2008-2009 Grants
Grants Cushion the Impact of the Economic Downturn
California has been one of the states hardest hit by the economic downturn, and Asian communities have suffered enormously. More than 400,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders filed for unemployment insurance in the first quarter of 2009 alone, and we are the only major racial group for whom the number of initial unemployment insurance claims has increased every single quarter from Jaunary 2008 through March 2009. Asians also suffered the sharpest drop in homeownership last year, according to the U.S. Census, greater than of whites, blacks or Latinos.
Many community organizations face staggering budget cuts this year due to the economic downturn, making it even more difficult to provide services to people in need. The Asian Pacific Fund made grants this year to cushion the blow and offset the loss of substantial government and corporate funding. These non-profit organizations provide crucial services to vulnerable groups like the home-bound elderly, victims of domestic violence, and low-income families facing eviction. The grants will help ensure that Asian communities do not suffer needlessly during this difficult times.
Grant Recipients:
Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center -- $17,000
Asian Women's Shelter -- $17,000
Charity Cultural Services Center -- $15,000
Community Youth Center -- $20,000
Family Bridges -- $17,000
Friends of Children with Special Needs -- $10,000
Kimochi -- $10,000
Oakland Asian Students Educational Services -- $14,000
Vietnamese Voluntary Foundation -- $10,000
Wu Yee Children's Services -- $20,000
Support for Japanese Americans & Emerging Communities
Funding from an Anonymous Donor and the Filipino American Fund
These grants are examples of the Asian Pacific Fund’s work to ensure that Asian donors achieve their charitable goals. The donors asked the Asian Pacific Fund to identify programs both serving the Japanese community and other communities in need such as Cambodian and Vietnamese. After discussions of current needs, agencies were asked to submit proposals and program budgets for consideration.
Grant Recipients:
Cambodian Community Development, Inc. -- $25,000 for general support of naturalization services and youth cultural programs, and for organizational capacity building.
Lao Family Community Development -- $24,000 for the Multilingual Homeownership Center to provide services for Asian clients facing eviction or home foreclosure.
Richmond Area Multi-Services -- $35,000 for school-based intervention and outreach for children and youth with mental health problems, and for the retention of a Tagalog-speaking counselor.
Vietnamese American Community Center of the East Bay -- $15,000 for general support of senior service programs.
Yu Ai Kai -- $35,000 for respite care for seniors and support for family caregivers of the frail elderly
Return to the page.
The Asian Pacific Fund monitors the urgent and emerging needs of Asian Americans in the Bay Area. This allows us to build close ties with community groups and to select a priority area each year where our grants will have a positive, lasting impact.