“Empowering women in small business and entrepreneurship can positively impact communities. Women entrepreneurs can create jobs, drive innovation, and contribute to economic growth. They can also help address societal challenges and promote social change through business” according to Linkin.com.

The North Carolina Center for Economic Empowerment began as a Women’s Center in 1990. Sylvia Gooding Ray’s original vision of a Women’s Center evolved into NCCEED. This organization was established as a non-profit on the premise of referral services to women, low-income, and socially and economically disadvantaged members of society. Sylvia Gooding Ray served as director for thirty years.
Sylvia Ray Gooding served as board member of the North Carolina Council for Women. She also was Board Trustee for Fayetteville State University. She was the recipient of the Fayetteville National Organization of Women, 21st Annual Celebration of Women of Distinction during the Susan B. Anthony Birthday celebration in 2020, according to Michael Futch.

Gooding was an early organizer of the Equal Rights Amendment legislation during the 1970s and 1980s. She served in the capacity of Staff Member of ERA Countdown Campaign in North Carolina from 1981 to 1982. One of her skill sets was fundraising. She collected over one million dollars in financial support to address homelessness in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.

“She was a woman of courage and strength who worked to bring solutions to women experiencing hardship. She believed in God; she believed in second chances. She believed all people given the right support can achieve anything. We will continue to honor her legacy,” according to the NCCEED website.

The Women’s Business Center evolved into the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development in 1999, as “a regional multi-service resource and advocacy center that promotes growth, economic empowerment, productiveness, and well-being of women and men through counseling, education, information, and programs,” according to NCCEED website.

The current Executive Director is Suzy Hrabovsky.

Her current accomplishments as the current Executive Director include receiving grant funds for persons facing evictions and the Small Business Administration PRIME program provided in North Carolina. The Fayetteville Women’s Business Center is the sole Women’s Business Center in the United States to receive one million dollars for SBA assistance for small business loans.

NCCEED gives the community the tools for success. The tools for success are Self-Sufficiency and Housing, SBA Women’s Business Center, Credit Counseling, Financial Literacy, One-to-One Consulting, Small Business Loans, CEED Micro loans, Training, Pop-up restaurants, Commercial kitchen space, Food Truck Commissary spaces and retail spots.

The services and training will embed within the individual “strong leadership skills, integrity, risk-taking, serial innovators, confident but not egotistical, recognition of strengths and growth areas, competition, and understanding the value of peer networks,” according to Minority Business Development.
NCCEED gives individuals the tools to invest in their business concept. Start-up and seed money for a business dream can be a challenge.

More information is available at NCCEED- Center for Economic Empowerment & Development, 230 Hay Street, Fayetteville, or by phone at 910 323-3377, or at https://www.ncceed.org.