Building brighter futures — one student, one business, one community at a time.
A Community Initiative Worth Joining
Join us in a community initiative where your support helps young people build their careers while strengthening neighborhood small businesses.
25 Young Adults
Ambitious participants ages 16–24 gaining real-world experience
5–6 Local Businesses
Neighborhood small businesses receiving hands-on support
7 Weeks
An intensive summer program packed with training and real projects
About the Program
Student Step Scholarship Fund
The Student Step Scholarship Fund in collaboration with the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CACCI) is proud to present the second year of the CACCI Youth Division Professional & Small Business Support Summer Program.
It is an innovative 7-week summer program that provides 25 ambitious young adults with hands-on work experience supporting 5–6 local small businesses. Participants ages 16–24 receive daily workforce training in the morning and spend afternoons collaborating in teams on real projects for small businesses in our community.
It's a powerful model that teaches practical job skills, fosters entrepreneurship, and delivers tangible improvements to local businesses.
Program Highlights
Morning Training
Daily workforce development sessions led by skilled instructors
Afternoon Projects
Team collaboration on real business challenges
Mentorship
Guided by experienced professionals and community leaders
Real Impact
Tangible improvements delivered to local small businesses
What the Program Delivers
Workforce Skills Through Real Projects
From setting up a local bakery's first online store to launching a social media campaign for a neighborhood salon, these young innovators tackle meaningful projects that help businesses grow. They learn by doing, guided by mentors, and develop skills in digital marketing, tech, customer outreach, and teamwork along the way.
Small Business Growth
Our community's small businesses gain fresh perspectives and extra helping hands. Students help business owners adopt new tools — like an updated website or a modern point-of-sale system — attract more customers, and streamline operations. These improvements can have lasting effects, boosting revenues and efficiency for the entrepreneurs who are the backbone of our local economy.
Community Impact
By empowering youth and uplifting small businesses, we're investing in Brooklyn's future. The program strengthens the local talent pipeline — connecting young people to career opportunities and mentors — and energizes our business community with new ideas and renewed support. The result is a more vibrant, inclusive economy that benefits everyone.
Choose How You Can Make a Difference
Your contribution will help keep this program free for all participants and sustain its high-quality training, mentorship, and project resources. Whether you're an individual who cares about youth and local businesses, or a company seeking to give back and build community, there's a way for you to get involved.
Individual Donor
Make a personal contribution at any level. Every dollar goes directly toward empowering a young person and supporting a local entrepreneur in your community.
Corporate Sponsor
Partner with us as a business or organization. Sponsorships provide sustained support and offer meaningful visibility and recognition within the Brooklyn community.
Volunteer Mentor
Share your expertise by serving as a mentor or instructor. Guide young adults as they develop professional skills and tackle real business challenges.
Community Advocate
Spread the word about the program in your network. Help us connect with more donors, sponsors, and small businesses who can benefit from this initiative.
Why Your Support Matters
Where Your Money Goes
This campaign is a community-driven effort. Public funding covers student stipends, but we rely on private contributions to provide everything else that makes the program exceptional.
Skilled instructors and experienced mentors
Laptops, software, and digital tools for participants
Materials and resources for each business project
Program coordination and quality assurance
Trust & Transparency
We are committed to accountability. Sponsors and donors receive regular updates and a full impact report after the program concludes, so you can see the real difference you helped create.
We also honor your recognition preferences — whether you'd like to be publicly acknowledged or prefer a private thank-you, we respect your wishes.
Youth Participants
Young adults empowered each summer
Local Businesses
Neighborhood entrepreneurs supported
Program Weeks
Intensive training and project work
Year Running
A proven, growing community model
Ready to Get Involved?
This summer, let's come together to create opportunities for Brooklyn's youth and small businesses.
"Your support today means a stronger community tomorrow. Thank you for helping us build a brighter future for our youth and our local economy."
Choose your path to support — as an individual donor or a corporate sponsor — and become a valued partner in this exciting initiative. Every contribution, large or small, makes a meaningful difference in the lives of young people and the health of our local economy.
🎓 Empower Youth
Give young adults the skills and experience they need to launch successful careers
🏪 Uplift Businesses
Help neighborhood entrepreneurs grow, modernize, and thrive in today's economy
🌟 Strengthen Brooklyn
Invest in a more vibrant, inclusive, and connected community for everyone
Support as an Individual Donor
Your personal gift – large or small – directly funds a young person’s summer of growth and service. Individual donations cover essentials like training materials, software for student projects, and transportation for site visits. As an Individual Donor, you can choose a giving level that fits your budget (for example, $200 can provide a student’s project toolkit, and $1,000 can sponsor a team’s entire project). You’ll receive updates on the students’ and businesses’ progress, and you can opt to be recognized among our community of supporters or give anonymously.
Learn more and donate as an individual ›
Partner as a Corporate Sponsor
Your company’s sponsorship drives this program’s success and growth. Corporate partners make a larger impact, helping us expand our reach and innovation. As a Corporate Sponsor, your business can align with a program that delivers workforce development, small business assistance, and community revitalization – all core components of ESG and CSR goals. Sponsorship packages range from $5,000 (Community Sponsor) to $50,000+ (Title Sponsor), each with significant recognition for your brand, from logo placement and media coverage to employee engagement opportunities with our youth.
Explore sponsorship opportunities ›
Empower the Next Generation By Supporting Youth & Local Business