Is the lack of availability for diapers making you nervous for what to do if you run out and cannot find any for your baby? If so, there are ways to cloth diaper using old materials found around your house.  The secret is to only use dish towels or old T-shirts that are 100% cotton, as synthetics are not absorbent and will instead repel water.  The easiest way to test something you are unsure about is to do a water test with a quarter cup of water.  If the material absorbs the water quickly, it will make an adequate diaper in a pinch. If the material repels or beads water, it’s best to look elsewhere. 

This year we launched our scholarship initiative, providing two local graduating seniors with $500 scholarships to support their continued education paths. Seniors who applied for our scholarship were asked to write a short essay describing how they have contributed to our community and what they learned in the process. All of the submissions we received were impressive, giving us great hope for our future ... it is in good hands if these students are indicative of the majority! Our two scholarship recipients this year were Anya Prasad, from Newbury Park High School, and Caelyn Pender, from Westlake High School. We look forward to supporting more students in 2020.

May was quite the month for us! In addition to granting our two scholarships, we were also the recipient of very generous fundraisers. The Thousand Oaks Macy's chose to support our nonprofit through a #roundup campaign, for two weeks, where customers could choose to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar in support of our organization. We were also surprised and blown away by a very generous donation from the Charity Champs Bowling League — who pooled the members' dues for the league together to contribute a donation to CCO. These combined efforts raised more than $8,000 for CCO, and we couldn't be more grateful to both Macy's and the Charity Champs for choosing to support us.

Also in May, our treasurer, Lauren Shaffer was recognized for her volunteer work in the community by the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce through its Forty Under 40 recognition gala. Congratulations to Lauren!

And thank you to those who nominated our organization for recognition.

In September, the Thousand Oaks branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) supported us with a diaper drive at its annual fall breakfast! Our car was packed with nearly 1,500 diapers, plus an assortment of wipes, when it was all said and done. Thank you!

Speaking of diapers, our Community Diaper Bank, which launched in 2018, continued to support families in the Conejo Valley and surrounding areas with monthly, supplemental diaper and wipes packages. As of November of this year, we have dispersed more than 40,000 diapers to families in need of diaper assistance in our community, thanks to your support of our resources. It is not uncommon for us to receive surprise packages from Amazon, from generous anonymous donors, who have ordered from our Amazon wish list. This makes such a difference for us. Thank you! Plus, we can't forget to talk about the donation of diapers we received from another local organization — James Storehouse! We kicked off 2019 with a truckload of diapers from the local organization that supports foster families, who wanted to support our diaper bank. We are so grateful for community partnerships!

We wrapped up our year with our FIFTH annual Conejo Community Thanksgiving! This event is always a massive undertaking that takes months of planning, and we truly couldn't do it without so much wonderful support from our community and local businesses. This year we provided Thanksgiving meal packages to 53 local families, (comprised of 290 people), and the local organizations that helped us make it possible included

We can't say it enough: THANK YOU!

The Conejo Community Outreach organization would not be possible without the generous time, service, and financial backing of our sponsors and supporters.

First and foremost, we want to thank Trish Ananiades who is providing all our legal work and many hours of guidance. Conejo Community Outreach would not have been realized without Trisha’s big heart and patience. Ideas are nothing without the support of someone who knows how to make it happen, and the sometimes daily furtherance necessary to get this far. Thank you!

We are also grateful to Jodi Runyan-Schechter for her time, guidance and tax services. It is an invaluable service.

Please visit our GRATITUDE page to see our full list of supporters.

Have you heard about Conejo Community Outreach's Community Closet?

Our Community Closet was officially launched in September 2016 as a free resource that provides basic necessities for local individuals and families in need. We stock in our Closet items such as gently used baby and toddler clothing, maternity wear, work attire, coats and jackets, and baby items such as bottles, blankets, diapers, wipes and beyond, thanks to the generous donations from our community.

2016 was very much a learning year for Conejo Community Outreach (CCO). After we quickly formed in order to host our first Conejo Community Thanksgiving in 2015, 2016 marked a year of real discussions about our short- and long-term goals, events we wanted to pursue, and ideas on how to create resources that would make a difference for our community. We learned a lot about our own ability to commit time, work around our hectic schedules and work together to see events come to fruition. It wasn't always easy, nor convenient, but with your support, we were able to push through first year hiccups to end our year on a solid note.

The bulk of 2016 was spent bringing our Community Closet to life — a project/resource we heavily underestimated, blinded by our excitement for its potential. We were able to secure storage space at a discount to get us started, but that was only the beginning of our journey to making it a sustainable resource. To bring the Closet to life, we needed the community to be an active partner with us. We marketed and launched a two-week long donations drive, we worked with volunteers on a designated sorting day for over six hours to go through the donations received.... and then we moved everything to storage to organize once more!

And then we organized....and folded, and organized, and bought shelving, then bought bins, then realized the bins were too big for the shelving, then drank some beer and then found a spider and we all screamed. With more than 25-30 hours of visits interspersed between our working mom schedules, we were able to officially launch the Closet in September 2016, and have been accommodating Closet requests on a regular basis since. This Closet is really the cornerstone of our non-profit in terms of what we hope to continue providing to families and individuals in our communities... the basics and resources that will help make a difference if money is tight, times are tough or you just need a little help. 

As we continue to grow and develop ourselves in the community, we are learning more and more about how to streamline our resources, how to make them more convenient and accessible, and how to establish ourselves in such a way that you know about us! 

One of our biggest annual meeting items for discussion was the planning of our
​"OPEN CLOSET DAY." On Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, we will be hosting an "open day" for our local families and individuals in need to swing by our Closet and collect up to two bags worth of items (based on inventory and individual needs). In order to attend our Open Closet Day, those interested must pre-register by Feb. 1, 2017 so that we have time to organize and reach out for specific and individual needs as best we can. We will have more information on this event soon and how to pre-register, but for now we ask you to mark your calendars.

In preparation for our Open Closet Day, we'll be launching a donations drive for diapers, bottles and baby wipes in January... which are our most requested items. Please stay tuned for our flier with details on how you can donate these items, and other requested necessities.

We've learned a lot about our community this year, and have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback we've received, as well as the financial support and volunteer requests. We work diligently to make sure that when we take on a partnership or event, that we are doing so responsibily and in accordance with the mission of our non-profit. The community has put their trust in us, and it is our responsibility to honor that trust.

2016 also marked our second Conejo Community Thanksgiving. With a goal to provide 30 family-sized meal packages, due to the community's support, we were able to surpass that, ultimately dispersing 36 family-sized meal packages to nominated families from all backgrounds and sizes. We couldn't have pulled off the event with out the help of our volunteers, the donations we received, and all the support in spreading the word. We thank you so much for continuing to be a part of our mission. 

This year we also planned and executed our first "Parents' Night Out" event with a Paint Nite, Cronies' Fundraiser, and babysitting deal all wrapped into one amazing night! We had auction items and raffles and goody bags ... and did we mention the complimentary wine and hors d'oeuvres?! Local community vendors went above and beyond to support us and we couldn't be more thankful for the donations! We sold out our 35 tickets, and had a blast meeting local parents in the community, while sippin' and paintin' and raising money to meet our operating needs. We plan to do another Paint Nite event this year, and hope to see old and new faces!

We also discussed an event that is very close to our hearts — Relay for Life 2017. This year, we have two board members on the RFL Leadership Team - Kinsie Flame, chair of event, and Jessica Weihe, marketing and community champion. We hope you'll support our CCO TEAM!! We couldn't be more thrilled to be part of an event that makes such a difference in honoring those who have battled cancer. This year, we're keeping the community in mind, and Relay for Life will truly be a family-friendly community event that we encourage everyone to be a part of — whether you'd like to volunteer, sign up your family or work as an RFL team, or come out to the event to support and enjoy all of the fun activities we'll have in store, like the kids' camp, or the "boutique row."
​MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR MAY 20-21 2017!  #rflcv2017

In addition to the events we're hosting or taking part in, we're going to work toward being more active in pursuing volunteer opportunities that we can participate in, and we hope you'll join us as well! We always welcome you to give us the scoop if you know of an event that needs help. Get in touch! We'll figure out how we can help be a part of or promote.

Our annual meeting today was invigorating and positive and we really feel like we're ready to embrace all that 2017 has in store for us. Thanks for taking the ride with us!

LEARN MORE ABOUT US

Conejo Community Outreach is an IRS-recognized 501(c)3 corporation.  
​
We aim to connect local generosity with local need for support by hosting a variety of community fundraising events that directly give back to individuals and families in the Conejo Valley.

We believe that communities gain strength when all residents are appropriately clothed and fed.

Tell me about CCO -- what's the goal of the organization?
We aim to connect local generosity with local need for support by hosting a variety of community fundraising events that directly give back to individuals and families in the Conejo Valley.
We believe that communities gain strength when all residents are appropriately clothed and fed.

Sounds great... what sort of resources do you provide?
When CCO first launched, it was during our first Conejo Community Thanksgiving.  Having all met through local online mom groups ourselves, we noticed a true need for a community resource for local families. Daily, we observed posts from moms in need -- whether they were low on formula, needed baby clothes, or were struggling to make ends meet and needed support -- it was clear to us that something needed to change.

Since then, we've launched our Community Closet -- a free resource for local individuals and families who need assistance in the form of receiving gently used donations such as baby and kid clothing, work attire, coats and jackets, and a variety of miscellaneous baby items such as bottles and bibs and diapers (as we receive them).

​We've also hosted a Paint Nite fundraiser that we themed as a parents' night out event -- complete with affordable babysitting next door to the Paint Nite location, complimentary hor d'oeuvres and wine, and amazing raffle prizes from local businesses. Our goal with this fundraiser was to create a budget-friendly family-friendly event for local parents to mix and mingle, while supporting us in our mission.

Additionally we just wrapped up a fun Holiday Family Photo Mini-Session fundraiser and our second Conejo Community Thanksgiving, in which we provided 36 family-sized meal packages filled with Thanksgiving Day staple ingredients, the turkey, and recipe cards that were dispersed between 26 local families from all different sizes and backgrounds.
​
How do you generate these resources?
We're fortunate to be part of a very generous community that answers our call for donations, and attends our fundraising events such as our most recent "Parents' Night Out - Paint Nite" event, fundraising days at Cronies Sports Bar and Grill, and our Holiday Family Photo Fundraiser. After our donations drive week for our Community Closet, we garnered enough donations to fill two storage units!  We've fulfilled a number of Closet package requests and hope to continue to do so as we head into 2017, and start offering volunteer opportunities with the Closet.

By picking up a few basic ingredients on your next shopping trip, you can make an assortment of hassle-free meals when you're on the and don't have time for a lot of prep! What we love about these suggestions is that they can be easily tailored and/or fancied up depending on your preferences.

1) Turkey Tacos
Brown 1 pack of ground turkey and add taco packet accordingly
In a tortilla add ground meat, chopped lettuce, diced onion, cheese and top with salsa
-Optional:
Add avocado, sour cream and Sriracha! 
Black beans
 
2) Mac & Cheese Casserole
Cook Mac & Cheese accordingly
Put into greased casserole dish
Melt ½ stick butter and mix with bread crumbs, use mixture to top the Mac & Cheese
Bake for 15 mins @350
Let cool for 5 mins, serve & enjoy
-Optional:
Mix in cooked ground turkey before pouring into casserole pan
You could even sneak in some peas and carrots!
 
3) Turkey Meatloaf
Cook 1 cup chopped onion in melted butter for approx. 3-5 mins
Place mixture in a large bowl to cool (approx. 5 mins)
Then add in ground turkey, ½ cup bread crumbs, 1 egg, ¼ stick melted butter, ¼ cup salsa and salt and pepper to taste
Press meatloaf mixture into a greased 8 x 4- inch loaf pan
Top with ¼ cup salsa
Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 mins  (internal temp should reach 165 degrees)
Let cool for 5 mins before serving
-Optional:
- add in shredded carrots and or thinly sliced celery
--add some French's Fried Onions , top with cheese during last 15 minutes of cooking 
-Cook gravy packet accordingly and top the meatloaf with it when serving
- serve with cornbread muffins
 
4) Taco Salad
Brown 1 packet of ground turkey
Serve on a bed of chopped lettuce
Top with diced onion, shredded lettuce, cheese and salsa
 
5) Ground turkey lettuce wraps
Brown 1 pack of ground turkey
In a bowl mix ½ cup salsa and ¼ cup chopped onion ¼ cup diced celery, ¼ cup shredded carrots
Cut the stem end off the iceberg and pull apart the layers to create a cup effect
Fill the lettuce cups with turkey meat mixture and top with cheese
 
6) Breakfast burritos
Scramble eggs
In a tortilla add a scoop of cooked eggs, desired veggies, left-over meat, cheese and salsa, roll/wrap and serve
-Optional:
Bellpeppers
 
7) Quesadilla
Sprinkle some of the cheese, on 1 half of each tortilla. Fold the tortillas in half over the cheese to make a half-moon. Warm a skillet over low heat and add 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the tortilla to the skillet and cook until it is lightly brown, about 2 minutes, flip over and cook the other side until brown and the cheese is all gooey.
-Optional:
-add in some cooked onion
-add in some left-over cooked ground turkey
-top with salsa when serving
 
8)Loaded Au Gratin Potatoes
Prepare potatoes accordingly and mix in 1 cup cooked ground turkey
Top with a mixture of ½ cup bread crumbs and ¼ stick melted butter

YOUR SHOPPING LIST:  *Some of these you'll already have in on hand.
(2) Ground Turkey 
Mac & Cheese Deluxe Box
Au Gratin Potatoes
Gluten Free or regular Flour Tortillas
Gluten Free or regular Bread Crumbs
Iceberg Lettuce
Taco Seasoning Packet
Jar of preferred Salsa
Packet of Gravy
2 Large Yellow Onions
Block or shredded cheese of your choice
Break and Bake Chocolate Chip Cookies
Eggs
Carrots
Celery
Butter

Optionals:
Avocado, tomatoes, black beans, sour cream, frozen bag of peas and carrots, box of cornbread mix, French's Fried Onions. Assorted bell peppers. Did we mention avocado?!

The best part? The whole list should hit somewhere between $50-$70 pending on your optional purchases.

We all love to splurge for a feast to top all feasts each Thanksgiving, but that means tighter wallets and tighter jeans! We believe everyone should have the opportunity to prepare and enjoy a home-cooked meal with family and friends on Thanksgiving, while recognizing that the cost can be burdensome for many. We've compiled some tips to help you make the most of your Thanksgiving while saving where you can.

1) Go Seasonal!
Produce that's in season is not only fresher, but cheaper. If you're wondering what is in season, check out this article from Local Foods that has a great list of fall fruits and vegetables. Apples, beets, pomegranates, and winter squash -- to name a few.

2) Potluck Style
Hosting a Thanksgiving Day get-together? Have each guest bring a dish, while you master the art of the turkey! Not only will guests have a chance to bring a nostalgic dish of their own, you won't be weighted down with financing the entire meal, allowing you time to enjoy conversing and visiting with friends, instead of playing musical chairs in the kitchen cooking all the dishes.

3) Do these TWO things NOW!
Buy your turkey and freeze it -- significantly cheaper to buy it now than to buy fresh in the few days leading up. Coupons: Now is the time to be eying your local newspapers for coupons on your T-day meal items.

4) Be reasonable with your meal offerings
It can be tempting to want to try a zillion new recipes (on top of old favorites), and convince yourself that you have to have stuffing every year (even though you hate it). Plan and pick food everyone will eat and enjoy (yourself included!). Nobody envies the sad casserole dish that was barely touched, but was made because it's "tradition." If there's a favorite of a family member's, make a smaller portion to cut back on the cost and food waste.

5) Consider your portions and plan for leftovers
No one has ever eaten the table when it comes to Thanksgiving, right? By the time we've filled up on spinach dip and beer waiting for the turkey to cook, dreams of plates and plates of food become less of a reality. We have to make room for pie, after all! Consider scaling back on portion sizes or make a plan for the leftovers that will carry you into the next week: turkey enchiladas, turkey burritos, turkey soup, pie for dinner... you get the idea!

6) Generic takes the cake!
If you aren't married to a specific brand, don't be afraid to go generic. Are you going to notice the difference in caliber in black beans by going for the cheapest can? One way to find the best-priced items is to look toward the bottom of the shelves. Middle shelving is prime real estate and big brands pay for that placement. Generally, you can find similar products for cheaper on the bottom shelves.

7) Make your own food
It's always cheaper.

8) Create a new tradition!
Thanksgiving is about being together with friends and family. If it's not in your budget to do a "traditional" meal -- come up with a new plan. Pick a recipe you've always wanted to try. Don't stress about having 11 different side dishes. Enjoy making new memories and trying out a new dish that everyone will be excited to test out. Take control of the day and make it your own.

We hope you all have an amazing Thanksgiving Day this year. If you'd like to donate to our #ConejoCommunityThanksgiving event, and help us feed 30 local families this year, please visit our event page to learn more about how you can donate and volunteer.

Please comment and add your tips and tricks for an affordable meal on our Facebook Page.