On August 21, 2025, we celebrated the grand opening of our new CP Furniture manufacturing facility, the Gibbs Center, with a ceremonial “board cutting.” The event featured tours of the organization’s furniture manufacturing facility, and was attended by Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester and Chris Coons, and Rep. Sarah McBride, as well as Senator Darius Brown, County Executive Marcus Henry, and Mayor John Carney. See photo highlights here.
“The completion of this facility has been long-awaited, and we’re thrilled,” said Andrew McKnight, Founder and Executive Director of The Challenge Program. “While CPF creates beautiful furniture, our true impact is the success of our graduates. This new workshop, nearly four times larger, showcases our trainees' capabilities. We teach construction and life skills, pay wages, and provide case management to overcome employment barriers, aiming to give trainees the direction, training, and confidence to become self-sufficient.”
According to Barclays US Consumer Bank CEO Denny Nealon, “Today marks a major milestone – years in the making – and a powerful testament to what can be achieved through community, purpose, and long-term partnership. We are honored to have been on this journey with The Challenge Program, an organization that has made a life-changing impact on Wilmington’s most vulnerable youth and is one of our key LifeSkills partners, helping these young adults build the skills and confidence to get into work.”
LaMar Harding, one of TCP’s first graduates and the inaugural Alumni Awardee in 2023, overcame many hurdles as a young man struggling to build a future. Reflecting on the program, LaMar said, “Besides the job training, the work you get paid for, the schooling… it’s just the people, the environment… To make it to 40 [years old]… there were times that I never thought I would. It’s like, ‘we see you; we see what you have, we see what you’ve been through, we see what you’ve accomplished…we see you. And it feels good.”
After graduating from TCP, LaMar owned a home remodeling business, joined the Local 413 Union Hall, and worked in the pipeline industry, eventually becoming a Foreman. In November 2024, LaMar joined TCP as a full-time Construction Instructor. LaMar and the crew are currently working on an affordable housing property renovation with Woodlawn Trustees on East 7th Street.
“Today, I proudly joined my federal delegation partners and local leaders to celebrate the opening of the Challenge Program’s Gibbs Center,” said Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. “The Challenge Program does amazing work providing opportunities to Delaware youth who have great potential and just need a little extra support to get trained in construction and woodworking trades. Several years ago, I purchased the first chair ever made by CP Furniture a symbol of our shared commitment to workforce development and education. I look forward to continuing our partnership in the years to come.”
TCP continues to make a significant impact – over the life of the program they have served more than 500 young adults and in the past decade, the program has helped 181 trainees earn 285 certifications, 37 GEDs, and 3 high school diplomas, placed 145 alumni in jobs, and provided over 120,000 hours of paid training. The CP Furniture Pre-Apprenticeship Program, launched in 2023, has already helped 67% of graduates secure full-time skilled trades jobs.
“The grand opening of CP Furniture is a momentous occasion that signifies our dedication to community growth and well-being,” commented Congresswoman Sarah McBride. “The new facility isn’t just a building; it’s a beacon for those who’ve been overlooked, a place where potential is nurtured and dignity is restored.”
Looking ahead, CP Furniture will introduce new training programs in construction technology and log milling, but beyond the numbers and new programs, TCP’s mission remains deeply personal: to help young adults build their futures.
“The Challenge Program doesn’t just build homes and furniture – it builds lives and communities,” said Senator Chris Coons, a long-time supporter of TCP. “Over the last 15 years, it’s been an honor to help it grow and watch it transform so many lives. This new manufacturing facility will grow Delaware’s workforce and provide hands-on job training to more young people who want to make a change but just need help getting there.”