Governor Hochul Announces Funding to Assist Asian American Community Organizations Across New York State

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $10 million in awards for organizations providing services to Asian American communities that were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding, allocated in the FY 2021-22 budget, will be distributed to community-based groups through the Asian American Federation (AAF), the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF), and the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC), as well as other organizations. There will be a focus on community programs and providers that bring services and supportive programs directly to New York's Asian American communities. This will be the largest investment in the Asian American community in New York State history.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on so many vulnerable and marginalized communities across New York State,” Governor Hochul said. “The Asian American community was especially hard hit, not only by the virus, but by an increase in hate and violent crimes. With this $10 million in funding, we are sending a strong message that hate has no home here, and we will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our sisters and brothers in the Asian American community. My administration is laser focused on continuing to help communities that have for too long been forgotten, not only as we recover from this pandemic, but for years to come.”

The Asian American Federation (AAF) will receive a total of $6.8 million in funding intended to reinforce the community support offered by a network of organizations that have witnessed a sudden increase in demand for services due to the pandemic. AAF will direct the funding to 59 community organizations listed below that provide direct services, case management, and mental health support that serve Asian New Yorkers throughout New York State. In addition, the New York State Assembly is directing $1.4 million in Legislative aid to another 40 organizations that serve a wide array of communities in New York. The following organizations will receive aid from AAF:

• A Place for Kids
• Academy of Medical & Public Health Services
• Adhikaar for Human Rights and Social Justice
• Arab American Association of New York
• Arab-American Family Support Center
• Asian American Arts Alliance
• Asian American Community Empowerment
• Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
• Asian Americans for Equality
• Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs
• Bridges From Borders
• Brooklyn Chinese-American Association
• Brooklyn Community Improvement Association
• Burmese Community Services
• Caribbean Equality Project
• Center for the Integration and Advancement of New Americans
• Chhaya Community Development Corporation
• Chinatown Partnership LDC
• Chinatown YMCA
• Chinese American IPA
• Chinese American Social Services Center
• Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association
• Chinese Progressive Association
• Chinese-American Family Alliance for Mental Health
• CMP
• Council of Peoples Organization
• Damayan Migrant Workers Association
• Desis Rising Up and Moving
• Garden of Hope
• Hamilton-Madison House
• Homecrest Community Services
• Immigrant Social Services
• India Home
• Jahajee Sisters
• Japanese American Association of New York
• Japanese American Social Services, Inc.
• Karen Society of Buffalo
• Korean American Family Service Center
• Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York
• Laal NYC
• Mekong NYC
• Midtown Utica Community Center
• Migrant Center
• MinKwon Center
• Refugees Helping Refugees
• Sakhi for South Asian Women
• Sapna NYC
• Sikh Coalition
• South Asian Council for Social Service
• South Asian Youth Action
• Turning Point for Women and Families
• United Chinese Association of Brooklyn
• Womankind (formerly NYAWC)
• Women for Afghan Women
• YWCA of Queens

The Coalition for Asian American Children and Families will receive over $1 million, and they will be partnering with a host of organizations -- including Apex for Youth, the Arab American Family Support Center, Asian Americans for Equality, Chinese-American Planning Council, South Asian Youth Action! Korean American Family Service Center, MinKwon Center for Community Action, and Mekong NYC -- to enhance youth and young adult services targeting Asian American communities by focusing on social emotional development and mental well-being.

The Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC), a social services organization that creates positive social change, will receive almost $700,000 to help empower Asian American, immigrant, and low-income communities in New York City by ensuring they have equitable access to the resources and opportunities needed to thrive. The funding will support CPC’s culturally competent, linguistically appropriate community services and programs to improve the social determinants of health for children, youth, students, families, and seniors. Through this initiative, they will expand public access to resources, expand workforce service, enhance wrap-around case management and expand early childhood development.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said, “The Assembly Majority stands with Asian Americans in the fight to end the pandemic-fueled hate that is devastating our communities. My colleagues and I fought to ensure our budget last year included the funding necessary to take on this abhorrent rise in hate crimes and help bring peace to New Yorkers, and especially our Asian American friends and neighbors. I wish everyone a happy and healthy new year.”

Senator John Liu said, “The AAPI community has been the target of relentless hatred, bigotry, and violence for the last two years, and we desperately need resources that would address the root cause of these attacks. While we are grateful to see the implementation of last year’s $10 million budget allocation, the siege against Asian Americans continues unabated, as does our need for additional resources. We must address a range of needs such as community safety, services for youth and senior citizens, mental health support for Asian New Yorkers, and the implementation of AAPI curriculum in public schools.”

Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou said, “Our Asian American communities are facing a crisis of anti-Asian hatred and violence. We are frightened. We are angry. Most of all, we have asked our government for real, tangible help to ensure AAPI New Yorkers can feel safe in their own city. I applaud Governor Hochul for distributing these much needed funds to the Asian American community organizations working every day to combat hate and deter violence. This is a great start, but we can and must do better. I urge my colleagues in Albany to support additional resources our community so desperately needs."

Executive Director of the Asian American Federation Jo-Ann Yoo said, “We thank Governor Hochul for her investment and commitment in providing the resources that New York’s Asian American community needs now more than ever. With the tragedies that our community has experienced since the start of the pandemic, and painfully so over the last few months, many Asian Americans are fearful for their own lives when stepping out of their homes. Governor Hochul’s leadership shows that our voice is not going unheard as we ask for support to overcome this trauma. Today’s announcement is the start of much work to be done, and we look forward to working with the Governor and State and City elected officials to ensure that New York’s Asian American community is protected and given the resources to preserve past this crisis.”

Anita Gundanna and Vanessa Leung, Co-Executive Directors of the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families said, "The Coalition for Asian American Children and Families is so grateful to the Governor's Office for their support of our innovative healing-centered youth programming to address the social emotional needs of our young people. Through this crisis intervention funding, CACF with 8 of our organizations have collaboratively developed a curriculum to support young people’s healthy sense of self, community connection and belonging, and self-agency. We appreciate our partnership with the State and look forward to sharing the positive impact this funding is having.”

President & CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council Wayne Ho said, “We would like to thank the Governor's Office and State legislators for critical funding to support the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. The increase in anti-Asian violence and hate combined with the economic devastation of the pandemic have left our community in crisis. In the past year, CPC has served over 125,000 New Yorkers of all ages and backgrounds through our essential services, financial assistance, and pandemic relief efforts. CPC looks forward to receiving this funding from the State to continue addressing our community members’ health, economic, and safety needs.”