SHARE Center Christmas Joy
The first ever Christmas at the SHARE Center in Salinas was a festive event, with visits from was a festive time at the SHARE Center in Salinas! Supervisor Alejo and Mayor Craig helped with fundraising (raising more than $5,000), getting backpacks and school supplies, toys for the kids, and gifts for all the adults at the SHARE Center – plus the Salinas Fire Department brought two Santas (one from the north pole, one from the south pole) to hand out the toys! In addition, a new play structure has been purchased from the raised funds, which will be installed by volunteers from the Monterey/Santa Cruz Building & Construction Trades Council in the next month.
Special thanks to sponsors Comcast, General Motors, and the American Beverage Association, plus to the Hawaiian Women’s Association for donating the pizza party, and to all the people who donated gifts to make this holiday memorable! BACS is continuing our work to get every individual and family into stable housing, because everyone deserves quality housing.
BACS opens Contra Costa’s Newest Hub for Housing & Services
BACS is excited to announce the grand opening of Delta Landing in Pittsburg, providing low-barrier, interim housing services focused on rapidly transitioning participants into permanent housing with intensive aftercare supports – doing “whatever it takes” to help them stabilize and remain in their housing. Delta Landing is a 172-unit interim housing site in BACS’ signature “Housing Fast” model, and opened in December 2021.
BACS has housed over 3,000 people through this model, which we have honed over the past 11 years and demonstrated a consistently lower recidivism rate (falling back to homelessness) than national and local averages for this model. Generally, achieving permanent housing does not require a lifetime permanent subsidy.
The Delta Landing site has been transformed into a state-of-the-art interim housing site, with onsite physical and behavioral healthcare, case management services for employment and housing assistance, and other services to support our clients as they work towards housing. BACS Delta Landing will provide respite, wraparound, housing placement services, and employment support to the Contra Costa Community experiencing homelessness.
State Homekey Innovation Award
In a state-wide honor, BACS received the Homekey Innovation Award for our bold 2020 housing initiative, Project Reclamation. Project Reclamation is our unique, neighborhood-oriented approach to ending homelessness. Each individual has their own bedroom. Each home is a micro-community, often in the neighborhoods where residents grew up, that residents can feel proud of – with ongoing supportive services.
This award “acknowledges your bold action and commitment to solving the housing and homelessness crisis that is impacting our state.” In 2020, the State of California set aside funds to create permanent housing. BACS was awarded $10 million to buy houses, and with additional partnership from Crankstart, added 142 units to BACS’ unique housing co-living model – which we started in 1973 and now serves more than 200 people.
Sacramento Crisis Navigation Success
The Sacramento Crisis Navigation Program (CNP) opened its doors in June 2021 and quickly built a reputation for providing flexible, community-based services. CNP utilizes peer staff to support community members discharging from Emergency Departments and Psychiatric Facilities. CNP staff provide a “whatever-it-takes approach” to engage members, increase readiness for services, and advocate for needed services and resources.
This past November, CNP received a referral for a community member who was in need of services but had some distrust of providers due to past experiences. The community member struggled with ongoing mental health symptoms, substance use, and chronic homelessness. CNP staff continued to work to build rapport, set boundaries, provide incentives, and utilize creative interventions. Over the next few months, this member successfully linked to a high level mental health program and moved into a transitional housing program. At the time of discharge, the member reported two weeks sobriety and reported he was excited for the prospect of having a future and thankful to be receiving mental health services.
Art Piece: Social Justice, COVID, and Fire
BACS is from, by, and for the community – and we are inspired every day to push beyond the barriers that hold our community back, which means confronting our reality face-on.
Fiona Ruddy, talented artist and program manager of BACS’ LIFT program, made this beautiful work of art, inspired by the harsh realities of the last few years. This piece is on display at BACS headquarters, Thunder Road, in Oakland. Its beauty and power inspires staff and partners as they walk through our halls.
Health and wellness do not happen in a vacuum – art is healing. Housing is healing. Truth is healing. We strive to treat ‘the whole person’ no matter what their needs are. BACS’ Registered Art Therapists do important work helping the people we serve process and grow from their challenges, and continue their journey of wellness and recovery.
Tipping Point Breakfast
In 2021, BACS completed the first year of our partnership with Tipping Point Community (TPC), who provide strategic investments in non-profits proven to make a difference. It was a tremendous honor, as a first-time grantee, to additionally be chosen as a featured grantee at the annual Tipping Point Breakfast! CEO Jamie Almanza and Property Manager Terrell Hegler joined to share our neighborhood-oriented approach to ending homelessness. Sam Cobbs, CEO of Tipping Point Community, introduced them saying “On the surface, BACS is a housing provider, a really good one, but when you dig deeper, housing is just a tool they use to transform the communities they serve.”
Tipping Point fights poverty in the Bay Area, through targeted investments and capacity-building support. Since 2005, Tipping Point has invested nearly $300 million in housing, early childhood, education, and employment solutions – strengthening our community’s safety net. We look forward to further partnership with TPC!