Adelante Comunidad Conejo

Supporting Community

By Leah Etling on Jan 26, 2023 in Giving

Yardi is committed to supporting the community in every city where our offices are housed. Each year, the company distributes philanthropic aid to hundreds of organizations selected by its employees.

Adelante Comunidad Conejo (Adelante) of Thousand Oaks, Calif. is a regional nonprofit that seeks to empower Spanish-speaking families, regardless of immigration status, fluency or income. Adelante provides support, networking and advocacy and acts as an advocate for Spanish-speakers throughout the community.

“Adelante believes that everyone deserves to be recognized as valued community members. Everyone should have a seat at the table. The voices of our Spanish-speaking peers should be heard when decisions are made regarding neighborhoods, school transportation, and recreation,” said Carole Shelton, vice president of the nonprofit.

“We continue to be responsive to the community as needs change. We are working to address food insecurity, to connect our families to support organizations, and to connect support organizations to our families,” Shelton said. “When we embrace cultural and language diversity, we make our community a better place in which to live and work.”

“Our focus is on removing barriers to participation so that the children of local Latino families can access the same programs that their friends do.  The most significant barriers families face are transportation, language, and affordability.”

Adelante focuses much of its efforts on high school students. They can receive assistance with applying for college scholarships, which can be daunting for families.

“We are proud to support our local Latino Connection Clubs at our three comprehensive high school campuses, where their activities build leadership skills and provide opportunities to celebrate their language and heritage,” Shelton shared.

Adelante provides volunteers with a welcoming place to be involved and includes community members of all abilities.

“A youth with a developmental disability was given the opportunity to serve his community. He has gone from being a spectator, to a 2-hour shift, to a full Saturday shift, and a just recently added a 3-hour shift Friday shift. He has gained important skills during his time with Adelante!” said Shelton.

Core mission objectives

The core mission objectives for Adelante include the following:

Support – Adelante steps in to make a difference in the lives of local Latino families with a special emphasis on the Spanish speaking members of our community. Efforts range from supporting families in crisis, advising community members who are struggling to interface effectively with local agencies, and hosting gatherings designed to better inform families, encourage pride, and build community connections while also addressing food security.

Networking – Adelante believes that local community connections are key drivers of change. By attending events, participating in discussions, and meeting other community influencers, the organization positions Latino voices to be heard and seen as respected community voices.

Advocacy – Adelante listens to and responds to community concerns, brings those concerns forward to local agencies and speaks on behalf of those who are not ready to speak for themselves. Its advocates have become quite the experts at offering insight during local government public comment opportunities.

Yardi support makes a difference

Shelton shared how the support provided by Yardi has had an impact on the organization.

“Yardi funds allow us to continue to provide fresh milk, cheese, tortillas, beef, and chicken to our families during our monthly marketplace and pantry. Addressing food insecurity has given us the opportunity to develop a deeper connection with our families which has provided the opportunity to work together to reach our collective goals,” she said.

“The support received by Yardi brought our volunteers to tears.  We know we are doing great work but receiving support within our community means everything.”

Volunteer opportunities

Volunteer opportunities with Adelante include prepping food distribution pantry and marketplace resources for recipients on Fridays and working at the Saturday Open Air Community Marketplace. In-depth details about work hours, expectations, time commitment and skills required are available at the Adelante Comunidad Conejo website.

For more information or to sign up, please contact volunteer coordinator Betsy via text message at 805-807-2254 or by email at [email protected]