Asian American Federation and Five Partners Launch Expanded September 11th Community Recovery Effort in New York City

Unprecedented effort continues in response to intermediate and long-term needs of Asian American communities in aftermath of September 11th tragedy

November 11th, New York City: The Asian American Federation launched an expansive second phase of its ongoing September 11th Relief, Recovery, and Rebuilding Initiative today. The recovery program, in conjunction with five partner agencies from various Asian communities, was supported by a grant of $1.15 million from the September 11th Fund. It will focus upon the ongoing and unmet needs of Asian American communities resulting from the September 11th tragedy last year.

"More than a year later, many Asian American New Yorkers are still trying to rebuild their lives after September 11th. The families of the deceased continue to cope with their loss while struggling to keep up with new needs,� stated Mr. Cao K. O, executive director of the Asian American Federation. �Thousands of workers are out of work or under-employed as a direct result of September 11th, while downtown residents and countless community members, from children to seniors, are still trying to recover.�

The Asian American Federation�s five community-based partners are: the Chinatown YMCA, the Chinese American Planning Council (CPC), Filipino American Human Services, Inc. (FAHSI), Japanese American Social Services, Inc. (JASSI), and the New York Asian Women�s Center (NYAWC). The new recovery program includes the hiring of 22 bilingual service coordinators who have been trained to help community members access the broad range of government and charitable programs, such as FEMA Mortgage and Rental Assistance, the Federal Victim�s Compensation Fund, job training/placement, legal assistance, financial planning, healthcare services, scholarships, and other programs.

Key components of the program include:

Asian American Federation�s focus on the Chinese, Korean, and South Asian families of direct victims, as well as other affected community members in Queens;

Chinatown YMCA�s extensive work with children and their families in Chinatown and the Lower East Side;

CPC�s dedication of staff for affected Chinese American communities in Brooklyn, in addition to its continued service to Manhattan�s Chinatown;

NYAWC�s expansion of its 9/11 South Asian Assistance Project, to reach out to the city�s diverse South Asian communities;

JASSI�s work with the Japanese American community, and specific focus on the elderly;

FAHSI�s continuing efforts to assist families and affected workers in the Filipino American community.

The Federation estimates that approximately 240 families of Asian descent lost a family member on September 11th. Additionally, thousands of small business owners, workers, residents, and other individuals have been affected by the tragedy. Charles Lai, director of Programs and Planning said, �We and our partners are working with a number of individuals and families in different Asian American communities to help ensure that they access available services, and to identify and meet ongoing service gaps.�

Lai continued, �We hope to come in contact with more families of direct victims, whether they are local or long-distance. If you know about anyone that has lost a loved one in September 11th, please contact us, or suggest that they contact us immediately. If you know of others who are suffering economically or emotionally from the tragedy, please have them get in touch with our partners or us. We can help.� The Federation will coordinate with partners, as well as a wide array of other community groups, religious institutions, and associations to assist these affected individuals and families.

Since September 11th, the Asian American Federation has played an important role in the recovery of NYC and local Asian American communities. Although the cash relief component has ended, the Federation was able to raise and distribute more than $400,000 to assist over 800 garment workers, yellow cab drivers, and other impacted individuals. The first phase of the Federation�s Relief, Recovery, and Rebuilding Initiative, launched in December 2001 with four partners, assisted more than 1,700 individuals and families to access emergency and relief assistance.

Mr. O concluded, "This expanded recovery program continues the commitment of the Asian American Federation and our partner agencies to integrate a coordinated response from the Asian American community into the intermediate and long-term recovery efforts of New York City."

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The Asian American Federation is a not-for-profit leadership organization with 36 member agencies that serve the diverse Asian American communities in the New York Metropolitan area. The Federation�s Relief, Recovery and Rebuilding Initiative was established with support from the September 11th Fund to coordinate services and address unmet community needs in the aftermath of the events of September 11th. For more information about the Initiative, contact Parag Khandhar at (718) 544-4700, ext. 14 or [email protected]. Visit our website: www.aafny.org.