Small Businesses Benefit From Efforts by Bridgeton UEZ
Harlan Miller, Stephanie Gonzalez, and Tony Hill at Cumberland County Fairgrounds on Aug. 3, 2025. Photo by Ashley Ward.
BY ASHLEY WARD | For AC JosepH Media
BRIDGETON — Bridgeton’s Urban Enterprise Zone has developed important partnerships to play a vital role in uplifting underserved small businesses and giving them an opportunity to grow and thrive.
Led by UEZ coordinator Stephanie Gonzalez, the Bridgeton UEZ has stepped up to sponsor and provide support for numerous events throughout the year, including Cinco de Mayo and Juneteenth celebrations.
UEZ is a New Jersey program that boosts local businesses in urban areas through reduced sales tax rates and reinvestment in business incentives. Through various events, as many as 45 vendors have been able to highlight their products and services.
UEZ has partnered with KYMO, Games on the Go, and the Heart Organization in the past to offer free family entertainment, which included bouncy houses, go-karts, pickleball, volleyball, horseshoes, basketball, and a gaming truck.
KYMO, which stands for Keeping Young Minds Occupied, is a nonprofit founded in 2001 by
Harlan Miller and his late twin brother, Haron. It began as a recording studio for local youth, then later grew into a mentorship program offering hands-on activities with their mission being to keep kids engaged, off the streets, and surrounded by positive influences.
READ: Harlan Miller Carries on KYMO Legacy
“From go-karts to chess, every activity we do teaches a lesson the kids can use in life,” Miller said.
The Bridgeton Public Library has also assisted in many of the UEZ events. Michelle Azpiri, vice president of the UEZ board, is also the library’s acting director.
“[Azpiri] and her team has been helping me at our UEZ funded events and have been gifting free books to the community at all events,” Gonzalez said.
Those partnerships have given an opportunity to vendors to take part in different community events. QUINGS SIPS served up our handcrafted lemonades at the Cumberland County Fairgrounds With the Bridgeton UEZ Experience.
As a small business rooted in Bridgeton, but making their way into South Philly every Saturday and Sunday at 22nd and Morris, it felt extra special to be right in our their backyard for such a vibrant cultural celebration.
For QUINGS SIPS co-owners, Lashè Belford-Davidson and her wife Katherine Belford-Davidson, this wasn’t just another event — it was a celebration of heritage and unity. Lashè, who is half Puerto Rican, embraced the opportunity to celebrate her roots surrounded by the rhythms, colors, and flavors of the island she loves.
Kat, with her proud Trinidadian heritage, brings her own cultural influence into the brand, helping shape flavors that embrace and represent multiple cultures in every cup.
While lemonade isn’t traditionally a Puerto Rican cultural drink, QUINGS SIPS said they created blends that carry the same warmth and comfort Puerto Rican and Caribbean culture are known for.
“In fact, many customers tell us that some of our flavors — especially our signature Mommas’ — remind them of drinks they’ve enjoyed on the island.” said Lashe. “That connection is exactly what we aim for: to make every sip feel like home, no matter where home is for you.”
They said that they are proud to be part of the urban enterprise zone.
“We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Stephanie and the Bridgeton UEZ for inviting us to share in this special celebration,” the couple said.
To learn more about the work of the Bridgeton UEZ, contact GonzalezS@cityofbridgeton.com.
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