FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
July 15, 2015 Kathy Mimberg
(202) 776-1714
kmimberg@nclr.org
Community-based nonprofit recognized by NCLR for outstanding service to Latino and low-income communities in California’s Central Valley
KANSAS CITY, Mo.—At an Awards Gala yesterday that concluded the 2015 NCLR (National Council of La Raza) Annual Conference in Kansas City, NCLR presented the Affiliate of the Year Award to El Concilio, a nonprofit organization working to improve the quality of life for Latinos and other underserved communities in California’s Central Valley. For 47 years, El Concilio has helped Latinos and low-income families by providing a comprehensive array of services that include education, health care, wealth-building and civic engagement.
“For nearly half a century, El Concilio has shown a steadfast commitment to the people of California’s Central Valley, empowering thousands of families to overcome challenges and realize their full potential. Under the leadership of Jose R. Rodriguez, El Concilio has been smart, strategic and successful in leveraging multiple platforms to promote civic participation and speak up on behalf of California’s Latino families. For their deep commitment to engaging and educating the Latino community, we are pleased to recognize this outstanding organization as NCLR’s 2015 Affiliate of the Year,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO, NCLR.
The Affiliate of the Year Award, sponsored by Ford Motor Company Fund, is the most distinguished honor bestowed upon an NCLR Affiliate for its exemplary efforts in collaborating with NCLR to achieve positive, meaningful, long-term change for Latino communities. Ford Fund is the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company.
“Ford Motor Company Fund has established an unwavering legacy of supporting the Latino community,” said Joe Avila, Manager of Community Outreach, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “We are proud to support El Concilio and recognize their work with a $25,000 cash award. Organizations like El Concilio have enhanced the quality of life for Latinos in the U.S. and we enthusiastically encourage them to continue their outstanding service, which will ultimately lead to a better future for all Americans.”
Established in 1968, El Concilio is the largest Latino nonprofit in the Central Valley and serves an estimated 16,000 people every year with services that include preschool education, case management, rural home health visits, transportation to medical services, and legal assistance to seniors and immigrants. Since 1985, El Concilio has been a strong partner in NCLR’s efforts to expand Latino participation in the electoral process, including by contributing to NCLR’s largest voter registration drive to date, which registered more than 123,000 citizens in 2014. That year, El Concilio registered 1,200 people and leveraged its network, clients and partners to reach over 3,000 people as part of its get-out-the-vote efforts.
“On behalf of El Concilio, we are honored that NCLR has selected El Concilio as the 2015 Affiliate of the Year. For the past 47 years, El Concilio has been operating programs and providing services to Latinos and underserved communities to improve their quality of life. We are grateful that NCLR has recognized the impact of our work in the Central Valley of California. While we are humbled, we are also inspired to continue our efforts to make a difference in the lives of those we serve,” said Jose R. Rodriguez, President and CEO, El Concilio.
In addition to honoring El Concilio with a $25,000 cash award, NCLR also recognized regional awardees from its Affiliate Network. Each honoree was presented with a $5,000 cash award on Monday, July 13, at the NCLR Affiliate Leadership Breakfast. The 2015 Regional Awardees include:
• Houston Gateway Academy (Houston, TX), Texas Affiliate of the Year
• GOAL Academy (Pueblo, CO), Far West Affiliate of the Year
• Erie Neighborhood House (Chicago, IL), Midwest Affiliate of the Year
• Centro Hispano Daniel Torres (Reading, PA), Northeast Affiliate of the Year
• Hispanic Unity of Florida (Hollywood, FL), Southeast Affiliate of the Year
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
About the Ford Motor Company Fund
Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company, invests more than $8 million a year in scholarships and other education initiatives. In addition to Ford Driving Dreams, Ford Fund educational programs include Ford Blue Oval Scholars, Ford Next Generation Learning, Ford College Community Challenge and the Ford STEAM Lab. Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services works with community partners to advance driving safety, education and community life. For more than 60 years, Ford Motor Company Fund has operated with ongoing funding from Ford Motor Company. The award-winning Ford Driving Skills for Life program teaches new drivers through a variety of hands-on and interactive methods. Innovation in education is encouraged through national programs that enhance high school learning and provide college scholarships and university grants. Through the Ford Volunteer Corps, more than 25,000 Ford employees and dealers work on projects each year that better their communities in more than 40 countries. For more information, visit www.community.ford.com.
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