(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, Mayor Bowser and the Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs awarded a combined $247,750 in grant funding to eight community-based organizations that serve Washington, DC’s Asian and Pacific Islander residents. Grants were made in amounts between $10,000 and $52,500 to each organization.
“As a city that values and embraces our diversity and inclusivity, I am proud to partner with these community-based organizations to support the needs of all District residents,” said Mayor Bowser. “DC’s AAPI community is one of the fastest-growing and most linguistically diverse populations in Washington, DC. Through these grants, we will continue to ensure that our residents have access to the resources, tools, and support they need.”
The Fiscal Year 2018 Asian and Pacific Islander Community Grant awardees are:
Chinatown Service Center will provide essential social services for improving the daily lives of Asian Immigrants.
- Hepatitis B Initiative will help with reducing Hepatitis B and C infections among Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in DC with a mobile unit for health screenings.
- Asian American LEAD will support low-income and underserved AAPI youth with educational empowerment, identity development, and leadership opportunities through after school, summer, and mentoring programs.
- Asian and Pacific American Legal Resource Center will provide legal services for Asian Immigrants and Pacific Islanders.
- Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project will provide domestic violence/sexual assault outreach in AAPI communities.
- Washington English Center will provide English language skills and job prep services.
- Housing Counseling Services will provide outreach and education services to AAPI tenants to support efforts to preserve existing affordable housing options.
- Libraries without Borders will create pop-up information spots around DC in non-traditional outreach spaces.
The grant funding is aligned with the Bowser Administration’s priorities and is intended to enhance existing community programs focused on education, job and economic development, public safety, civic engagement, health and wellness, youth engagement, and arts and the creative economy. Organizations were selected based on the degree to which they meet these priorities and target their efforts toward underserved Asian and Pacific Islander communities. Current projects include supporting low-income and underserved AAPI youth with educational empowerment and leadership opportunities; preserving affordable housing through outreach and education services to AAPI tenants; providing English language skills and job preparation services; and offering a mobile unit for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C screenings.