Past Projects
API BENEFITS BANK
Through a $75,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation, the Asian Pacific Community Fund (APCF) launched the API Benefits Bank program to provide much needed screening, access assistance, and case management in the Chinese, Filipino, Japanese and Korean communities. One of the greatest needs that transcends various Asian ethnic communities is access to public/government and community benefits and services due to cultural and language barriers.
The Need
Language and cultural issues are huge barriers for Asian Americans in accessing benefits and services that they are eligible for. One in three Asian Americans is limited English-speaking, with one in four households as linguistically isolated. In Los Angeles County alone, there are 45 distinct Asian and Pacific Islander (API) ethnic groups speaking more than 28 different languages. Most governmental agencies do not provide services in all the languages necessary to serve those in need throughout the API community. Once a client is deemed eligible for a benefit or service, s/he faces an additional hurdle of “navigating the system” to actually obtain the benefit or service.
The Partners
APCF partnered with the Chinatown Service Center, the Filipino American Service Group, Inc., the Koreatown Youth and Community Center, the Little Tokyo Service Center, and Search to Involve Pilipino Americans to administer the API Benefits Bank program in each of the respective communities.
The Program
The API Benefits Bank served as a one-stop-shop for client screenings for basic needs, as well as for eligibility of government and other benefits and community resources, such as:
Food, Clothing, Shelter
Cultural/Language
Educational
Employment/Vocational
Mental Health
Physical Health
Legal/Immigration
Protective Services
Financial
The program also provided basic case management for clients, including information and referral, advocacy, coordination, follow-up, translation, and transportation for up to nine months as needed to access eligible and desired benefits and resources.
The Results
A total of 67 units equating to 153 people (comprised of Chinese, Filipinos, Japanese, and Koreans) were served through this program, with the following outcomes:
5 hours of case management
620 hours of translation services
45 government-related appointments accompanied by the case manager
8 clients obtained jobs
In-home supportive services:
Medi-Cal
Legal assistance
Lifeline
Rental assistance
Setting up checking/savings accounts
State Disability Insurance
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits
Translation and interpretation
Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Food & Nutrition Services
Work (job) placement and assistance
Below is a partial list of benefits and services received by clients:
Affordable, emergency, and permanent housing
Afterschool and youth programs
Counseling/therapy (mental health services)
Dispute resolution
Emergency food assistance
Energy assistance
Enrollment in furthering education
CalFresh (food stamps)
CalWorks
Healthcare
Immigration, naturalization assistance, permanent resident status
PAG-ASA FUND: HELPING SURVIVORS OF TYPHOON HAIYAN
On Nov. 8, 2013, the Philippines was devastated by Typhoon Yolanda, also known as Typhoon Haiyan. Affecting more than 11.8 million people with more than 6,300 dead, 921,200 displaced, and 243,600 houses destroyed, it became the deadliest Philippine typhoon on record.*
In order to support recovery and rebuilding efforts for the survivors of Super Typhoon Haiyan, the Asian Pacific Community Fund (APCF) created the Pag-asa Fund in response, with Pag-asa meaning “Hope” in Tagalog. The funds raised were intended to provide hope for the survivors – hope that they will have a home again, have their basic needs met such as food and clothing, and ultimately to arise from this tragedy.
The Pag-asa Fund aimed to invest in long-term efforts in Typhoon Haiyan-stricken areas, with funding going to organizations that are on the ground and making an impactful difference. It has become apparent in recent years following Katrina, Sandy, Haiti, and Japan among others that very little funding continues after 90 days. However, the recovery and rebuilding of these communities may take years.
With long-term impact in mind, APCF ensured that 100% of all donations were directed to organizations providing aid and assistance in recovery and rebuilding efforts in the Typhoon Haiyan-stricken areas, with APCF absorbing all its administrative costs.
*From the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs published on 11/13/13.
AmeriCorps VISTA Program
From 2018 through 2022, APCF was in partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to host AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) members to help build an “API Nonprofit Workforce."
The APCF AmeriCorps VISTA Program placed full-time, paid fellows with APCF member organizations to build or enhance critical infrastructure systems including volunteer recruitment and management procedures, donor solicitation processes, and outreach programs. These enhancements are of particular importance to APCF's API nonprofit members, as these organizations face the unique challenges of serving linguistically and culturally diverse communities speaking over 40 languages and representing dozens of ethnicities. VISTA's enrolled in this program have assisted APCF member organizations with creating streamlined processes for recruiting, onboarding, and tracking volunteer contributions, translating outreach materials, building donor management systems, and building partnerships with community based organizations to improve outcomes. Contributions by VISTAs in the program's inaugural year accounted for hundreds of additional volunteers recruited, thousands of dollars of financial resources raised, and many key partnerships. AmeriCorps VISTA fellows are paid in large part by the U.S. federal government and are an affordable, effective deployment of the host organization's resources. This program advances APCF's mission by enhancing the capacity of its member organizations to do good in local service communities through improved efficacy, extended reach, and increased awareness of available services.