Adelante provides seniors in our community with the opportunity to enjoy nutritious and delicious meals five days a week at a very low cost of $2.00 a meal, which many are able to afford on limited income.  In addition to our nutritional benefits we also offer them the opportunity to socialize among their peers, participate in-group outings; attend legislative forms in Albany focusing on issues relating to seniors, provide recreational activities, guest speakers addressing issues and concerns of seniors such as; Health Medicaid/Medicare, Food Stamps, Heap, counseling and Low-Income Housing needs.  In addition we also offer for those who are having difficulty preparing a nutritious meal and can’t make it to Adelante Senior Nutritional programs the option of requesting homebound meals.  These clients are often unable to attend due primarily to health related issues restricting them from utilizing the services they are entitled to receive.  Adelante also provides transportation services to seniors for their medical and dental appointments; pick up their prescription drugs, shopping for food and other essential needs, and to Family and Nutrition Services.

Adelante of Suffolk County has focused on addressing the growing needs and concerns of the community by reaching out and providing them with the necessary resources to assist in their development by providing not only community services and support groups, but also by incorporating and encouraging family structure and support.  In most cases our families are hindered from participating due to the economic deprivation, and language barriers.  The objective is to strengthen and develop community members that will become active leaders in the community by providing them with the necessary tools to achieve their goal.  Our counselors receive extensive educational training on the issues facing the community and accessing resource guides continually so that they can better services clients needs in the following areas; Department of Social Services, Social Security, Domestic Violence, Child and Elderly abuse, Immigration, Discrimination, Housing, Education issues, Veterans Affair and Crisis Intervention.

This program was designed to assist consumers with mental disabilities the opportunity to enhance and develop socialization skills, build self-esteem and actively interact with their peers.  Consumers are encouraged to participate in-group discussions and recreational activities. This program has proven to be an asset to our consumers, working together enabling them to reach their full potential and reinforcing and developing techniques to assist them in overcoming challenges thus re-establishing their self-esteem and promoting their recovery by becoming a member of this close-knit group.

This program provides our mental health consumers with the skill needed for them to become productive members of society.  By teaching the basic fundamentals of every day living skills our consumers are empowered to adapt to social situations, academic opportunities, rehabilitation/recovery, support services and training skills.  Our consumers are exposed to all aspects of every day living issues. By using empowerment intervention and self-help groups they build their self esteem confidence and become independent.

This program compliments Adelante’s Supported Housing Program.  Once consumers have gained the skills necessary to live on their own, they are given career counseling to help them develop skills to gain employment.  Training is tailored to the individual’s qualifications and interest. As a result of this program many of our clients have been able to achieve total independence and have become productive members of society.

Youth Leadership training is promoted through volunteerism, education and community service.  It includes assistance in the acquisition of financial aid scholarships, personal counseling, career counseling, tutoring, English as a Second Language, computer classes, and job-readiness training.  The program that the youth come into contact with positive role models that are eager to assist them in reaching both their personal and professional goals.

Supported Housing

Since 1992 Adelante has provided apartments and houses for persons with disabilities who would otherwise be unable to afford to live independently.  Our supported housing program assists mental health clients in securing transitional housing that will eventually lead to independent living. Services include linkage with a comprehensive community support system of case management, mental health rehabilitation, respite, employment and health supports. Our clients enjoy the freedom of a home of their own with the benefit of twenty-four hour, seven-day a week, bi-lingual case management services.  This program has helped a number clients find permanent homes for themselves.

The most pressing and immediate need is intervention on behalf of tenants to prevent homelessness and to assist those who are homeless. This includes assistance in finding affordable housing; advocacy and dispute resolution in landlord-tenant matters, assisting tenants in money management, and household budgeting. We would also make referral activities to address needs of tenants include referrals to programs such as HEAP, section 8, Social Services, and Public Housing.  Assistance with applications to these programs will be provided, particularly for those families with language and cultural barriers.  Teaching low-income families household management and coping skills will lead to their becoming independent and self-reliant.

Computer Skills & ESL Training

In 1994 Adelante began a computer-training program, using Community Development Authority (CDA) funds.  What started, as small computer training with a handful of computers has become one of our most popular educational training to community. The goal of these classes is to promote job readiness skills through hands on training. Students are able to develop their typing abilities, become proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel, and how to successfully use the Internet for work and school. We also offer these classes in Spanish to assist students who are also learning English simultaneously. In December 16, 2005, Adelante and IBM Corporation dedicate the 15 units of brand new15 CPUs (Pentium IV ThinkCentre Model), 15 Monitors with multimedia and 1 Network

Printer IBM Info 1352 series. This donation allows us to upgrade our computer lab, enabling our tutors to use the technology to its fullest teaching potential.

This program was brought to fruition in 1995 as a result of the increasing disparity in technological proficiency between low and middle-income people.  It includes computer skills training, a program that started in 1994, which offers hands on training for those who are unemployed.  Also included is English as a Second Language, workshops in youth leadership, employment opportunities, self-esteem, and the changing demands of today’s job market.

On May 17, 2006, IBM Corporation grant us a license to access and to use the IBM Reading Companion program and educational materials solely for instruction and learning that help benefits our youth/ students and consumers. Educational materials includes online books, online training, online evaluation materials including online tutorials and online instructor guides posted on Reading Companion website www.readingcompanion.org

On November 27, 2006, IBM Corporation grants us a license to use and access TraduceloAhora (Automatic Translation software). Email translation is now available to enhance the communication between parents and teachers as well as students, school and other users affiliated with Adelante that are part of this grant program. A Hispanic student can email in Spanish a letter /messages and the recipient will receipt the letter / messages in English or vice versa.