Aera helps turn dream of a gathering space into reality for San Ardo residents
Aera’s employee resources groups celebrated the company’s 25th anniversary by choosing ten nonprofit organizations to share a total of $100,000 in grants. These grants provide critical resources in Kern, Fresno, Monterey and Ventura counties. We will continue highlighting some of the grant recipients and the difference they are making in their communities over the next few months as part of our Building Strong Communities series.
San Ardo residents will soon have a place to learn, connect and gather at Scout House, thanks to a grant from Aera Energy to the nonprofit Central Coast Rural Communities Foundation (CCRCF). CCRCF bridges gaps in access to educational resources and infrastructure improvements in rural communities.
The Aera Latino Employee Network (ALEN) selected CCRCF to receive a grant in honor of Aera’s 25th anniversary celebration. With the help of the initial $10,000 grant, CCRCF was able to raise $200,000 to refurbish and expand Scout House and turn it into a community hub for educational and afterschool programming, a broadband access point, and meeting space for the community that is 88 percent Latino.
“So many of the families in the San Ardo community only speak Spanish and are working hard every day to provide their families with the most basic needs,” said Tommy Vega, Aera reliability specialist and co-chair of ALEN. “When we heard about the CCRCF’s desire to make the Scout House that space for learning, community and empowerment for San Ardo residents, we had to get behind the project.”
“We intend to build on the Scout House’s legacy by adding new educational opportunities for youth, creating a community gathering space for all, and offering broadband connection for San Ardo residents without that resource,” said Amanda McLoughlin, president of the Central Coast Rural Communities Foundation. “When we approached Aera Energy about our plans, they immediately understood what this community center will mean for this town. To have a community resource available for all will mean the world to San Ardo’s residents.”
Watch this video from Aera’s 25th anniversary celebration at Aera San Ardo in September 2022:
