The Adelante Centers mission is to create wealth in distressed communities through entrepreneurship, living-wage job creation, and community development. We focus exclusively on developing programs and projects that benefit Lake County and the surrounding areas.

Our vision is to create opportunities that transform low and moderate income communities into vibra

Goal One: Improve nutrition education and health of our communities through our Farm to School and Culinary Medicine programs

Goal Two: Create an alternative food distribution network in low income communities that facilitates aggregation, storage, processing, distribution, and marketing of locally and regionally produced food .

Goal Three: Create opportunities for local entrepreneurs to have access and education that supports developing scalable long term businesses located in distressed communities.

In the fall of 2021, Adelante Center invested in upgrades to two existing but failing indoor aquaponics operations that were focused on providing urban agriculture education to students. The goal was to continue to provide the education resources when students returned to classes, but also to scale a for profit business that would be a year round local source of fresh products for grocery stores, restaurants, and institutions. We hired only local, low income residents with no experience in agriculture. Our partners at Grow Well Farms helped teach the construction, farm management, and agriculture science around hydroponics and aquaponics. Adelante Center provided the business and marketing training around developing a scalable profitable operation that would make the farm profitable. To date our farm is the largest and most profitable indoor hydroponics farm in Lake County, IL. We also are hiring 2 more residents to begin their apprenticeship including a female (Latina) student.

The Covid-19 pandemic caused Adelante Center to pivot like many other nonprofit and for profit businesses. Our pivot was informed by the observations that we made of the vulnerabilities and inefficiencies in the existing food distribution system, particularly related to food pantries and food banks. As we learned more about how these program operated, and how much they are dependent upon numerous exogenous and uncontrollable variables, our pivot caused our strategy to expand and grow to a broader ecosystem development project that in more comprehensive than our original plans. For example, food pantries and food banks receive donated food from grocery stores or local food producers. During times when these items are scarce (pandemic) they purchase food (which is why food banks depend on government grants and donations from individuals etc.). Also, food that is donated is often at or near its expiration date when it arrives at a food bank. By the time it's distributed to food banks and needy consumers, it may be of poor quality. More food banks lean on shelf stable products versus fresh produce and meats for this reason. These products often are high sodium, snack foods, or not consistent with providing a "meal" but instead a "box of food." Food pantries in the community are often open one day a week for just a few hours which can prejudice disabled, elderly, or those who lack transportation. Finally, Food Banks and food pantries waste a lot of food as do consumers who receive the food. Our ecosystem is self contained so that all of the components support each other and we provide fresh and healthy shelf stable items, prepared foods and meal kits (portion controlled), and also provide education on how to prepare what we are donating. Our model is also online order and delivery based so we engage with the needy and also make the donation in a convenient and dignified system.