Bay Area Community Services (BACS)

Supporting People, Supporting Community

BACS Receives Generous Grant from the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation

BACS is delighted to announce a historic grant from the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, which awarded BACS $100,000 to support our housing & homeless solutions programs in Oakland.

BACS’ Executive Director, Jamie Almanza, says, “I am ecstatic and so grateful to the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation for the generosity and creativity put forward in this unprecedented grant to our Homeless Programs in Oakland. BACS’ mission is to do whatever it takes to end homelessness.  In partnership with Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, we will transition individuals from street homelessness to permanent housing. ”

Additionally, the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation has offered a $50,000 challenge grant. We need community support to help us meet this match. You can make a gift towards this goal and double your impact: donate now!

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Thomas J. Long Foundation

BACS is delighted to announce an historic grant from the Thomas J. Long Foundation, which awarded BACS $750,000 to support our senior services.

This year, BACS celebrates our 65th anniversary of providing crucial social services in the Bay Area. This foundation partnership supports our work, our sustainability, and our mission.

BACS’ Executive Director Jamie Almanza says “We are honored to receive this unprecedented grant from the Thomas J. Long Foundation. This foundation, and Thomas J. Long’s legacy, have been an integral part of the fabric of the Bay Area for decades. The Thomas J. Long Foundation has a true vision to nimbly make a difference by supporting what non-profits need.”

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BACS Connections February 2018

Results Are In: Making a Difference

Each year, BACS conducts a survey of our many participants across our housing programs, behavioral health services, and community programs – and this year, our results were better than ever! This is part of BACS’ Continuous Quality Improvement process, so we can consistently tweak and improve our programs to best serve the community, Many thanks to the staff and participants who made this possible.

Thank You to Mayor Schaaf

BACS would like to extend our gratitude to Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who has been an important partner. Mayor Schaaf not only donated Warriors Suite tickets for BACS to auction, benefiting our housing programs, but also visited a BACS housing program to help a participant celebrate 30 days of sobriety!

If you want to end homelessness in Oakland, you can help! If you have a room to rent, email us at RoomsInOakland@bayareacs.org. Or, you can donate to help a community member get back on their feet.

BACS Makes Major Investment in Staff

BACS is excited to celebrate our 65th anniversary as a local non-profit! BACS started in 1953 in Oakland, serving a few hundred people per year. Today, BACS serves more than 7,500 people each year, has services in Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and Solano County, and has helped more than 100,000 people in the last 65 years.

This would not be possible without the dedicated, passionate, diverse staff who work every day to make a difference in our community. In recognition of their commitment and their successes, and to celebrate 65 years of doing ‘whatever it takes’, BACS is raising pay for our staff ‘on the streets’ to the top of any non-profit in the Bay Area, making a monumental and unprecedented investment in our direct care staff. This will have a long term effect on the outcomes of our programs by reducing turnover and investing in the economic development of our communities.

Black History Month at BACS

“When we think of Black History Month, we are reminded of the Black excellence that has trail blazed our current steps.  What is just as important is the cultivation of Black Future month as this is where the inventors of tomorrow will be, the change makers, the social justice warriors that will continue in the work laid before us.  Black excellence is tomorrow, it’s today, and it’s now.” – Sage Williams, Program Manager and Cultural Responsiveness Committee Chairperson

Program Anniversaries: Woodroe, FREE, FIRST, SAGE

This February, BACS is celebrating program anniversaries for four of our community programs! Woodroe Place opened in 1996, and provides short-term residential services for individuals in active psychiatric distress, in a welcoming and open environment. BACS also celebrates two of our re-entry programs: FREE opened in Alameda County in 2016, and FIRST opened in Solano County in 2016. These two programs provide care coordination for people living with severe mental health issues who are re-entering the community from jail/prison. Finally, BACS is celebrating our SAGE program, which opened in 2016 and provides coordination services for people with mental health challenges who need assistance to obtain Supplemental Security Income (SSI) through legal advocacy.

Join Our Cause

Do you want to join BACS in our mission to uplift under-served individuals and their families by doing whatever it takes?

Micah square

Donate

Donate to BACS online by clicking here, or via mail to 629 Oakland Ave, Oakland, CA 94612. Make an ongoing impact by donating monthly!

Or, donate gently used blankets, canned goods, and other items to our housing programs. Email us to learn more.

Work Here

BACS services are always expanding, and we are currently recruiting! Check out our job opportunities. Learn more on our website or by calling 510.613.0330.

Planned Giving

Many people leave a charitable gift in their will. Do you want to make a lifetime of impact in the community you care about? Email us to learn more!

BACS Connections January 2018

Thomas J. Long Foundation Makes Historic Grant to BACS

BACS is delighted to announce an historic grant from the Thomas J. Long Foundation, which awarded BACS $750,000 to support our senior services.

This year, BACS celebrates our 65th anniversary of providing crucial social services in the Bay Area. This foundation partnership supports our work, our sustainability, and our mission.

This historic grant allows BACS to close out our mortgage for Towne House Wellness Center, a central hub for all our services, while expanding our Aging With Independence program by hiring an Aging Director. Learn more about the Thomas J. Long Foundation, or read our complete announcement.

Oakland Raider Karl Joseph Visits BACS

Karl Joseph, Strong Safety on the Oakland Raiders, was struck by the level of homelessness in Alameda County, so he came to visit a new homeless program that BACS is supporting. Karl joined us for a holiday lunch with the community, talked to everyone, and passed out gift cards to folks in the program.

Through this program and all BACS housing programs, we use direct outreach to find people where they are at, whether it is on the street, in encampments, or more. Then, we do whatever it takes to find them permanent, sustainable housing. We offer interim housing, benefits assistance, job support, food support, housing application fees, and more.

Community support and visibility are so important to ending homelessness – thank you to Karl Joseph for visiting!

CARF Accreditation

CARF, the Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, visited BACS in 2017. BACS is delighted to announce that the CARF issued us a 3 years accreditation! This is the highest level of award.

BACS was delighted to host CARF at our sites, to demonstrate the quality of performance of our services, and to accept recommendations as part of our Continuous Quality Improvement process.

Donahue Fitzgerald Attorneys

BACS was honored in December to receive a major contribution from Donahue Fitzgerald Attorneys! The partners presented BACS with this $5,000 donation to benefit our housing, aging, mental health, and youth services.

Donahue Fitzgerald Attorneys are the oldest continuing law firm in California, and became connected to BACS when former partner Michael Ward joined BACS’ team as our Senior Director of Administration. Thank you Donahue Fitzgerald for your commitment to bettering our community!

Pathway Community Church

Since January of 2017, Pastor Ken Jung and the Pathway Community Church in Pleasanton has partnered with BACS’ Valley Wellness Center to support our community. The Pathway community began making weekly deliveries of pastries and bread, but soon became a monthly lunch catered by Pathway members! Over the holiday season, the Pathway Community Church donated a Christmas tree, and brought a holiday luncheon to Valley Wellness Center. We are so grateful to the Pathway Community Church, and to Pastor Ken Jung, for their generosity and community service! Check out their full story here.

Coffee with Milly

This January, Milly Alvarez began her “Coffee with Milly” series at Towne House Wellness Center. Milly Alvarez worked as Manager at Towne House for 30 years, and is hosting this event to keep connections with the community, and to honor Towne House’s past as we continue to look to the future.

Please join us for our next “Coffee with Milly” on February 7, 10 a.m., at 629 Oakland Ave.

Join Our Cause

Do you want to join BACS in our mission to uplift under-served individuals and their families by doing whatever it takes?

Micah square

Donate

Donate to BACS online by clicking here, or via mail to 629 Oakland Ave, Oakland, CA 94612. Make an ongoing impact by donating monthly!

Or, donate gently used blankets, canned goods, and other items to our housing programs. Email us to learn more.

Work Here

BACS services are always expanding, and we are currently recruiting! Check out our job opportunities. Learn more on our website or by calling 510.613.0330.

Planned Giving

Many people leave a charitable gift in their will. Do you want to make a lifetime of impact in the community you care about? Email us to learn more!

Thank You Pathway Community Church!

Since January of 2017, Pastor Ken Jung and the Pathway Community Church in Pleasanton has partnered with BACS’ Valley Wellness Center to support our community.

Pathway Community Church is a neighbor of Valley, and wanted to help support our participants around food and nutrition. The Pathway community began making weekly deliveries of pastries and bread, but soon became a monthly lunch catered by Pathway members! Volunteers from Pathway cook and serve the lunch, while raising awareness and learning about mental health.

[Read more…]

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BACS is accredited by CARF, an international independent accrediting body, whose focus is on ensuring high-quality services.