Uplifting and Inspiring Our Communities

What We Do

While providing services to youth in City Heights, we recognized the need for a local community “hub” that not only provided a safe space to gather, but a space for at-risk youth involved in our programs to gain employment. That’s when the idea of the Neighborhood Enterprise Center was born.

Through seed funding from the City of San Diego, we transformed a 4,622 square foot restaurant into a thriving social enterprise, known as the UPAC Neighborhood Enterprise Center (NEC). We are a community “hub” providing much needed resources and opportunities for both UPAC clients and the ethnically diverse residents and small business owners of City Heights. 80% of our employees at NEC are at-risk youth who have participated in our programs. This unique setting allows them to gain job training and business development to help them thrive!

The Center consists of 5 components:

  1. The Neighborhood Cafe— A full service dine-in Cafe that features cultural dishes from the various ethnic groups of City Heights. Catering services are also available. All revenu from the Cafe is invested back into youth employment at NEC.
  2. Kitchen Creations— Our rental kitchen consists of a spacious, newly remodeled 1000 square foot commercial kitchen, with spacious prep area, dish and prep sinks, dry storage and refrigerator/freezer space. Nominal fees for this service help sustain NEC.
  3. YBE Print Shop— The Print shop allows youth from UPAC’s Youth Business Enterprise Program to design, create, market  and sell their print products. Equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, youth have hands-on learning experience as they create banners, window signage, t-shirts, canvas bags and more! All proceeds are invested back into the program to support our youth.
  4. Technology Center– This space is equipped with computers, internet access, copy and fax machine and serves to train UPAC clients for careers in IT and small business development.
  5. Community Gathering Place— This open space can be reserved for meetings, training, workshops and more!

Program Manager

Ayan Mohamad

Ayan Mohamad

5296 University Ave., Suite A&B
San Diego, CA 92105
Phone: (619) 255-7644

Thank You to Our Funders

Major Partners

SDGE
City of San Diego
Price Philanthropies
San Diego HHSA

Program Partners

AT&T, AT&T InspirAsians and AT&T Pioneers | Bank of America | Blue Shield of CA | City National Bank | Comerica Bank, Community Reinvestment | Dan & Louise Groszkruger | Iwanaga Penrose Fund | JP Morgan Chase & Co. | New World Ltd. | San Diego Gas & Electric | S. Lew & Associates, Inc. | The Parker Foundation | Union Bank | Wells Fargo

Gold Partners

Connie Matsui | Irwin & Daisy Hom | Ito Girard & Associate | Scott & Candi Drury | Trott Properties

Green Partners

Caroline Winn & Michael Manry | Citi Bank | Claire Reiss | Dan & Lisa Hom | Dennis & Elaine Otsuji | Minh Nguyen | Robert Brothwick | San Diego Chinese Women’s Association