FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 22, 2016 Contact: Curtis McElhinney Communications Director ThaiCommunityDevelopmentCenter (310)874-0767Curtis@thaicdc.org@ThaiTownMarket(Facebook,Instagram,Twitter)#TTMP#ThaiTownMarketplaceTheThaiTownMarketplaceBreaksGroundLaunchingtheThaiCommunity

DevelopmentCenter’sLatest$2.95MillionCommunityEnhancementEndeavorThaiTown,LosAngeles,CA–OnThursday,September22nd,theThaiCommunityDevelopmentCenter(ThaiCDC)celebratedatenyearvictoryatthegroundbreakingoftheThaiTownMarketplace(TTMP)locatedat5448HollywoodBlvd.,LosAngeles,CA90027.ThemarketplaceisThaiCDC’scurrentendeavortowardsimprovingThaiTown,providingjobsfortheeconomicallydisadvantagedandofferingthecommunityitsnexttasteofculture.The$2.95millionprojectisatransit-orientedpublicmarketandsocialenterprisethat“incubates”businessesnurturingthemuntiltheyareviableentitiesreadytostandontheirown.“IsupportthegoalsoftheThaiTownMarketplace,whichwillbeasmall-businessincubatorintheheartofathrivingculturalcommunitywithinEastHollywood,”saysCouncilmanMitchO’Farrell.Thecouncilman’ssupportwasbackedbya$1.2allocationfromtheCityofLosAngelesthattheRepresentativeforDistrict13authored.“Thisisacommunity-basedeconomicdevelopmentstrategythatcreates26jobsand12microenterprisesandprovidesasynergywithourfarmersmarketthatisrightoutsidethemarketdoorsonThursdayafternoons,”saysChanceeMartorell,ExecutiveDirectoroftheThaiCommunityDevelopmentCenter.“WearebuildinghealthandwealthzonesintheLosAngelesPromiseZonedesignatedbyPresidentObamaaspartofhissignatureanti-povertyinitiativefulfillingtheobjectivesofcreatingjobsandboostingpublicsafety.”TheRoyalThaiConsulGeneral,TaneeSangratwhojustarrivedathispostthissummer,attendedhisfirstThaiCDCeventwithexuberanceandconvictionashespokeoftheimpactofthisprojectandothers.TheConsulGeneralispartneringwithThaiCDCtoplant18treesthisDecembertohelpimproveThaiTownwhilehonoringtheKingofThailand’s89thbirthday.

TheLAMetroandMcCormackBaronSalazarreflectedontheirpartnershipwithThaiCDCduringthedecadeittooktonavigateandsatisfyallrequirements.Withoutthecooperationfrombothentities,thesuccessofthismarketwouldn’thavebeenpossible.(TTMPexistsabovetheHollywoodandWesternRedlinestationandisamajorconduitfordailycommuters).Variousindividualsandagenciesspokeoftheirvaryingrolebutallseemedtoreflectthesamethemeofsuccessthroughcooperation,visionandtenacity.Awell-groomedcutintheconcretefloorsprovidedthestageforTTMP’sgroundbreaking.GoldshovelswereinhandbytheleadersanddignitariesasthecornerofHollywoodandWesternstarteditslatestenhancementsthatareslatedforcompletioninJune2017.TheofficialceremonyendedwithatraditionalMenoraThaidance.ThebeautyandgraceoftheseancientmovementscaptivatedandshepherdedthecrowdintothebestpartofthemorningastheywereinvitedtotrythefuturefoodoftheTTMP.Sixenergeticvendorswereonhandtoenticetheirfuturecustomerswiththesamplesofwhattheyplantoofferthepublicuponopening.Guestsweretreatedtocurries,pokebowls,PadThai,crepes,ricecakes,veggiefriedriceandotheritems.“I’mintroducingaveganhealthyfoodwithgreatnutritionforourbusylifestyle,”saysRotchanaSussman,ownerofthefuturestall,WhiteSpringsVegan.RotchanaisalsoahumantraffickingsurvivorwhoreceivedservicesandadvocacyfromThaiCDCthathelpedherfindjusticeandeconomicself-sufficiency.Hersentimentofprovidingnourishmenttohercustomerswasreflectedinallofthevendorsastheylovinglyladledoutcurries,pouredbowls,anddishedupcrepes.Theeventprovidedfullstomachs,excitementforthefutureandaninsightintotheoverarchinggoalsofThaiCDC.ThaiCDCcontinuestomobilizepeople,policy,andresourcestowardsimprovingthelivesofthelessfortunatethrougheconomicstrategiesthataredesignedtobeself-sustainingfortheindividualandthecommunity.Inthepasttwentytwoyears,ThaiCDChasnotonlylaunchedtheThaiTownMarketplacebutalsocreatedThaiTown,built106unitsofaffordablehousing,providedbusinesscounselingandentrepreneurshiptraining,co-foundedtheSongkranFestival(aThaiNewYear’scelebrationwithover100,000peopleinattendance),andinitiatedmanyotherprojectsthathaveimprovedthelivesofnotonlyThaisbuteveryonewholivesinEastHollywood.ThegroundbreakingwasahitwithThursday’saudienceandwillcontinuetorevealitstruepotentialwhenthedoorsopenandThaiTownreceivesitsnewestaddition.

Vendorsinattendance:• BangkokGrill• PokePlease• Ruanthong• GCCrepeMakers• JaPoawKanonkrok• WhiteSpringsVegan• FullMoonCafe

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