BDIPS and Avanath Capital LLC Partner to Host Annual Back-to-School Community Event at Baldwin Village

With the school year set to begin in just a few weeks, Better Days Integrated Programs (BDIPS) and Avanath Capital LLC have partnered to host an annual back-to-school community event for the residents of Acclaim at Baldwin Village in Los Angeles on August 8.

Nearly three years ago, Avanath first partnered with BDIPS to offer an after-school program at Northpointe Apartments in Long Beach, CA. That partnership has since expanded to offering other programs focused on mental health and workforce development at Baldwin Village.

“At Avanath, we do believe that housing stability extends beyond providing our residents a quality unit to live in,” said Kaniesha Washington, Director of Resident Services for Avanath. “We do offer affordable housing, but we also believe that when we provide those programs and resources, we keep our residents housed, but also satisfied with where they are living.”

According to Washington, partnerships like the one between Avanath and BDIPS help strengthen the communities that live in the region. Community-based festivities like the back-to-school event are examples of community investment and providing key resources to residents.

“For many families, the beginning of the school year is usually one of the most expensive times of the year. Events like these help reduce financial stress and ensure the residents have the supplies that need to start the year prepared and confident to take on the challenge of K-12 education,” Washington said.

The event will provide the children with free backpacks and school supplies. There will also be free food and game stations for everyone to enjoy. Those who attend the event will also be entered into a raffle to win prizes, and learn more about the resources at their disposal.

BDIPS CEO Darryl Sewell said that he hopes residents who attend the event feel seen and understand that BDIPS is an organization that cares. As a community-focused mental health organization, BDIPS offers a variety of programs, virtual support groups and services that support whole health.

“We see them and we support them,” Sewell said. “I hope they understand that we do care and that we are a resource for them.”

Washington shared that one of Avanath’s accomplished goals is being able to partner with an organization that shares a commitment to empowering the residents and creating opportunities that improve their quality of life.

“Those strong community partnerships help connect residents with a lot of the programs that are needed to either keep them housed or to move them beyond where they are currently sitting at from a social economic standpoint,” Washington said.

As Avanath and BDIPS work to strengthen their partnership to further support the communities of Baldwin Village, the two organizations are hoping to develop an after school program at the site.

“I would definitely love to see an after school program here. We are surrounded by three schools within our property, and we see so many youth and so many large families in this community,” said Cyrina Garcia, Avanath Resident Service Coordinator at Baldwin Village.

Garcia explained that events and programs that focus on youth bring out the community and is something she hopes Avanath can build on to continue to strengthen their relationship with the community. 

“I think our goal with this back-to-school event, aside from being able to provide resources for families, is truly to keep that open line of communication. We want them to know that we're here for them. If they need anything, we want them to feel comfortable and welcome enough to come in the office and talk to us and reach out to me,” Garcia said.

The Baldwin Village back-to-school event will be hosted at the Baldwin Village apartments on Saturday, August 8 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. The community-based event is funded by Avanath Capital LLC and hosted in partnership with BDIPS.