Cerro Coso’s Lorena Moreno Aguilar Presents Innovative Basic Needs Program at COLEGAS 2024 Annual Conference

Lorena Moreno Aguilar, Program Coordinator for Basic Needs at Cerro Coso Community College, was a featured presenter at the COLEGAS 2024 Annual Conference, held on November 4-5 in Sacramento. The conference, themed “Collective Resistance: Justicia y Liberación,” brought together professionals dedicated to advancing equity and inclusion across California's community colleges.

Moreno Aguilar’s invitation to speak stemmed from a college partnership meeting in August with the Foundation for California Community Colleges (FCCC). During this meeting, she shared the impactful work being done at Cerro Coso’s Basic Needs program, particularly the innovative WileyFresh initiative. A program manager at FCCC, was impressed by Cerro Coso’s ability to implement such a forward-thinking program at the community college level and invited Moreno Aguilar to co-present at multiple conferences.

Her presentation at the COLEGAS conference focused on best practices in addressing the basic needs of students. Highlighting the WileyFresh program, she explained how this initiative supports Cerro Coso students eligible for CalFresh but unable to meet citizenship requirements. WileyFresh, inspired by UC Davis’s Aggie Fresh program, provides eligible students up to $291 per month for groceries, allowing them to focus on their education without the stress of food insecurity.

“WileyFresh is a testament to Cerro Coso’s commitment to student success and innovation,” Moreno Aguilar shared. “When I present this project, I always credit UC Davis for the initial concept. Similarly, I hope other colleges will gain inspiration from us and our ability to adapt and implement this program at the community college level. I’m proud that Cerro Coso is paving the way for this kind of initiative to expand statewide.”

Students enrolled in WileyFresh must meet CalFresh requirements, excluding citizenship, and participate in activities or workshops designed to support their academic and personal growth. They are also required to maintain active enrollment at Cerro Coso.

Moreno Aguilar’s dedication to addressing student needs has positioned Cerro Coso Community College as a leader in fostering equity and innovation. She will continue to share the success of WileyFresh at the upcoming Basic Needs Summit, inspiring other colleges to implement similar initiatives.

Visit the Basic Needs page for more information about the program. 

Learn more about the COLEGAS Annual Conference.

Caption: Lorena Moreno Aguilar presents at the COLEGAS conference in Sacramento.