Asian American Crisis Relief Fund (AA-CRF)
CACF launched the Asian American Crisis Relief Fund to address the immediate needs of families in our community while helping us understand what barriers families continue to face that informs and strengthens our long term advocacy efforts.
The Asian American Crisis Relief Fund (AA-CRF) - the only one of its kind - provides financial support for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders facing crisis situations, when they have nowhere else to turn. Through the support of an anonymous charitable foundation, CACF has been selected to administer emergency funds available to clients of our member organizations.
In 2019, CACF piloted the AA-CRF and since then has provided over $75,000 in crisis relief grants to individuals and families in need across East, South, and Central/Western Asian communities.
By the numbers.
$115k+
CACF distributed over $100,000 through the AA-CRF
36
Since 2019, CACF has worked with over 36 member organizations to distribute crisis funds
PROGRAM GOAL
AA-CRF grants are intended to relieve temporary, one-time emergencies, or crises for which no other resources are available.
2024 Participating Organizations
Project Ready
Sakhi for South Asian Survivors
Sapna NYC
United Chinese Association of Brooklyn
University Settlement
Yemeni American Merchants Association
APNA Brooklyn Community Center
Apex for Youth
Center for the Integration & Advancement of New Americans (CIANA)
Homecrest Community Services
Muslim Community Network (MCN)
Lift Some of That Burden
“Our clients are struggling to navigate a broken immigration system and often do not have the means to pay the high fees for immigration applications.
Saving for those fees often delays many families from applying for citizenship or renewing their DACA applications. Partnering with CACF has provided an opportunity for us to lift some of that burden off our clients.”
—
Yoon Ji Kim, Managing Director, MinKwon Center for Community Action
Ensure Their Safety
“Two out of five South Asian women in the United States are survivors of domestic violence.
At Sakhi for South Asian Survivors, 75% of our clients live below the poverty line. We understand the connections between violence and economic control. As a member of CACF, we’ve had access to AA-CRF. AA-CRF provided vital emergency funds to survivors and their children when they were most needed, to ensure their safety and help them continue on a path to economic independence.“
—
Vidula Pant, Director of Programs, Sakhi for South Asian Survivors
Serves Immigrants
“The Arab-American Family Support Center serves immigrants and refugees facing immense challenges, including discrimination, social isolation, trauma, and poverty.
The AA-CRF has provided a source of immediate financial relief for our clients during times of unforeseen financial hardship - the value of which cannot be overstated.”
—
Mohammad Barakat, Director of Operations, Arab-American Family Support Center
In April 2020, CACF launched the APA-RICE (Responding Immediately to the COVID-19 Emergency) Fund for individuals and families with no access to financial supports. To date, this fund has distributed over $100,000 through 12 partner organizations and CACF’s Asian American Student Advocacy Project.
Who to Contact
For more information, please contact Andrea Wu, Director of Operations, at awu@cacf.org.