Friendsgiving Spreads Gratitude Throughout Lakeside Apartments in San Leandro

The Lakeside Apartments community came together this year to celebrate their gratitude with their second Friendsgiving event on November 22nd, the Monday before Thanksgiving. Friendsgiving, an event created last year during COVID, was a means to continue bringing a sense of community and togetherness during this holiday season.

"It's important to keep the traditions and holidays going," says Haydee Pelayo Nuño, our PSCDC Resident Services Coordinator for Lakeside Apartments, "because it brings the meaning of unity as a community."

Typically, the Lakeside Apartments community would come together and celebrate with a community potluck with a fully cooked turkey. Residents' health and wellbeing are our top priority, and for the safety of the residents, Haydee instead decided to host a second Friendsgiving.

During this Friendsgiving, Haydee collaborated with Xfinity Communities and Cake4Kids to create a total of 28 Friendsgiving bags for residents to take home and share with their loved ones. Our local partners provided candy, cookies, coloring books, and crayons to stuff our Friendsgiving bags! Residents also received slices of Costco pizza to take home and enjoy when picking up their goodies. A big thank you also goes to resident volunteers Sandra, Sara, Dooa, and Leah for assisting Haydee and ensuring a successful event!

Heavily rooted in tradition, the Lakeside Apartments community has continued to keep a strong sense of community and togetherness, despite the unique challenges in recent years. In December, the community is looking forwards to their annual winter event, "Candy Cane Holiday," and a toy distribution made possible by Alameda's Toys for Tots program.

PSCDC has immense gratitude for working with incredible communities, residential developers, social services partners, and local businesses across California. We are thankful for yet another year of empowering communities through service!