| FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
August
15, 2005
Jennifer
Kuo / jkuo@ocapica.org
(714) 636-9095
OCAPICA's
Afterschool Program in Need of Tutors and Mentors
Garden
Grove
– The Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community
Alliance (OCAPICA) has a great opportunity for individuals
to help inspire high school youth in their afterschool
program. OCAPICA will resume their free Afterschool
program this September 2005. The Afterschool program
provides high school-aged youth with a safe environment
to receive mentorship and academic advising. Through
a variety of activities, the program aims to provide
opportunities for academic and character maturity
for low income students in the community. The organization
is in need of tutors and mentors who will help develop
activities and workshops. College students may qualify
for internship or college credits if accepted.
The
group of tutors will be available on a regular basis
to provide individual assistance for students in all
areas of study. In addition, a series of workshops
are scheduled to aid and motivate students for future
success. Social activities such as movie nights and
field trips are also planned. An arts component has
also been added to the afterschool program. OCAPICA
is seeking those with a genuine desire to help out
the community, especially those with backgrounds in
the math and sciences.
“I
feel that it is important to offer these types of
programs to youth and help them into higher education.
I wish that I had programs like this offered to me
when I was growing up,” said tutor and mentor Don
Luong. “This is truly an opportunity to make a positive
impact on our community.”
OCAPICA's
afterschool program meets Tuesday through Thursday
from 3PM
to 6PM
.
Tutors and mentors must commit a minimum of 40 hours
within the 10-week quarter. All volunteers must attend
one of the informational mandatory trainings to be
held in September or October. Trainings will be held
at the OCAPICA conference room, 12900
Garden Grove Boulevard, Suite 240A
in Garden
Grove .
Anyone interested is encouraged to contact Jennifer
Kuo
or Jason Ackermann at (714) 636-9095. Applications
are available online at http://www.ocapica.org/documents/Volunteer-InternRecruitmentFlier_Winter2005_PR2.pdf
.
OCAPICA's
afterschool program is made possible through funding
from Orange County 's United Way , the Helping Kids
Achieve Program from The Orange County Community Foundation
and The Draper Family Foundation, the Los Angeles
Times Family Fund Holiday Campaign, and The Weingart
Foundation. Established in 1997, OCAPICA is a non-profit
organization whose mission is to build a healthier
and stronger community by enhancing the well-being
of AAPIs through inclusive partnerships in the areas
of service, education, advocacy, organizing, and research.
###
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
June
14, 2005
Jason Ackermann
jackermann@ocapica.org
OCAPICA
(714) 636-9095x213
OCAPICA
OFFERS FREE SAT CLASSES
Garden
Grove – The Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander
Community Alliance (OCAPICA), as part of the afterschool
program, is offering a free six-week SAT program for
high school aged youth. The program offers extensive
preparation in Verbal, Math and Writing with over
40 hours of instruction. Classes begin on Tuesday,
July 12th and end on August
18th from 2-5PM .
SAT
scores are an integral part of the college application
process and availability of test preparation courses
are numerous but can be expensive. Often mislabeled
as the model minority, many Asian American and Pacific
Islander students are underserved and have difficulty
accessing academic resources. For example, more than
a third of the Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian
and half of Tongan and Hmong adults 25 years or older
have not graduated high school [1]
.
“We
are so excited to offer the free SAT classes as part
of our afterschool program to the community,” said
Mary Anne Foo, Executive Director of OCAPICA. “Especially
in these tough economic times, it is important to
do whatever we can to meet youth needs. I believe
the services offered will go a long way in helping
students find success.”
All
SAT program materials, including practice tests and
homework packets, will be provided completely free
of charge through generous funding from the Orange
County's United Way, the Helping Kids Achieve Program
from The Orange County Community Foundation and the
Draper Family Foundation and The Weingart Foundation.
The summer classes will meet on Tuesdays and Thursday
from 2-5PM with other designated days for diagnostic
testing and Vocabulary Builder workshops. Enrollment
space is limited. Students are highly encouraged to
apply as soon as possible. Applications must be received
by July 5 th . Applications are available
at our office or online at http://www.ocapica.org/documents/SATApplication.pdf
The
programs will be held at OCAPICA Conference room,
12900 Garden Grove Blvd., Suite 240A in Garden Grove.
To apply or for more information, call Jason Ackermann
at OCAPICA at (714) 636-9095 x213.
Established
in 1997, OCAPICA is a non-profit organization whose
mission is to build a healthier and stronger community
by enhancing the well-being of AAPIs through inclusive
partnerships in the areas of service, education, advocacy,
organizing, and research.
###
[1]
The Diverse Face of Asians and Pacific Islanders
in Orange County , Asian Pacific American Legal
Center , 2005
For
Immediate Release Contacts:
Jason Lacsamana (OCAPICA)
January
7, 2005
714-636-9095 x203
Amy
Storey (Fleishman-Hillard)
202-841-5438
Orange
County
Resident
Receives ‘Unsung Heroines' Award for Leadership
in
Asian and Pacific Islander Communities
Rep.
Ed Royce
and Mitsubishi Motors U.S.A.
Foundation
Honor
Founder of the Orange
County
Asian
and Pacific Islander Community Alliance
Orange
County, CA – U.S. Representative Ed Royce (R-40-CA)
today
joined community leaders to present the national 2004
“Unsung Heroines” award to Mary Anne Foo, MPH, for
her for her work as the Executive Director and founder
of the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community
Alliance (OCAPICA), whose mission is to enhance the
well-being of Asians and Pacific Islanders by building
strategic partnerships in the areas of service, education,
organizing, and research . Through these activities,
OCAPICA seeks to empower Asians and Pacific Islanders
so they can define and control their lives and the
future of their community.
“I
am truly grateful for this acknowledgement,” Ms. Foo
said. “However, this is really a recognition of many
citizens in our area who give generously of their
time, talents, and dedication to improving the communities
of Asian and Pacific Islanders. I am sincerely grateful
to Representative Royce, The Mitsubishi Motors USA
Foundation, and ‘To The Contrary With Bonnie Erbe.'”
Ms.
Foo was one of six women recipients chosen across
the country to be honored with the 2004 “Unsung Heroines”
Award. The award - sponsored by The Mitsubishi Motors
USA Foundation and the PBS-TV public affairs show,
“To the Contrary with Bonnie Erbe” – recognizes
women whose behind-the-scenes work in their communities
makes a lasting, positive impact. Each year, Members
of Congress are invited by Mitsubishi Motors to present
the award to a woman who has given her time and energy
to improve the lives of others.
In
addition to her work as Executive Director of OCAPICA,
Ms. Foo has worked the past sixteen years on improving
opportunities for low-income communities. She is also
the principle investigator on several research projects
focused upon breast and cervical cancer, cardiovascular
and diabetes, and children's and women's health.
“Mary
Anne's selfless devotion and dedication serves as
a reminder to all of us that we have an obligation
to hold the highest standards for our communities,”
Rep. Royce said. “She is a leader and an inspiration,
and I am pleased to be with her today as she receives
this prestigious honor.”
Anna
Schneider, Executive Director for Governmental Relations
at Mitsubishi Motors North America, was also present
for the award ceremony. Schneider echoed Rep. Moran's
remarks, stating: “Mary Anne is truly an ‘Unsung Heroine'.
She doesn't do her work with the Asian and Pacific
Islander community to win recognition or awards; rather,
she sees a need in her community and simply wants
to help. Her work has positively impacted the health,
education, and quality of life among the members of
her community.”
This
year marks the eighth anniversary of the “Unsung
Heroines” Awards, which were established by Mitsubishi
Motors and “To the Contrary with Bonnie Erbe”
to recognize and honor women who work behind
the scenes in their communities to make a difference.
Since 1998, thirty-two women in more than a dozen
states and the District
of Columbia
have been recognized as “Unsung Heroines .
”
Each
of this year's award recipients has made a significant
contribution to her community in the areas of providing
much-needed health care services for communities,
finding homes for children of incarcerated mothers,
and providing a basic infrastructure of support for
underprivileged families. Award recipients are recognized
with a $10,000 Foundation grant to each recipient's
nonprofit organization, and the “Unsung Heroines
Award” -- a Steuben crystal sculpture, entitled
“Star Stream”
The
other 2004 “Unsung Heroine Awards” recipients
are:
•
Hayley
Ann Head, Upper Arlington, Ohio
:
Representative Deborah Pryce (R-15-OH)
will honor Ms. Head for her work as Program Director
of the TriVillage Mentor League for Big Brothers Big
Sisters of Central Ohio (BBBS). Ms. Head oversees
an award-winning program administered by TriVillage
for mentoring between adults and high-school volunteers
and children from the region. During her 2 years with
the program, Hayley has worked tirelessly to match
at-risk area children with responsible volunteer mentors
who serve as role models for the children.
•
Laura
and Sheila Braxton, Chicago, Illinois: Rep. Jesse
Jackson, Jr. (D-2-IL) will
honor the Braxtons – a mother-daughter team -- for
their work to aid the homeless and provide food for
the poor through “A Little Bit of Heaven,” a facility
located in Chicago
's
South Side. “A Little Bit of Heaven” provides around-the-clock
ministry to residents of the Roseland Community. Certified
cooks prepare nutritional meals three times each day
for clients, and provide assistance with substance
abuse, medical and financial assistance, job training,
and other services.
•
Rev.
Nicolene Durham, Decantur, Georgia: Rep. Denise Majette
(D-4-GA) will
honor Reverend Durham for her work
as the
Shelter Manager of Hagar's House, an emergency night
shelter for women and children run by the Decatur
Cooperative Ministry. As the Shelter Manager, Rev.
Durham and fellow volunteers have aimed to fill the
gap left by other shelters by providing homeless women
and children with a clean, safe, and supportive environment
to get back on their feet. Hagar's House offers meals
and beds for residents, as well as the necessary tools
and support for families to make it through difficult
times.
•
Dr.
Patricia O'Connor, Arlington, Virginia: Representative
James Moran (D-8-VA) will
honor Dr. O'Connor for her
work at Vanguard Services Unlimited, a nonprofit agency
that provides substance abuse and addiction treatment
to more than 1,000 individuals and their families
each year. For almost 10 years, Dr. O'Connor has served
in several positions at Vanguard Services, including
Chairman and member of the Board of Directors. As
a volunteer, she developed the tutoring program to
link Georgetown
students with women in recovery who have children.
“To
The Contrary with Bonnie Erbe,”
was launched in April 1992 on PBS, was envisioned
by creator, host and Executive-In-Charge Bonnie Erbe
as a platform for the multi-faceted views of involved,
informed women journalists and commentators of all
racial and political backgrounds. No other show provides
such a platform. “To The Contrary with Bonnie
Erbe” is the only women-owned news analysis
program on national television. It airs weekly on
more than 241 PBS stations nationwide.
The
Mitsubishi Motors U.S.A. Foundation was established
in 1997 to support diversity education and information,
advocacy for women and people of color, and programs
that celebrate diversity. The Foundation represents
the national philanthropic efforts of Mitsubishi Motors
North America's Sales, Manufacturing, Finance, and
Research and Development divisions.
###
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
November
19, 2004
Jennifer Kuo
(714) 636-9095
ASIAN
AMERICAN VOTES COUNTED
Garden
Grove
– The Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community
Alliance (OCAPICA) conducted a voter survey with the
Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC) during
the November 2004 election. Almost 900 exit poll surveys
were obtained on November 2 nd from voters in thirteen
different precincts in Anaheim,
Fountain
Valley,
Fullerton,
Garden
Grove,
Santa
Ana,
Irvine,
Ladera Ranch, Laguna
Hills,
and Newport
Beach.
Results of the survey are attached.
Mary
Anne Foo,
Executive Director of OCAPICA said, “The preliminary
results of our exit poll indicate that the Asian American
vote helped win some of the elections. We are especially
pleased with the increase of Asian Americans involved
in civic participation, particularly, the voter turnout
in the community and the interest in running for elected
office.”
Interesting
facts about the 2004 election include:
- A
record number of 20 Asian Americans in Orange
County
ran for political
office in the November 2004 election.
- 50%
of those running for office won their seats.
- Garden
Grove School Board is now made up of a majority
of Vietnamese Americans.
- Anaheim
City Council has its first Asian Americans - a Filipina
American and a South Asian American.
- Irvine
City Council has its first Asian Americans - two
Korean Americans.
- Garden
Grove City Council has its first Asian American
woman, a Vietnamese American.
- Garden
Grove has the
first Vietnamese American to win an Assembly Seat
(68 th AD) in California
.
- Orange
County
is required
by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act to provide
language access in Chinese, English, Korean, Spanish,
and Vietnamese.
The
exit poll was conducted in partnership with the Asian
Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California
(APALC). APALC's Voter Rights and Demographic Research
Units led the voter survey project. Approximately
4,000 voter surveys were conducted throughout Los
Angeles
and Orange
Counties
.
Preliminary results from the larger survey are also
available. For more information, please contact Jennifer
Kuo at (714) 636-9095 or via email at jkuo@ocapica.org.
The
Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community
Alliance (OCAPICA) is a nonprofit community based
organization with the mission to build a healthier
and stronger community by enhancing the well-being
of Asians and Pacific Islanders through inclusive
partnerships in the areas of service, education, advocacy,
organizing, and research.
###
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
September
2, 2004
Jennifer Kuo / jkuo@ocapica.org
(714) 636-9095
OCAPICA'S
AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM BACK
ON
FOR FALL SESSION
Garden
Grove
– The Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community
Alliance (OCAPICA) will resume their free afterschool
program on Tuesday,
September 21, 2004 .
Made possible through funding from Orange
County
's
United
Way ,
the program provides junior high and high school-aged
youth with a safe environment to receive mentorship
and academic advising. Through a variety of activities,
the program aims to provide opportunities for academic
and character maturity for low income students in
the community.
A
major resource offered by this program is the computer
center, offering word processing capabilities and
access to the internet for students whose families
cannot afford computers in their homes. A group of
tutors will be available on a regular basis to provide
individual assistance for students in all areas of
study. The tutors will include OCAPICA staff, young
professionals, and college students from local universities.
In addition, a series of workshops is scheduled to
aid and motivate students for future success. These
workshops cover such topics as applying to college,
SAT preparation, applying for financial aid and scholarships,
and resume writing. Social activities such as movie
nights and field trips are also planned.
There
exists a great need for this type of program. Though
mistakenly labeled as the model minority, many Asian
American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students are
from low income backgrounds and are underserved. Existing
academic resources do not adequately meet their needs
or are not easily accessible. College acceptance and
retention rates are also areas of concern. Pacific
Islanders and Southeast Asians, particularly Cambodians,
Hmong, and Laotians, are extremely underrepresented
on the college level. For example, according to the
Census 2000, only 12% of Hmong in Orange
County
have a Bachelor's degree or higher, as compared to
60% in the Chinese and 31% of the total Orange
County
population.
“We
are so excited to offer this afterschool program to
the community,” said Mary Anne Foo, Executive Director
of OCAPICA. “Especially in these tough economic times,
it is important to do whatever we can to meet youth
needs. I believe the services offered will go a long
way to helping students find success.”
This
program is entire l
y
free of charge and wi l
l
be he l
d
at the OCAPICA conference room, 12900
Garden Grove Boulevard, Suite 240A
in Garden
Grove .
OCAPICA's after-school program meets Tuesday through
Thursday from 3PM
to 6PM
.
An open house is being provided for both parents and
youth on Monday,
September 20, 2004
from 6PM
to 7PM
at the OCAPICA conference room. To RSVP or for more
information, parents and students are encouraged to
ca l
l
Jennifer
Kuo
or Jason Lacsamana at (714) 636-9095. Please RSVP
as soon as possib l
e
to reserve a spot.
Established
in 1997, OCAPICA is a non-profit organization whose
mission is to build a healthier and stronger community
by enhancing the well-being of AAPIs through inclusive
partnerships in the areas of service, education, advocacy,
organizing, and research.
###
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
June
14, 2004
Jennifer Kuo
(714) 636-9095
NEW
INNOVATIVE PROGRAM TO PROMOTE FINANCIAL SUCCESS FOR
YOUTH LAUNCHED IN GARDEN GROVE
Garden
Grove – The Orange County Asian and Pacific
Islander Community Alliance (OCAPICA) has launched
the 2004 Financial Literacy Leadership Program (FLLP)
to address rising concerns that young people lack
the financial skills needed to compete and succeed
in the global marketplace. Set to begin in early July,
the program was made possible through a $100,000 grant
from Merrill Lynch’s Investing Pays Off (IPO)
initiative. The IPO initiative supports innovative
programs targeting youth in traditionally underserved
California communities.
FLLP is an innovative program that focuses upon developing
skills among youth to help build a strong knowledge
base to help their families and communities out of
poverty. FLLP does this by educating youth in financial
management and budgeting, establishing credit, taxes,
investing, retirement, homeownership, job seeking,
entrepreneurship, and responsible and ethical consumption.
Youth will hone their skills through discussions with
guest speakers including Wing Lam, a founder of Wahoo’s
Fish Tacos and Irene Kinoshita, CEO of Ascolta. In
addition, youth will participate in field trips to
supplement what they learned in the workshops. Highlights
from last year’s program were trips to the local
Wells Fargo bank and Lee’s Sandwiches. From
these trainings, youth will increase their understanding
of the reality of what it takes to make a living and
to live in Orange County, including buying a house,
paying taxes, paying for family expenses, and school.
The program focuses on low income Asian and Pacific
Islander youth. Youth of all backgrounds are invited
to participate.
“After graduating from high school, I didn’t
have the necessary skills to navigate through life.
I maxed out my credit cards and it took me 10 years
to pay them back. I wish I had these tools and so
I’m very excited about FLLP. It’s a great
program!” says Mary Anne Foo, OCAPICA Executive
Director. “The financial literacy program is
a class which has the potential to prepare you for
a better future,” says Jeff Buenaventura, FLLP
2003 graduate.
The seven-week program is entirely free of charge
and will begin on Tuesday, July 6th with a kick-off
party set for Monday, June 28th from 6PM-7:30PM at
the OCAPICA conference room. Workshop sessions will
be held at the OCAPICA Conference Room at 12900 Garden
Grove Boulevard, Suite #240A in Garden Grove. FLLP
meets Mondays through Thursdays from 2PM - 5PM. To
sign up or for more information, parents and students
are encouraged to call Jennifer Kuo at OCAPICA at
(714) 636-9095. As space is limited, please RSVP as
soon as possible to reserve a spot.
Established in 1997, OCAPICA is a non-profit organization
whose mission is to build a healthier and stronger
community by enhancing the well-being of Asians and
Pacific Islanders through inclusive partnerships in
the areas of service, education, advocacy, organizing,
and research.
###
|
