Adelante is excited to announce that we are the recipient of a $723,816 grant to be spent over the course of 3 years from The Whole Planet Foundation.

The Whole Planet Foundation was developed to create economic partnerships with the poor in the developing-world communities that supply Whole Foods Market stores with products like coffee, bananas, and pineapples. They are giving back to the global community through their commitment to micro credit. The Whole Planet Foundation believes that the Grameen micro credit program is the most effective system for combating poverty in developing countries. Professor Yunus' methodology reaches more people with fewer restrictions, less cost, and greater success than any other. Working directly with individual borrowers and families – instead of with community representatives or co-op supervisors – the Grameen micro credit system ensures that money actually gets to the people who need it most.

Whole Planet Foundation is partnering with Adelante Foundation because of their Grameen replicator status and Adelante's commitment to the extreme poor. The grant will support two of Adelante's projects, one in the departments of Atlántida and Colon, where Whole Foods Market sources bananas on the North Coast of Honduras. The $321,100 grant for this region will aim to increase the number of borrowers from 2,600 to 5,000 over the next three years. In the department of Choluteca, the $411,716 grant will enable Adelante to open a branch office, reaching an entirely new client base and bring micro credit to the more economically disadvantaged region in the Southern part of Honduras, where Whole Foods Market buys coffee. The target number of clients in Choluteca is 2,000 at the conclusion of the three-year project.

The Whole Planet Foundation has pledged over $5,000,000 in its first year of operation. Through partnerships with well respected and prolific organizations such as Grameen Trust, Adelante Foundation and Pro Mujer Nicaragua they are helping lift families out of poverty, contributing to peace and prosperity and supporting efforts that are consistent with Whole Foods Market's belief in entrepreneurship and free markets.

Visit Whole Planet's Website

Click here to see video of Adelante clients featured by Whole Planet

American Jewish World Service (AJWS)

Adelante's relationship with American Jewish World Service (AJWS) has advanced into the final phase of funding. The Education Department support from AJWS is creating education centers in each field office to augment the training in the field and provide a place for additional support for clients.

American Jewish World Service (AJWS) is an international development organization motivated by Judaism's imperative to pursue justice. AJWS is dedicated to alleviating poverty, hunger and disease among the people of the developing world regardless of race, religion or nationality. Through grants to grassroots organizations, volunteer service, advocacy and education, AJWS fosters civil society, sustainable development and human rights for all people, while promoting the values and responsibilities of global citizenship within the Jewish community.

Women's Empowerment International (WE)

Adelante began its partnership with the Women's Empowerment International (WE) in 2007 and is excited to continue it into 2008. WE embraces its responsibility to make the world a better place and to alleviate poverty in an effective way that fosters hopefulness for the future, instills a vision of what can be, and draws others forward in a positive way.

With a strong sense of oneness and solidarity with women globally, WE envisions a world without poverty in which women are empowered, uplifted, and full partners in society. They live in a safe and sustainable environment that includes adequate food, housing, education, and health care, and possess the tools to provide a better life for themselves and their families. As important, they have hope, self-esteem and the ability to control their lives and destinies.  

To achieve these ends, WE and its members-

• Help the poorest of the poor break the cycle of poverty, through microfinance and diverse partnerships.
• Are international, inclusive and diverse in our community of members, partnerships and programs.
• Engage in mutually empowering two-way communication and other activities with women across the globe.
• Advocate strongly for the poor.
• Demonstrate the highest integrity, the highest standards of excellence, and mutual respect in all that we do, living up to the trust that others have placed in us.   
• Base our actions and decisions in knowledge and research, and educate ourselves and others about poverty and microfinance.
• Work within a democratic environment that reflects a willingness to be open to another's perspective and reality, and to show kindness and tolerance toward each other.