Founded in 2018 by community and labor leaders, LEEP (Labor, Economics, Education, and emPowerment) focuses on eliminating the challenges faced by underserved and under-skilled individuals, aiming to improve their financial health and employment opportunities. As a bridge connecting marginalized community members to vital resources, LEEP facilitates access to programs and initiatives designed to foster self-sufficiency through labor careers. With a clear objective to address the exclusion from Trades, LEEP leverages community and individual strengths, promoting resilience and economic empowerment. The organization’s board, comprised of dedicated labor and community leaders, actively works to close the racial wealth gap in Delaware by targeting disenfranchised communities with limited job access, thus contributing to a more equitable workforce.

LEEP’s significant achievements include the development and implementation of programs like the Pathways to Apprenticeship (P2A) and Pathways to Business (P2B), aiming to create career pathways and support local businesses. P2A, a Department of Labor-funded pre-apprenticeship program, has successfully placed participants in union construction trade apprenticeships, with an 85% job placement rate. Meanwhile, P2B, a contractor development initiative, helps minority, woman-owned, and small emerging firms compete for public and private construction projects. This initiative, supported by state and private funding, underscores LEEP’s innovative approach to workforce and contractor development, aimed at stimulating economic growth and ending intergenerational poverty by building middle-class career pathways and empowering local businesses to hire a diverse workforce. Through these efforts, LEEP stands as a pivotal force in transforming the economic landscape and stabilizing communities in Delaware.