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BACS Connections August 2021

August 5, 2021

Sacramento Crisis Navigation Program

The mental health system of care can be complicated – which is why BACS has started the Sacramento Crisis Navigation Program (CNP). We are supporting community members with behavioral health needs who are in the middle of a crisis, at the emergency room, by being side-by-side to help them navigate available resources to find ongoing services and stability.

Some of the people we serve may have been through this cycle before (from emergency room to a referral to ongoing behavioral health services), but without the warm handoff and individualized coordination they slipped through the cracks. BACS Care Coordinators are here to fill that gap and provide a necessary support to these members of our community and help them with behavioral health, housing, and other urgent life needs. Our team is made up of peers, people with lived experience of these same crises, who can connect with clients “where they are at.”

CNP is made possible by MHSA funding, Sacramento County, and partnership with eight hospitals across Sacramento County.

Advocating to Keep People Housed

BACS joined Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13) and Supervisor Keith Carson (Alameda County D5) today to advocate for extending the national eviction moratorium with our Keep Oakland Housed collaborative. KOH has helped more than 5,000 households keep their housing since 2019, and when COVID worsened the housing and economic crises, BACS and our partners were ready to provide emergency rental assistance, legal support, and supportive services to prevent mass evictions. Health and housing are linked, and keeping people housed prevents the spread of COVID.

One of those 5,000 families was Theresa Fortune and her child in elementary school. She is an artist, an entrepreneur, and a community advocate. She was able to get her bills paid and stay in her housing thanks to KOH. “In my experience with Keeping Oakland Housed, the process is so seamless – it was very easy. Thank you so much, and I look forward to getting through this together as a community.” 

“The eviction moratorium protects the 99% of renters who are facing eviction for no reason other than the pandemic,” says Jamie Almanza, MBA, CEO of BACS. “Our economy is still recovering, our workforce is still recovering, and most people in America can barely afford their monthly rent, let alone months of back rent on low pay. This is vital while our country stabilizes. We need to protect our neighbors.” 

Letter of Gratitude from Newly-Housed Della

Every day, BACS is helping end homelessness by helping our neighbors find stable housing – but it’s not every day that we get such an incredible “thank you” letter. Della sent us this letter to thank the staff and the whole community behind BACS for helping her get out of homelessness, and asked us to share it.

“I would like to Thank you for allowing me to be part of the program. BACS is everything it stands for Committed to putting an end to homelessness. You see people on side of freeways in tents, homeless people sleeping in doorways on park benches but you never imagine that being you until it happens to you. It’s not anything you want anybody to know or want to talk to anybody about…

Just when I lost hope of ever having my own place, I was told about BACS! BACS is a program that took me off the streets sleeping in my car.

I am so blessed to have found BACS what they do is amazing and I know I couldn’t have done it without them. I have my own place now and have not been this happy in a long time and not only providing me a place to live they furnished everything I needed to make it complete so Kelly, Khalil, Loren, Elizabeth, Ernesto and staff and a special thanks to BACS for making it all happen!! I wish you all the best and anybody who is blessed to be part of the program. Follow the procedures they require and you will have a place to call home!! I can’t thank you enough.”

If you would like to help a neighbor get out off the streets, donate to BACS today!

Introducing Weinreb House

Today, we honor the legacy of Ilene Weinreb, a former BACS board member and pillar of the community. Ilene passed away on November 22, 2020, at age 89, after dedicating her life to creating affordable housing opportunities.

Ilene was an incredible person – the first elected female mayor of Hayward in 1974, an advocate for the creation of Alameda County’s 211 telephone line (which connects residents with health and human service programs), and included BACS in her estate as part of her commitment to affordable housing.

BACS dedicates our first Supported Independent Living site in Hayward as “Weinreb House” This Hayward home was a pioneering model of the housing co-op model that BACS still provides, creating affordable housing for community members experiencing homelessness and/or other complex challenges. This house has provided stable, affordable, permanent housing for six individuals with behavioral health needs since 1980. Ms. Weinreb’s fierce advocacy for this model, and her deep ties to the Hayward community, make this a perfect home to hold her legacy.

Planned Giving

Have you spent your life trying to make the world a better place? You can leave a legacy and make a generational impact on the community by leaving a charitable gift in your will.

Planned giving to BACS allows you to uplift your community by investing in housing, behavioral health, and other services that make our neighborhoods stronger. As a heritage organization in Northern California since 1953, BACS will preserve your legacy and honor your generosity for many years to come. If you are considering leaving a charitable gift in your will and want help or more information, contact us!

Tagged With: affordable housing, donation, end homelessness, ilene weinreb, planned giving

BACS Connections January 2017

January 26, 2017

BACS Participant Releases Book!

Jason Book Signing

Jason’s hard work paid off as people came to celebrate his book signing on January 11, 2017.  Jason had been writing his essays with the hope of publishing them for over a year.  The book signing went well, with Jason personalizing more than 20 copies!  The book, entitled “A Portrait of a Mind in the Cosmos” is a compilation of Jason’s view on our place in the universe.  Jason has been a student of the cosmos for years and has read nearly everything put out there from Stephen Hawking and other cosmologists.

Jason is currently editing a second book which he hopes to publish in the near future. Congratulations, Jason, and we look forward to reading the next one too!

Pandora Supports BACS!

Pandora

Pandora Internet Radio, a local Oakland company since 2000, is using their talent to give back to the community! During their Sales Boot Camp for incoming team members, Pandora’s incoming sales staff dedicated time to making an impact on homelessness. The Pandora team assembled more than 100 hygiene kits for BACS, including deodorant, dental hygiene items, and more.

Hygiene kits are an important part of BACS’ work with our homeless community members. Without access to basic hygiene, homeless individuals are more likely to develop complex yet preventable health issues.

Thank you, Pandora, for giving back to our community!

Employee of the Month

Loren Jackson

BACS is delighted to honor Loren Jackson, from the FREE Program, as our Employee of the Month for January! Loren has had an exciting career at BACS, working in his third BACS program and bringing his crucial expertise and attitude to all of our teams.

A team member said “Loren is super gracious in letting me interrupt him and dropping what he was doing to help the clients get the resources needed… Loren demonstrated great team support and problem-solving in helping our clients”.

Loren says that he appreciates being able to meet immediate client needs while planning for long-term opportunities, mentioning “What I love about my job is being able to place individuals in a better place than they were the day before. I love being able to connect our Participants to community resources and brokering services specifically to medical and mental health care.”

Congratulations, Loren, and thank you for all you do on the FREE team!

Kate Franza Joins BACS as New Director of Programs!

kate-franza

Kate is originally from New York but has been living in Oakland, CA for the past four years. She is a CADAC (Credentialed Substance Abuse Counselor) and an LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker). Kate has been serving homeless communities for the past 10 years in various capacities. She started her career as a substance abuse counselor and an HIV case manager in New York City at Housing Works Inc. Kate has worked in San Francisco for the past 4 years at API Wellness Center as their Associate Director, overseeing all of their behavioral health and HIV homeless programs. She has expertise working with LGBT communities, specifically working with transgender women. Kate is thrilled to join BACS and be able to serve our local Oakland community. Kate says “BACS’ commitment to do ‘whatever it takes’ is in line with my philosophy of client centered care.”

Welcome to BACS, Kate!

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: community service, donte to nonprofit, pandora, planned giving, volunteer with nonprofit

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