FRESNO, Calif (KSEE/KGPE)- Neighborhood Industries announced its campaign to purchase and renovate its building, which is currently under lease in the tower district.

Neighborhood Industries have been a part of Fresno’s Tower District since 2008 employing those who have little to no work experience.

“I can’t think of a better use of taxpayer dollars, than spending 1.5 million dollars on neighborhood industries to allow them to pay off their debt to continue their operations,” says Fresno mayor Jerry Dyer.

Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula sought State funds to allocate $1.5 million dollars to its campaign.

“We have chances when we work collaboratively with government and our nonprofits to address the real issues that plague our communities,” says Dr. Arambula.

CEO Anthony “AP” Armour hopes the funds raised will grow the business to better serve the community and continue to employ those struggling to find a job.

“We’re an organization that is invested in resiliency, not just to the people and place, but also things,” says Armour. 

In June last year, a fire destroyed nearly 30,000 square feet of warehouse space. Which cost the nonprofit nearly $500,000 in inventory.

It eventually relocated to a new warehouse months later.

“I think that simple equation has afforded us that opportunity to employ hundreds of people to invest millions of dollars into Fresno’s poorest neighborhoods,” says Armour. 

Neighborhood Industries also partnered with Mayor Jerry Dyer’s Beautify Fresno initiative cleaning the streets of the Tower District with the help of the solid waste department.

“Every dollar that is put into this business this organization is a dollar that will go into the neighborhood,” said Mayor Dyer.