$2 million investment powers new healthcare training in East Charlotte through Spark Centro, Central Piedmont

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A $2 million Ignite Award from the Bissell Ballantyne Legacy Foundation will help transform Spark Centro into a new hub for career preparation and economic opportunity in East Charlotte, including the expansion of Central Piedmont Community College’s Nurse Aide program that will bring healthcare education directly into the community. 

The award includes $1 million toward Spark Centro’s capital campaign and $1 million to support Central Piedmont’s Nurse Aide program.

Spark Centro is converting a nearly nine-acre site along the Albemarle Road Corridor into a community-centered destination for workforce development, entrepreneurship, nonprofit collaboration and economic opportunity. The more than 34,000-square-foot facility will bring together educational institutions, employers, nonprofits and other community partners to deliver programs and resources directly in East Charlotte.

“Spark Centro has earned remarkable support across Charlotte, and we’re honored to join the Leon Levine Foundation and many others in helping finish the job,” said Whitney Feld, president of the Bissell Ballantyne Legacy Foundation. “With Central Piedmont’s nurse aide training inside, this building will help fill a real gap in our healthcare workforce and open pathways to high-demand careers for East Charlotte residents.” 

Central Piedmont’s Nurse Aide program provides students with practical clinical training leading to an industry-recognized credential and opportunities to continue toward additional healthcare certifications and degrees. The first cohort at Spark Centro will launch in spring 2028.

“This investment will help Spark Centro advance our workforce development mission by creating state-of-the-art training labs with the capacity to graduate up to 200 Certified Nursing Assistants each year,” said Manuel Rey, president and CEO of Spark Centro. “We’re incredibly grateful to the Bissell Ballantyne Legacy Foundation for investing in a program that will create meaningful career pathways for our community.”

The investment will establish and equip a three-station Nurse Aide training lab inside Spark Centro and support faculty and instructional resources. The curriculum prepares students to provide essential care under the supervision of licensed healthcare professionals, combining classroom instruction with hands-on clinical training. 

“This partnership represents what is possible when philanthropy, education and community come together around a shared vision,” said Dr. Heather Hill, provost of Central Piedmont. “By bringing Central Piedmont’s healthcare training directly into East Charlotte, we can meet students where they are and create an accessible first step into a career with room to grow. That first credential can become the beginning of a longer educational journey and greater opportunity for students and their families.”

A recent study from the North Carolina Health Talent Alliance shows that one in six certified nursing assistant positions in the state are vacant, demonstrating the need for more trained workers in the field.

Together, the Bissell Ballantyne Legacy Foundation, Spark Centro and Central Piedmont are addressing that need and turning investment into opportunity in East Charlotte. The Nurse Aide program will bring that commitment to life by connecting residents with training, credentials and new possibilities for economic opportunity.