Serena Williams Announces New Partnership to Help Families in Need

Apartment List is on a mission to help millions of people find safe and secure homes they love. To further that mission, Apartment List has partnered with the YPRC, a leading non-profit organization founded by Serena and Venus Williams in honor of their sister, Yetunde Price, who was tragically killed by an act of senseless violence in 2003. The Center ensures that anyone who has been impacted by violence, directly or indirectly, can access the resources they need to flourish physically, emotionally, spiritually, and financially.

“Every day I wake up feeling like a superstar,” said Bonnie Morrison, YPRC member. “Words cannot truly describe the day that I entered my new apartment that was provided through YPRC, Apartment List and Equity Residential. My eyes and heart lit up with smiles of happiness and gratefulness! I could never have imagined the depth of bounty that August brought to my life. I am humbled and blessed by this opportunity and grateful to them for making my dreams come true!”

“Today we celebrated the work that the YPRC does to help victims of senseless violence heal holistically,” said co-founder Serena Williams. “Bonnie represents the amazing women of our community in Compton that the YPRC works with everyday, which was established to give women and families the fresh start they deserve. It is my greatest joy to see these goals fulfilled. I hope that this program serves as a catalyst for other companies to understand that social good comes in many forms.”

Inspired by the incredible, life-saving work of YPRC, and knowing how critical it is for all people to have safe and secure homes, Apartment List reached out to see how they could help. Their real estate partner, Equity Residential, provided apartments where YPRC families could live rent-free for up to one year while they receive the wrap-around resources from YPRC needed to get closer to the quality of life that they each deserve.

“At Apartment List, we believe that everyone deserves a home they love,” said Apartment List CEO John Kobs. “Home is the feeling of being safe and secure- somewhere you can truly be yourself on your own terms. This is a feeling that goes beyond the four walls of a home and represents a major milestone in the lives of YPRC members. Working with Serena Williams, YPRC, and Equity Residential is the embodiment of the core values that Apartment List represents. The opportunity to support these families in finding safe housing has been one of the most fulfilling experiences for our company. We look forward to continuing to work with YPRC and our partners for years to come.”

CORT Furniture, Casper, Rent the Runway, DoorDash and Breville all jumped at the opportunity to support the YPRC families with in-kind products and services. The first YPRC families moved in on August 1st, 2019.

The partnership was inspired by Apartment List’s prior efforts following the devastating California wildfires that forced thousands of families to flee and eventually lose everything. Apartment List took immediate action and worked with Equity Residential, and other real estate and community partners to help these families find a place to call home for the holidays, and the clarity and security needed to start rebuilding their lives. Apartment List got involved because it was simply the right thing to do, and they knew they had access to invaluable resources: homes.

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