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California, Oakland, and BACS – Partner Together Announcing Major Investment in Permanent Housing for Oaklanders

September 22, 2020

During the upheaval of the last 6 months – with the pandemic and fires making the ongoing housing crisis more complex –  BACS has persevered and continues to be ‘on the ground’, doing whatever it takes:

  • All of our residential programs, community intensive programs, and houses have stayed open 24/7;
  • In the first three months of the pandemic, BACS kept 695 families in their housing through Keep Oakland Housed;
  • BACS — operating two sites and serving 600+ people — joined Project Room Key, the state-wide initiative to provide a safe place for unhoused community members to shelter-in-place.

And today, we get to share spectacular news: BACS has been awarded $10 million to buy single-family homes in Oakland, to create permanent housing for community members with complex needs who are experiencing homelessness through Project Home Key!  [Read more…]

Tagged With: announcement, BACS, bay area community services, bay areaproject homekey, california, CARES, gavin newsom, homekey, homeless, homelessness, jamie almanza, libby schaaf, Oakland

BACS Announces New Strategic Plan

October 16, 2017

BACS was founded in 1953 – and over the last 65 years, BACS has tailored our services to keep up with the changing needs of our community.

BACS’ Strategic Plan for 2018-2020, rooted in our mission and our vision, is to focus on three solutions that aim to chip away at systematic barriers for healthy communities: Housing is the Solution, Community is the Solution, and Sustainability is the Solution.

Our Plan over the next three years is to focus on three strategies that aim to chip away at systematic barriers for healthy communities:

[Read more…]

Tagged With: bay area community services, family foundation, jamie almanza, nonprofit donations, strategic plan

BACS E.D. Jamie Almanza Publishes Non-Profit Survival Guide

June 15, 2017

Developing the Contract, Contingency Plan, and Relationship Management Plan: The community-based organization’s survival guide for moving into a managed care world

How does a community-based organization go about developing contracts and contingency plans, and managing relationships to succeed in the new managed care world?

In the Spring 2017 issue of American Society on Aging‘s Generations magazine (pp. 39-41),  Jamie Almanza, MBA, Executive Director of BACS, answers this question. Ms. Almanza has good news for all non-profits considering this transformation – “it is not only possible, but is also a reinvigorating process for an agency, its staff, its consumers, and its funders.”

[Read more…]

Tagged With: american society on aging, community based organization, executive director, jamie almanza, major nonprofit, managed care

BACS Connections April 2017

April 26, 2017

BACS Board of Directors Elects Three New Members

2017

BACS is delighted to announce the confirmations of three new members to the Board of Directors: Rebecca Altman, Judith Bloom, and Darryl Moore.

Rebecca Altman has a Master’s in Global Health, is Director at Third Plateau, and has substantial experience with social impact organizations. She is eager to support BACS in building a stronger, healthier, and more vibrant community in the Bay Area.

Darryl Moore is a long-time Berkeley resident and public servant, with 12 years on the Berkeley City Council in addition to numerous other positions. Darryl is excited to use his expertise in budgetary analysis and in Bay Area housing to benefit the agency and the community.

Judith Bloom is a former BACS Board member, serving from 1989-1996, and has been an active advocate for BACS since then. Judith is also a Certified Public Accountant, is on the Berkeley Symphony Advisory Committee, and is Treasurer of the Berkeley Holiday Fund.

Welcome to the BACS Board, Darryl, Judith, and Rebecca! To read more about our new members, see the full announcement here.

BACS Wellness Centers Celebrate 48 Years!

Charter Students

BACS is pleased to celebrate the 48 year anniversary of BACS’ Wellness Centers (originally called the Creative Living Centers).

BACS opened our Wellness Centers in 1969 to fill a crucial need in the community: welcoming and accessible community spaces for individuals living with behavioral health issues. Our Wellness Centers offer classes and programs, skills-building, and behavioral health services. Our Wellness Centers have made a difference for thousands of people over the last 47 years. Learn more about our Wellness Centers here. Thank you to everyone who makes our Wellness Centers special!

May is National Mental Health Month

Mental-Health-Awareness

May is just around the corner, and it is time to celebrate National Mental Health Awareness Month!

Mental health is essential to everyone’s overall health and well-being, and mental health issues are common and treatable. If you or someone you know is experiencing behavioral health issues, you are not alone! Learn more about BACS and get help, make a difference for your community, or share your story with us today.

 Employee of the Month

Daniel employee of the monthBACS is delighted to announce Daniel Sanchez, Peer Counselor at BACS’ Solano Crisis Residential Center, as Employee of the Month for April!

In the year Daniel has been with BACS, his colleagues who nominated him say “he always presents an enthusiastic, whatever it takes attitude, and is very flexible and positive!”

Daniel says “My favorite part of working at BACS is knowing I am part of something greater than myself. My greatest success has been inspiring hope in the clients… I love that feeling that I am making a difference in the client’s lives.”

Congratulations, Daniel!

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!

Tagged With: berkeley holiday fund, darryl moore, employee recognition, end homelessness, jamie almanza, judith bloom, mental health, mental health awareness month, national mental health month, philanthropy, rebecca altman, Wellness Center

BACS Connections October 2016

October 25, 2016

Kaiser Permanente Awards BACS a Grant to Bring Healthy Living to Our Supported Independent Living Sites!

kaiser-permanente-logo

BACS was awarded a $20,000 Healthy Eating, Active Living grant by Kaiser for our Supported Independent Living Houses for people living with behavioral health needs!  This will enable us to invest in our housing sites with healthy activities so that the individuals living there are exposed to health and wellness.

BACS provides six affordable housing sites for adults who have behavioral health issues and are at risk of becoming homeless, and will use this grant funding to promote healthy lifestyles, including breaking the cycle of poor nutrition that many homeless individuals experience.

BACS would like to extend our gratitude for Kaiser Permanente for this grant, and for promoting healthy living for the most vulnerable members of our community.

“Power of Faith” Event

jamie-at-power-of-faith

Jamie Almanza, MBA, BACS’ Executive Director, was invited by Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson’s office to speak at the September “Power of Faith” event. This event was designed to “highlight and celebrate the work of faith-based organizations, as well as bring together faith-based organizations and community members to collaborate to amplify our collective work in the community.”

Jamie participated in a panel on homelessness and housing with our local faith-based community. On behalf of BACS, thank you Supervisor Carson for the invitation, and thank you to our very own Housing Coordinator, Mike King, for blessing the event with your presence!

Volunteers Build Garden Boxes at Woodroe Place

woodroe-volunteers

BACS would like to extend a huge “thank you” to volunteers from Beacon Health Options – Laura, Lori, Sam, Gina, Laine, and Sarah – who spent a Friday afternoon building garden boxes at Woodroe Place!

Our volunteers came and learned more about our Crisis Residential Treatment program, then made a permanent impact by starting our gardening project off right. BACS’ vision is for participants to get involved in gardening, and to use the seasonally rotated foods grown in the garden as part of cooking groups. The Beacon volunteers built 8 garden beds, and were happy to work with one of our interested participants.

Employee of the Month

BACS is delighted to honor our wonderful nursing staff by recognizing both Erin Tolva and Sunita Suman as our Employees of the Month for October!

eotm

Both Erin and Sunita were nominated by their peers to appreciate the integral role they play in our programs. Here is what our staff had to say:

Erin is such an incredible asset to our programs. She is smart, she is dedicated, and her training as a nurse is invaluable to our participants. Erin is an advocate for our participants, she works hard in the community, and she is an endless morale booster for her team members! Her hard work inspires all of us to work harder. With Erin, you can always trust that client care comes first.

Sunita embodies the spirit of Woodroe Place. She routinely responds to the needs of the house and the residents without hesitation or prompting. She is the consummate team player and has been observed to step in to support her team even outside her job duties. Sunita is the first staff to point out the strengths of the residents that we work with and she is often observed by her team to hold the hope that some of our most challenged residents will do better.  Sunita also has a very sharp sense of humor that keeps her team light on their feet!

Congratulations, Sunita and Erin!

HIP Annex Revitalization Project

annex

BACS’ Hope Intervention Program, which provides mobile outreach and crisis intervention services to youth age 16-24, is planning an artistic revitalization project for one of Towne House’s many welcoming spaces!

Volunteers will be creating a mural or another large-scale design project, and making the space perfect for youth to chill, get focused, and accomplish their goals.

If you are interested in helping with this project, call the HIP main line at 510-593-5629.

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? The community has asked us to provide more services than ever, based on need. In 2016, help us make this possible!

Donate today!

Donate

Donate to BACS online by clicking here, or via mail to 629 Oakland Ave, Oakland, CA 94612.

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.

Tagged With: healthy eating active living, jamie almanza, kaiser, kaiser grant, kaiser permanente, keith carson, nonprofit jobs, power of faith, volunteers

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