Connecting young residents with skilled trades careers, and strengthening the community so Tupper Lake remains a place people choose to stay, return to, and call home.
We planned to rebuild the school's shop over three years. $75,000 lets Tupper Lake contractors and tech class students finish it this year, working side by side. A donor has pledged $25,000 toward the $75,000, to be released once the other $50,000 is raised.
Tupper Community Builders invests in the people and potential of Tupper Lake — connecting young residents with skilled trades careers and strengthening the community so Tupper Lake remains a place people choose to stay, return to, and call home.
We believe that workforce opportunity and community vitality reinforce each other, and that building both is the surest path to lasting growth.
Connecting young residents with trades careers and the pathways needed to fill critical regional jobs — in construction, engineering, healthcare, and beyond.
Building the conditions that make Tupper Lake a place people are proud to call home — whether they choose to stay, return, or discover new futures here.
Identifying and facilitating projects that strengthen the social and economic fabric of our community.
Tupper Community Builders is a nonprofit initiative founded on the belief that workforce opportunity and community vitality reinforce each other. Our structure is simple — a volunteer Steering Committee of Tupper Lake business owners and community leaders, a growing network of school, workforce, and philanthropic partners, and a contracted Executive Director — built to move quickly and put resources directly to work in Tupper Lake.
Chair & Founder
Owner, Kentile Excavating · Town Councilman · ACF Board Member
A lifelong Tupper Lake resident, Adam founded Tupper Community Builders to invest in the next generation of local tradespeople and allow talented young people to find the jobs they need to stay in the community they love.
Steering Committee Member
Realtor · Former TLCSD Guidance Counselor
Lisa brings firsthand knowledge of student pathways and the Tupper Lake housing and community landscape, with strong local networks built over decades of service at the school.
Steering Committee Member
Owner, Lizotte Logging · Parent · Community Volunteer
Amanda is a business owner, community volunteer, and Tupper Lake parent with deep ties to the multigenerational working families who power the local economy.
Steering Committee Member
Owner, J. Salamy Carpentry and Adirondack Custom Home Builders
Joe is a trades contractor who has been an early adopter of AI in the trades, with a clear-eyed view of how fully integrating technology can grow the sector.
Steering Committee Member
Owner, Richards Logging · Empire State Forest Products Board
Larry brings the perspective of the region's independent business community and a deep knowledge of the state's wood products ecosystem and trades economy.
Executive Director
Staff
Melissa leads TCB's day-to-day operations and partnerships, bringing her love of Tupper Lake, two decades of connections in the community, and funding acquisition, project management, and organizational skills to Tupper Community Builders.
Tupper Community Builders is sponsored by Adirondack Community Foundation. ACF has established the Tupper Community Builders Fund to receive tax-deductible donations in support of our work.
Our near-term focus is to complete the Tech Room Transformation, build out the Tupper Trades Pathway with the Tupper Lake Central School District, and scale the fundraising behind them.
A capital project, led by Tupper Lake contractors volunteering their time to work side by side with tech class students, that will transform existing space at TLCSD into a modern trades technology learning environment.
About the Tech Room →
A school-to-employment pathway connecting Tupper Lake students with skilled trades careers through early exposure in elementary and middle school, after-school and summer employment in high school, and mentoring and support.
About the Trades Pathway →TCB has secured $257,000 in grants, gifts, and multi-year pledges to date, alongside more than $81,000 in donated materials and services pledged by local businesses.
In pledged donated materials and services from local businesses — led by Tupper Lake's trades contractors, supplemented by regional professionals and suppliers who support the trades community.
In grants — an $82,500 three-year grant from the Generous Acts Fund, the Aseel Legacy Fund, and the Educational Pathways Fund at Adirondack Community Foundation, and a $10,000 national foundation award made through ACF.
In individual and family gifts and multi-year pledges.
These commitments span three years and support all of TCB's work. To finish the Tech Room this year instead of over three, we need to raise $75,000. A donor has pledged $25,000, to be released once the other $50,000 is raised. See the Tech Room goal
TCB currently operates under the fiscal sponsorship of Adirondack Community Foundation, with the Steering Committee providing local governance as the organization grows toward independent 501(c)(3) status.
Make a GiftWhether you're a funder, contractor, educator, parent, or community member who wants to get involved, we'd love to hear from you.