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2006 2005 Helping Youth Overcome Challenges 2004 |
HOME > ABOUT US > ANNUAL CAMPAIGN > 2006
2006 Report to DonorsNote: Reports to donors appear as they were presented and may not be current. This program was presented at the 10th Annual Asian Pacific Fund Gala on November 18, 2006.
Biography of Dr. Rolland C. Lowe
Domestic Violence
The Asian Pacific Fund aids those who need help getting back on their feet and helps you learn about hidden community needs. One problem that affects all Asian ethnic groups is domestic violence. I’m new to the Board of Directors. I was very honored when Emerald [Yeh] and [Executive Director] Gail Kong asked me to join earlier this year. I think when you become a parent or you’re about to become a parent, you spend more time reflecting on what kind of world you would like your child to grow up in and what kind of example you want to set for him or her. I joined the Board because the Fund isn’t about just one Asian ethnic group or another--it’s about all of us working together to meet the needs of all the various communities under the Asian American umbrella. My family and I came to the United States in 1975 as refugees of the Vietnam War. We feel so fortunate to live in this wonderful place we call the Bay Area. This area has so much physical beauty that sometimes, it’s easy to overlook the suffering around us. Yet, there are so many people who live in fear in the very place they should feel safest--their homes. Domestic violence is a problem for many people, regardless of a person’s race, class, faith or immigration status. What makes this problem so difficult to fix is that the violence takes place behind closed doors. Victims of domestic violence live in intimidating environments. They’re often afraid to speak up, and many times, it’s even harder to get help when you’re an immigrant and you’re poor. But help is out there. And it’s the first critical step on the road to a better life--one with security and peace of mind. Some Asian women are especially vulnerable to domestic violence because they face the stress of being in a new land and often the husbands face more difficulty than the wives finding work. In a recent report fully one-third of the deaths from domestic violence in Santa Clara County were Asian women. We’ve learned that it is often harder for Asian women to seek help than it is for other women because in many Asian cultures, we are taught to feel ashamed when we have to seek outside help for family problems. For those who are brave enough to seek help, services are often limited. The Asian Women’s Shelter is able to help some survivors, but it still must turn away 75 percent of the women seeking refuge because there’s not enough space. When you’re living in fear, that’s when familiarity is even more important than ever. Speaking a familiar language to volunteers and counselors can go a long way in creating a sense of safety for Asian survivors of domestic violence. Even just eating familiar foods can bring comfort in unfamiliar surroundings. A bowl of rice suddenly isn’t just a bowl of rice, but a source of solace and understanding. Organizations that help survivors get back on their feet—-like the Asian Women’s Shelter, Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center, and Lao Family Services--have received grants from the Asian Pacific Fund in recent years. These grants were made possible by contributions you and others have made, and we hope you have learned something tonight what a lasting impact your gift can have on people’s everyday lives.
Closing Remarks
We’re very pleased the generous donors have helped the Fund make great progress this year, tripling our assets. But the real test of the Fund is whether we’ve helped people. Within our Asian communities, there are many people who live in poverty, people who cannot speak English well, or have special needs such as children with handicapping conditions or family members with mental illness. You may ask, "Don’t foundations and the government provide enough to help the people who are less fortunate?" In the one example we’ve presented tonight, actually not. Many private foundations have recently moved away from funding domestic violence programs, especially those that are community-based. In response to this, the Fund helped secure $200,000 in matching grants from Blue Shield of California Foundation. This is an unprecedented corporate commitment to help local organizations increase support from individual donors ultimately expanding services to people in need. The beneficiaries include Asian Women’s Shelter, the Shimtuh project of Korean Community Center of the East Bay, Maitri and Narika. As with the all of the work of the Asian Pacific Fund, together these agencies serve Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and other Asian and south Asian groups. When the four agencies complete their matching grants, the Asian Pacific Fund will have helped add a total of $600,000 toward ending domestic violence for good. We encourage you to support these efforts to raise matching funds for these four important local organizations. One other way in which the Asian Pacific Fund is a unique resource for the Bay Area Asian community is in the arena of public safety. We live in earthquake country, no surprise. And several months ago the U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and the American Red Cross asked the Asian Pacific Fund to help with a large scale project to reach the Asian communities. You might not know that 70 percent of Asians in the Bay Area were actually born outside the U.S. and many do not speak English well. These are our Asian neighbors who are especially vulnerable in a disaster. The Fund works with more than 80 community-based organizations, and through this project we will sponsor community education programs and distribute one million copies of an Asian-language earthquake preparedness handbook. In this way, we will help our most vulnerable neighbors prepare for the certainty of a major quake in this region. No other organization has a network like the Asian Pacific Fund, and in taking on this unique role, we can help keep our community safe. While we are proud of this progress, there are still many people in need, so we are grateful to those of you who have already supported us and we hope we can rely on your continued help. For those who have not yet given, maybe you have heard something tonight that will make you want to join our circle of supporters. Those of us who are involved with the Fund—-the Board and staff—-we are a pretty straightforward group of people. We want you to get to know us better, to ask questions, and to know that we welcome your ideas and support. Prior Years To see reports from prior years, please click here. |
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