Doreen Abubakar and Board Member Lorrice Grant enrolled in a 20 week hands-on Urban Farmers training program sponsored by GVI and UConn Arigiculture. They hoped to learn urban farming skills and the education to support New Haven locals who want to grow and sell at a Market.

During the training the two advocated for the program to be offered in New Haven. CPEN would support 10 locals and host the training program on a vacant lot CPEN leases in partnership with Gather New Haven.

To pull this together CPEN inlisted others to create the Marketplace Collective. The Marketplace Collective Project trains locals to produce fresh produce, learn how to manage a marketplace, and develop as agricultural entrepreneurs and vendors. All to support the development of a self-sufficient neighborhood marketplace. In addition, it stimulates the community's economic growth by increasing the ability to offer fresh, healthy, low-cost food that can substitute for otherwise food purchases from the local bodegas—empowering the community to address their needs into action to build a stronger community.