ON Thursday, June 19, the Asian Pacific Community Fund (APCF) held its 8th Annual Giving for All Seasons Fundraising Gala at the Los Angeles Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles. At the event, the APCF renewed its commitment to strengthening the nonprofit sector within Asian and Pacific Islander communities (API), and honored those who have supported the API cause.
Established in 1990, the APCF is a community-based non-profit fund that was created to educate and encourage individuals and companies to support API communities in need by donating through workplace giving programs as well as other channels. The organization is the only API community-based fund of its kind in Southern California. Since its founding, APCF has raised and distributed about $3 million in grants to its 29 affiliate agencies as well as other community organizations. APCF affiliate agencies serve over 225,000 people annually with programs and services provided in 27 Asian languages, as well as in English and Spanish. APCF funded programs include childcare/youth programs, affordable housing, counseling & case management, healthcare, job development & training, legal services, senior services, violence prevention, and more.
According to APCF Executive Director Debra Fong, the Community Fund has been generating much needed resources for the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in need for almost 25 years now.
“Our mission is to cultivate philanthropists, to invest in organizations that empower the Asian and Pacific Islander people to prosper. Over the past few years, we have evolved to better position ourselves, to not only serve those in need, but to grow philanthropy within our communities, as well as to help further develop the API nonprofit infrastructure,” Fong said during the press conference prior to the gala.
By the end of this year, Fong added, the Community Fund will have given over $100,000 in scholarships to students who are pursuing higher education in college.
“In a time when students are faced with significantly rising costs of obtaining a college degree, it is important that there is support for students in the API communities as well as those who are economically disadvantaged,” Fong said.
Fong also revealed that the APCF is investing a significant amount in grants to community organizations.
“We are proud to be investing over $160,000 into our Asian and Pacific Islander communities. There are great needs in our communities and these grant awards to our community partners no only sustain critical services, but also help position many of them to increase capacity, further develop their skills and expertise, and really take their programs to the next level,” Fong said in a statement.
The APCF’s grants will go to 29 community organizations focused on providing health and human services to API and other ethnic communities in need throughout Los Angeles County and beyond. In 2013 alone, the APCF’s overall grant making raised over $350,000, including funds from workplace giving programs, donor advised funds, and other giving opportunities.
Community advocates honored
The APCF also honored advocates who have supported their work over the years and have made it possible for the Community Fund to better serve the API community.
This year’s honorees include Diamond Wipes International Inc. (Corporate Philanthropy Award), Vincent Huang & Jovy Cheng (Philanthropy Leadership Award), and LA 18 KSCI-TV (Spirit of Giving Award). Honorees are recognized for their leadership, contributions and long-term commitment to the API community.
For the first time, Diamond Wipes International is funding a $40,000 multi-year scholarship award for high school seniors, through APCF. The award will go to deserving high school students who plan on attending Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Fullerton or Cal State San Bernardino. Each grantee will be eligible for a total of $8,000 in scholarships over the next four years.
Kat Iniba of “Halo-Halo” represented LA-18 at the awarding ceremony. She said that their network thrives by being a part of the API community, reaching out, and giving back.
California State Controller John Chiang and LA Community College District Trustee Mike Eng, two of the most prominent Asian American public officials in the state, were also on hand on Thursday to extend their congratulations to APCF and the honorees.
According to the APCF, as the needs of the API community continuously evolve, the mission of APCF is to cultivate philanthropists to invest in organizations that empower underserved APIs to prosper. APCF’s vision is a thriving API community fostered by a culture of philanthropy. APCF said that it is proud to work with its affiliates, community partners, and individuals to build healthier and stronger API communities.
This year’s Giving for All Seasons gala was sponsored by Cathay Bank, Toyota Financial Services & Toyota Motor Sales, LA 18, First General Bank, Shawn Chou, Diamond Wipes International, East West Bank, New Omni Bank, Pacific Commerce Bank, Royal Business Bank, Verizon, and Walmart, among others.
For more information about the APCF, visit www.apcf.org.
