City of Camden Faces Enormous Hardships, but also Holds Great Potential

Recently, 20/20 with Dianne Sawyer aired a special called “Waiting on the World to Change” that highlighted the terrible circumstances of many of the residents of Camden, especially the children.  The story showed how seemingly insurmountable the problems are there.  I wanted you to know that I remain committed to working to improve the quality of life everyone in Camden despite the tremendous challenge it poses.  Each year I fight to bring home federal funding to support the programs that are working to make Camden’s streets and schools safer, and to bolster the companies that are helping to gradually stimulate Camden’s economy.

Camden is home to a variety of outstanding organizations and programs that assist the city’s troubled youth.  Since Fiscal Year 2001, I have helped bring over $5 million to these programs.  One exemplary organization is called Camden Community Connections (CCC), which helps to steer youth away from crime and violence by providing them with positive, reality-based experience that prepares them for employment.  The LEAP Academy Charter School is an invaluable asset to the children of Camden.  LEAP works to provide underprivileged Camden City students with the education and professional skills they need to succeed in the workforce.  The Camden Center for Youth Development also provides valuable educational and counseling services for the city’s youth.

Camden is also home to innovative companies on the cutting edge of technology.  In 2000, I worked with the Department of Defense to create the Applied Communications and Information Networking Project (ACIN) -- a Camden based incubator for defense related technologies.  The focus of ACIN is to empower emerging technology companies and entrepreneurs to develop new technologies, which in turn helps to stimulate Camden’s economy.   Since its inception, ACIN has helped to create over 350 new high-tech jobs in and around Camden.

Although the city and residents of Camden face enormous challenges and hardships, it should not deter us from working to find real and lasting solutions to these problems.  As your Representative in Washington, I will continue to fight for the resources that will help Camden grow and prosper in order to build a better life for its people, especially the children.

To read about the 20/20 special on Camden, click here.

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