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Our Mission and History
To improve the health and well-being of all Asian Americans in the Bay Area.
A steering committee of Asian American community leaders established the Asian Pacific Fund in 1993 with a grant from the United Way of the Bay Area. These community leaders recognized a need to increase the resources available to the Asian community, which had grown more diverse and nearly doubled in size in that decade.
The Fund quickly attracted strong leadership to its Board of Directors, while conducting research and sponsoring projects that laid the groundwork for its current activities. This early work was supported by the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, The Aspen Institute, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The Fund focused on understanding the charitable interests of Asian Americans and deepening public awareness of Asian community needs.
Since its second year of operation, the Fund has distributed grants to community organizations. Beginning with 54 agencies eligible for grants, the Fund works today with more than 90 local organizations throughout the Bay Area that serve the diversity of Asian ethnic communities. These groups provide services for Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Pacific Islander, Vietnamese, and other Asian and South Asian people. The Fund has distributed more than $3 million in grants and awards since then and has expanded the scope of its work to include scholarships and other programs supported by private donors.
The Fund has always recognized the importance of staying in touch with Asian Americans and their communities in order to better understand their needs. To this end, the Fund launched Growing Up Asian in America, an annual art and essay contest for Bay Area students. With the help of colleagues in education, media and community relations, the Fund shares the voices of Asian youth and promotes understanding throughout the region among people of all backgrounds. The program is the largest celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in the nation and allows people to learn more about life in a place as diverse as the Bay Area.
The Fund is now intent on building an endowment so it can serve as a permanent resource for future generations. To achieve this goal, the Fund has works more closely with its legal and financial advisors to respond to questions from potential donors, and has developed the capacity to manage more complex gifts, including planned gifts.
Important challenges still lie ahead, and the Asian Pacific Fund welcomes new friends and partners with whom to build a legacy of giving for a stronger, healthier community.
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March 2007: Collaborated with the U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Gas and Electric and other organizations to reach out to Bay Area Asian communities and promote earthquake preparedness. Facilitated the first-ever translation of government earthquake safety materials into Asian languages like Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.
June 2006: Completed a $1 million matching grant one year ahead of schedule, and established endowment with this gift by an anonymous donor. Reached $3 million mark in grants and awards distributed since the Fund’s inception.
May 2006: Launched the Chang-Lin Tien Education Leadership Awards program to support the recognition, professional development and advancement of Asian Americans as leaders of colleges and universities.
September 2005: Distributed Healing the Spirit: Treatment of Depression Among the Asian Elderly to libraries, health care organizations and community groups in metropolitan centers throughout the U.S. This unique health education film is available in nine languages, including Cantonese, English, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
June 2005: Reached $2.5 million mark in grants and awards distributed since the Fund’s inception.
May 2005: Celebrated the 10th anniversary of Growing Up Asian in America, an art and essay contest for Bay Area youth. As of 2005, this program has distributed more than $250,000 in savings bond awards and prizes to hundreds of students.
September 2003: Published first annual Asian Outlook on the state of Bay Area Asian Americans and their needs.
June 2003: Reached $2 million mark in grants and awards distributed since Fund’s inception.
July 2002: Received renewed support from the United Way of the Bay Area and designation as a Strategic Partner.
January 2002: Received increased support from The California Endowment under its $10 million Focus Funder Intiative.
September 2001: Published first health report, A Chance for Lan & Her Family, detailing health issues that disproportionately affect Asians.
June 2000: Reached $1 million mark in grants and awards distributed since Fund’s inception.
February 1999: Selected as a grantee of The California Endowment under an initiative to expand Asian American philanthropy.
December 1997: Expanded the Growing Up Asian in America program so community exhibits of student essays and art reach one million public library patrons every year.
April 1996: Published first research study, Perceptions & Realities, an analysis of the financial stability of Asian community organizations in the Bay Area.
January 1995: Launched Growing Up Asian in America, largest celebration of Asian American heritage month in the nation.
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