Jennifer Schwabauer has lived in the Conejo Valley community for nearly half a century--a fact that speaks to her love of and commitment to the area. It's no surprise, then, that her efforts as the Executive Director of Manna are approached with the utmost care and compassion, because she embodies the organization's primary mission--'neighbor feeding neighbor.'
Jennifer first became involved with Manna as a child when her 4-H Club, along with five other clubs in the Conejo Valley, planted and maintained a vegetable garden at Manna for several years to supply the pantry with fresh vegetables. Later, in the mid-90’s, she volunteered as a Pantry Escort. But, her support of Manna didn’t stop there. As an active leader in the 4-H Youth Development Program, Jennifer voiced her support that food collected in the Conejo Valley during the annual 4-H “Trick or Treat so Other’s can Eat” food drive should be given to Manna rather than sent to the county-wide food bank in Oxnard.
Prior to joining Manna, Jennifer worked in the for-profit sector with globally-recognized organizations as well as entrepreneurial ventures. Her foundation in the for-profit world assisted her in establishing and maintaining fruitful business practices. While she appreciated those lessons, she would eventually move over to the non-profit sector, pulling in more than $250,000 in grants yearly for the New West Symphony and establishing the Development Department for the Boys & Girls Club of Moorpark.
In her free time, Jennifer elected to volunteer her time and talents to community organizations such as the Ventura County 4H Youth Development Program, the Ventura County Farm Bureau, the California Junior Livestock Association and the Friends of the California State Fair. Through both her work and volunteer roles, Jennifer has established lasting and respectful relationships with members of the community.
Since Jennifer arrived at Manna in 2012, she has successfully managed a staff of nine employees at the main office in Thousand Oaks. Further, she maintains oversight of more than 100 volunteers and an operating budget of more than $1.4 million. Donations are increasing and Manna is able to serve more than 1600 people per month currently; however, the organization is establishing long-term plans to continue serving the needs of residents long-term.
If you'd like to learn more about Manna, see what the organization does each day or to simply meet Jennifer face to face, simply
contact Manna's office right away!
