BACS has moved in the first “cohort” of un-housed residents to the brand new SHARE Center in Salinas, CA! Our team, all from the Salinas community, welcomed the first 22 clients on Memorial Day.

Three families with children under 18 came indoors in our first group of residents, as well as 8 single adults. 86% identify as Latino/a/x. As a low-barrier program, we welcomed residents with mental health challenges, chronic health conditions, and physical disabilities. 72% have been experiencing homelessness for more than 2 years. For all of these residents, and every person who comes after them, BACS is going to do “whatever it takes” to help them find housing.

The SHARE Center is a beautiful and spacious location, including a reception, waiting room, staff spaces, health clinic, counseling offices, library, a commercial kitchen, a multipurpose room, pet kennels, outdoor dining area, children’s play areas, and bedrooms with 100 beds, including family rooms.

“We are so honored to bring BACS’ deep commitment to the “whatever it takes” philosophy to the Salinas community,” says BACS CEO Jamie Almanza, “we have a mission to serve and are so grateful to the community that has done so much to welcome us.”

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Bay Area Community Services (BACS) is community-based in the deepest sense of the word.

In 1953, our founders heard the call of the community, and stepped up to respond to poverty and institutionalization – what held back people with mental illness and frail elders. For nearly seven decades, BACS has created community centers and employment programs, crisis mental health programs, and programs determined to end homelessness, pulling together advocates, experts, and innovators to break down these barriers.

We are grassroots, from deep East Oakland to Vallejo to Richmond to San Francisco. We are embedded, engaged, and listening. We have a responsibility to hear the call of our vulnerable community members.

To create this Strategic Plan, BACS’ participants, board members, funders, staff, and community supports partnered together to understand systemic gaps, individual needs, and agency strengths and opportunities. As we set our strategic priorities, we heard from thousands of community members of their struggles – generational poverty, policing, racism, disability, injustice, trauma. 99% of BACS clients are extremely low income; more than 80% are people of color; more than 80% are experiencing behavioral health challenges. [Read more…]

Jamie Almanza, BACS CEO, is 2020’s Woman of the Year for State Senator Nancy Skinner’s District 9!

Watch the virtual award ceremony here: https://youtu.be/youW9xCUflQ?t=575

“Bay Area Community Services, if you have not heard of it, is a phenomenal organization,” said Senator Skinner. “Jamie, everyone in this district, whether they are aware of BACS or not, owes a debt of gratitude to you. Because you are serving people that are in such need… everyone wants our unsheltered folks, our folks who are struggling with mental illness – they want them served. It breaks all of our hearts to see the encampments, to step over people, to see the misery, especially now with COVID… You have my commitment to continue to fight for funding for BACS.”

Elected in November 2016, state Sen. Nancy Skinner  represents California’s 9th Senate District, which includes the cities of Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Emeryville, El Sobrante, Hercules, Kensington, Oakland, Piedmont, Pinole, Richmond, Rodeo, San Leandro, and San Pablo.

BACS is so grateful for the recognition of our incredible CEO, Jamie Almanza, whose leadership inspires each of us to do “whatever it takes” to uplift our community.

We are coming to the end of 2020 – a year of great challenge that shook us all to our core – between the pandemic, civil unrest related to racism and injustice, and the ongoing housing crisis.

This year did not knock BACS down, but rather built us up as an agency of the people, of the community, and for the community. Not only did BACS not skip a beat this year, we opened a record number of new programs and interventions, spreading our reach even further and deeper in to the community.

This year, BACS served 12,478 people – more than ever before – between 4 Counties. As you read through our Annual Report for 2019-2020, focus on the people. The people we serve, the people we hire from our communities, the people that have given to BACS. You will see an organization that is the Community’s Organization. Your Neighborhood’s Organization.

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