[WATCH] SAFE unveils future plans, exciting partnerships for East Alabama EARTH project

SYLACAUGA, Ala. – The Sylacauga Alliance for Family Enhancement (SAFE) announced major developments on Thursday afternoon, May 15, for the East Alabama Rural Innovation and Training Hub (EARTH), revealing multimillion-dollar investments and transformative partnerships during a press conference at the former Avondale Eva Jane site.

EARTH, a workforce development and innovation center, will be located on the grounds of the old Avondale Mills complex. The hub will serve as a one-stop shop for healthcare, transportation, early care, agriculture, technology, hospitality, manufacturing, and energy training.

SAFE Executive Director Margaret Morton unveiled strategic partnerships with Innovate Alabama, Shipshape AgWorks, Gener8tor, and several universities. Innovate Alabama will provide $200,000 in grant funding through its Supplemental Grant Program. Gener8tor, a nationally recognized startup accelerator, will also play a role in advancing the region’s innovation economy.

Shipshape AgWorks, known for its modular hydroponic farms, will lead the development of a 10-acre vertical and regenerative farming operation behind the main EARTH building. The Birmingham-based company combines AI automation, renewable energy, and hydroponics to grow the equivalent of five acres of crops in just 500 square feet.

SAFE also announced collaborations with Auburn University, the University of South Alabama, Wake Forest, and the University of South Carolina to create environmentally sustainable watershed systems on-site.

In addition to job creation – 30 full-time agricultural jobs are expected – EARTH will look to address broader community needs. Morton highlighted affordable housing as a future focus for the initiative.

The SPARK Initiative, a Smithsonian traveling exhibit celebrating Sylacauga’s textile and marble heritage, will open at the Isabel Anderson Comer Museum on Thursday, June 26 as part of EARTH’s cultural outreach.

EARTH’s campus is expected to open in approximately 18 months, with a target launch in November 2026.