An Interview with Barcroft Apartments’ Resident Resource Director, Sylvia Castillo
In this month’s resident engagement recap, we had the opportunity to connect with Ms. Sylvia Castillo, the Resident Resource Director at Barcroft Apartments. Ms. Castillo and her dedicated team play a crucial role in our largest community, providing essential services that directly impact residents’ lives. From connecting residents to financial and rent assistance to addressing food insecurity, clothing provision, healthcare access, transportation, and more, their efforts have a profound and positive effect on our residents. Through our conversation with Ms. Castillo, we gained valuable insights into her work, and we are proud to highlight the significant impact she and her team have in the Barcroft community.
Meet Sylvia
Ms. Sylvia Castillo is the Resident Resource Director for Barcroft Apartments. In her role, she is responsible for organizing and managing all events and communication between the property management team and residents as it pertains to community events and resident life.
Through her work, Sylvia connects residents with various resources in the Arlington community. These resources include financial aid, clothing, and food, which are made available through partnerships with organizations like the Clothesline for Arlington Kids, FoodForOthers, the Salvation Army, and more. Sylvia and her team actively collaborate with local community centers and organizations to provide residents with a wide range of resources and classes.
These offerings include summer programs for children, English language learning opportunities for parents, personal financial education, and more. The resident resource team at Barcroft employs various communication channels, such as newsletters, e-blasts, flyers, and information tables at monthly events, to establish meaningful connections with residents and ensure they are aware of the available support.
When asked about the most rewarding aspect of her work, Sylvia emphasized the satisfaction she derives from helping residents in need. She recounted an example of a family with a child undergoing significant medical treatment and facing financial strain due to a single income. By assisting them with food stamp and financial aid applications, Sylvia was able to connect the family to the vital support they require. With every household facing unique situations, Sylvia’s team stands ready to support when residents request help.
When someone comes in and is scared that they’re not going to be able to pay their rent or put food on the table, and we are able to get them the assistance—that’s the most rewarding.
Sylvia Castillo, Resident resource director for Barcroft Apartments
So far this year, Sylvia’s team has held over 25 events for Barcroft Residents with dozens more planned for 2023. To date, over 140 households have received support and/or assistance across the areas of rent assistance, food, clothing, transportation, childcare, healthcare, and more.
Looking ahead, Sylvia aims to further expand the offerings and resources they have diligently built over the past year. With plans to establish a dedicated meeting space, she envisions hosting classes and events focused on personal finance and health, becoming an active resource that contributes to improving residents’ livelihoods and lifestyles. “I’m really proud of the bones and the structure that we’ve given to this initiative that is solely geared towards making a positive impact. It’s making a huge difference in the lives of the residents,” Sylvia concluded.
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