutions to drive economic opportunity and resilience for its small business community, which is crucial for the overall health and revitalization of the city.
