Information provided by Youth Alliance. Lea este articulo en español aquí.
Youth Alliance is proud to celebrate the retirement of Dolores Villalon, or Mrs.
D as many of us know her, after her remarkable 25-year tenure with the organization. Ms. D’s unwavering commitment, dedication to supporting youth, and her role as a community leader have left an indelible mark on the organization and the lives of countless young people and families.
Dolores has been recognized over the years for her exceptional work as the Site Coordinator of the Youth Alliance neighborhood centers. Beginning at Villa Luna Apartments and then transitioning to work with South County Housing at Rancho Park, Rustic, and Gateway Apartments, Ms. D ran after-school programs for elementary school students, the drop in program called Drop Zone for middle school and high school students, and Las Comadres circle for parents. Dolores championed partnerships with the Library and Bookmobile, a model summer camp in partnership with the American Diabetes Association, and youth mentorship roles like Health Squad and Teen Leadership.
Recognized by the California State Assembly in 2015, she is known for going above and
beyond to provide after-school programs, preteen life skills classes, overseeing the volunteers at the annual Kids At the Park event, and various family activities aimed at preventing violence and creating a safe and welcoming environment for youth while connecting them with adult and youth mentors. The children always knew when Ms. D arrived and would run out to greet her when they saw her van pull up. Her big smile and encouraging words kept them coming back.
As they grew up, Ms. D would create roles for the older youth to earn community service hours or get hired as teen leaders. She knew the value of keeping them safe and engaged. Her love for the parents helped create Las Comadres to share recipes, goals, and challenges, and she always offered comfort and referrals for resources, sometimes going with them to the schools to help them advocate for their child.
Over the past decade, Ms. Villalon has served in high-need neighborhoods, where she played a pivotal role in organizing neighborhood forums on critical issues such as gang prevention, youth safety, and resident concerns. Her dedication knows no bounds, as she has volunteered her time during evenings and weekends to secure vital contributions, ensuring the continued operational support of the Youth Alliance neighborhood center.
Diane Ortiz, CEO of the Youth Alliance, shared heartfelt comments about Ms. Villalon’s
extraordinary contributions to the community: “Ms. Dolores has been a trusted mentor and advocate for youth and families for many years. She has a generous heart and led her
programs with love, respect, and dignity for all youth and families. She created lasting
relationships and would continue to get visits from youth, sharing good news like grades, making varsity, or getting accepted to college. She could also organize an event and community forum like no other! If Ms. D were involved, there would be standing-room only showing others that these families aren’t “hard to reach”, they just need a credible messenger to be engaged.
Dolores will be very missed. But we are all excited for her to enjoy retirement and spend time cooking with her grandkids. Her impact will be felt for many years.”
Youth Alliance is proud to recognize Mrs. D for her 25 years at the organization, but more
importantly for the deep impact she has had on the lives of so many youth in families in the community. We proudly show our appreciation and gratitude for her years of dedicated service and wish her well in her future endeavors.