Graduates Celebrate at Burlington
Burlington Family Apartments recently celebrated the graduation of 9 students housed in the apartment unit!
This is the highest number of graduating students since the building opened, according to Cynthia Velasquez, property manager at Burlington.
“This is definitely a highlight of my career, knowing that we were a part of making change. A lot of the times we hope for the best, and to see this big of an outcome - I'm really proud of them,” said Cynthia.
For Yvonne, who graduated from Cal State LA as a psychology major this year, Burlington provides more than just housing.
“Being at Burlington has given me a lot of stability,” said Yvonne. “It takes a lot of pressure off to focus on school, knowing that I have people here to support me.”
Yvonne and her family were referred to Burlington in 2015 by a family advocate at St Anne’s Family Services, and have been housed at Burlington since then.
For a lot of the students, having a safe, dedicated location to concentrate makes a huge difference.
“Speaking with the parents, they feel like having their own space to study away from school, really helped their children,” Cynthia said. “Being in a nice, clean quiet environment, it does make a difference.”
Additionally, feeling connected as a neighborhood is another thing that graduates cited about Burlington as an important factor in their success.
“(Burlington) really builds a sense of community – they always post events, it doesn’t make you feel left out,” said Joyeta, who moved with her family into Burlington since its opening. “Being here you feel like a sense of community and like you’re part of a family.”
Joyeta graduated high school and will be going to UC Berkeley this fall.
An additional benefit of affordable housing has been the reduced concerns about financial stability.
“Less rent costs means additional money to be used for the books, something that affordable housing made possible,” said Abrar, who graduated from Cal State LA majoring in Computer Info Systems. “The big outcome has been the community engagement, the financial support and additional resources,” said Abrar. “We wouldn't be able to get this elsewhere.”
“Being at Burlington has given me a lot of stability. It takes a lot of pressure off to focus on school, knowing that I have people here to support me.”
These resources have played a big part in making sure that tenants thrive in this environment.
“The last 4 years (at Burlington) have been supportive in my educational journey,” said Tahmid, who graduated high school and will be going to Cal State Northridge this fall. “I’ve always felt supported here.”
Seeing how Burlington has helped shape lives is a rewarding experience, according to Cynthia.
“I feel really happy proud overwhelmed with joy - happy knowing that they are headed to a brighter future,” said Cynthia.
Burlington had nine graduates this year, six from high school and 3 from college. For more information on Burlington, check out the community page here.