View Email Online JAN/FEB/MAR 2021
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Happy New Year! Happy Year of the Ox!
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We are starting this newsletter with a note of gratitude to Comerica Charitable Foundation for the $7,000 grant and Moms Against Poverty for the donation of items that supported our Holiday Essential Care Boxes drive last December. We are very thankful for the volunteers who helped assemble the care boxes and bags, and delivered them to families during this pandemic.
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With the new year, we saw President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris sworn into office on Jan. 20, 2021 to begin another chapter in our country's history.
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Black History Month. This year's theme for the month-long celebration is The Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity. There are many remarkable African Americans in diverse fields who may not be frequently spotlighted like Martin Luther King, Jr. Here is a list of some of these pioneers:
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/topic/african-american-heroes
Due to Covid-19, we are not able to offer any Black History Month activities. Our APA Family Service Team serving Ping Yuen has distributed gift cards to 150 residents, focusing on African American/Black senior residents and parents/heads of households. We are encouraging our staff and clients to order from Black-owned businesses impacted by the pandemic as a way to give back to the community.
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National Children’s Dental Health Month. Did you know that APA is the facilitator for CavityFree SF Bayview-Hunters Point Children’s Oral Health Taskforce which addresses tooth decay among young children? A media campaign, including a promotional video, is underway. We are working with Magic ToothBus to promote comprehensive oral health education to address oral health issues and increase access to quality dental care.
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A step-by-step info sheet on how to navigate the Medi-Cal telephone service line and online directory is available for parents. Our staff has some activity sheets for the kids to work on together on Zoom or on their own on an iPad or tablet. The sheets are printable with English and Spanish versions, courtesy of the American Dental Association.
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National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month (TDVAM). 1 in 3 adolescents is a victim of abuse by a dating partner. This is an issue that impacts everyone -- not just teens -- but also their parents, teachers, friends and communities.
On Feb 3, President Biden proclaimed February 2021 as National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, calling upon all Americans to support efforts in their communities and schools, and in their own families, to empower young people to develop healthy relationships throughout their lives and to prevent and respond to teen dating violence.
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Did you know that a survey of 500 teen and young adults nationwide shows that 57% percent waited six months or more before seeking any help while 40% hadn’t talked to anyone about abusive behavior in their relationship?
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APA is developing Health and Self-care workshops, including a Kinship-Specific Support Group series with Comerica Bank. The first workshop will start in March during Women’s History Month.
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Show Us Your Talent
APA’s Visitacion Valley Strong Families family resource center is presenting a virtual talent show in collaboration with HOPE SF Community Wellness Program for the Sunnydale housing residents. Prizes will be awarded to winners of the contest.
Show Us Your Talent contest will be held on Thursday, Mar. 25, 6 – 7:30 pm
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Community Playland's Storytime
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By popular request from parents, we are offering virtual children storytime sessions to provide respite care for the parents, or even just simply to engage the children while parents can focus on preparing lunch. One of our interns will involve the kids in book reading, song singing and other early literacy activities.
Community Playland's Storytime is offered in English on Mondays, starting Mar. 1, 11 - noon. Drop-ins are welcome.
Wednesday Storytime is conducted in Chinese/English by another intern via Zoom on Wednesdays from 11 - 11:45 am
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Year Of The Ox Virtual Celebration
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APA hosted our annual Chinese New Year celebration for Chinatown client families on Feb 19. Many of the young kids were dressed up for the occasion. Festivities included singing, storytelling, arts & crafts as well as a Nian Creature costume contest. Materials for this parent-child costume creation project were provided in advance.
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The top-rated contestants were awarded prizes, but no one was left without a gift. During our Monday Diaper Distribution, goodie bags with lucky red envelopes for the kids were given to the 25 families who joined our celebration.
Let's see one of our Nian Creature costume contestants in action HERE.
Special thanks to Kory Lam, HSBC’s Vice President and Cluster Branch Manager in San Francisco and the N.CA Asian & Pacific Islanders Committee for ordering fortune cookies from Chinatown’s Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory to contribute to the goodie bags. Thank you also goes to the donors who contributed to the “lai see” lucky money for the children.
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Upcoming Digital Literacy workshops
Smartphone Workshop Series -
Make your smartphone the best personal assistant in life
Presented by APA's Family Economic Success Program
Fridays, (Feb. 26), Mar. 12, 19 & 26, 10:00 am - Noon
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Recent Financial Literacy workshops
presented by Cathay Bank's Alton Lu and
Wendy So (Mortgage Loan Originator)
Your Savings - Dec. 14, 2020
Buying a Home - Dec. 16, 2020
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Recent
Financial Literacy workshop
presented by ASAM LLP's
Joyce Tso, CPA/ABV, CFF
Tax Return Workshop -
Jan. 22, 2021
With a focus on tax filing during the pandemic
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Looking Ahead
We recently received generous donations of disposable KN95 masks, gloves, safety glasses, and safety goggles to distribute to our frontline staff, clients and greater community. This was made possible thanks to UCSF Health and facilitated by the UCSF Center for Community Engagement.
While San Francisco cautiously moves into the red tier in early March, APA’s programs and services will continue virtually in the coming months. Reopening discussions will take place in the summer and decisions will be made in time for the “back to school” schedule. We look forward to welcoming the children back to our in-person activities later this year.
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Many of our parenting and training workshops will continue to be offered on Zoom in order to maximize reach and benefit more members in the community.
APA joined with fellow community leaders and organizations in the Asian, Black and the larger communities to advocate to our city and county representatives for added protections for residents and for the denouncement in the rise in anti-Asian violence that has resulted in serious and fatal injury to members of our community.
Your continued partnership and support for APA Family Support Services is truly appreciated, and we firmly believe that in coming together we grow ever stronger.
With sincere appreciation,
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Rick Yuen, Executive Director
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Support us by shopping at AmazonSmile
- Select APA Family Support Services as your charity
- Ask your family and friends to join in
APAfss AmazonSmile page
CLICK smile.amazon.com/ch/94-3164091.
Bookmark your account.
Already shopping on Amazon? Sign on at APAfss AmazonSmile page.
Same shopping for you. Extra funds for APA.
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Our mission is to promote healthy children and families by providing family support services to prevent child abuse and domestic violence. We also advocate for culturally competent services for Asians and Pacific Islanders through education, community building and leadership development.
APA Family Support Services is a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency. Your contribution to support APA is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law.
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Chair Rose Chung Asian America Foundation
President Cary Chen Recology
Vice President Jacqueline Huie First Republic Bank
Secretary Julie Hoxie Human Resources Administration
Treasurer Joyce Tso, CPA/ABV ASAM, LLP
Mai-Sie Chan, M.D. Private Practice
Van Diep KTSF-TV, Channel 26
Fanny Lam Lam Wing Ah Real Estate Investment Broker
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Kory Lam HSBC Bank (USA)
Jennifer Ng, M.D. Kaiser Permanente San Francisco
Susan Sung, Ph.D., Professor Emerita
San Francisco State University
Sonya Trac Comerica Bank, Northern California
Dean Yao, Ph.D. Mode Analytics
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Rick Yuen, MSW
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