Nine Organizations received Emergency Grants to support seniors

Asian Community Center of Sacramento Valley Inc. (dba ACC Senior Services)

ACC’s Rides Program has 3,400 participants within 10 zip codes in the Sacramento area. Riders often have disabilities (poor vision, arthritis, etc). and do not own a car, or have a support system. Our grant will fund rides and Wellness Checks for those with limited English proficiency and physical disabilities, and for those who do not have computers or smart phones; or understand the online screens to order services.

Learn more about ACC at https://www.accsv.org/

Central California Nikkei Foundation

With our Emergency grant, Central California Nikkei Foundation will provide assistance in the form of care packages for the seniors of the Nikkei Center & the JA community. Without this grant, it would have been unable to provide any assistance to their seniors who suddenly found themselves without the transportation and senior lunch programs offered by the Nikkei Center for the duration of this COVID-19 Pandemic. In addition, family members were also faced with the same shelter-in-place orders which prevented them from coming to assist their parents in this critical time of need. Not only will the grant allow CCNF to provide basic supplies and food items; but will also send a message that the JA Community Foundation cares for their welfare. In talking to these seniors, they are captive in their own homes, through no fault of their own. These care packages will serve to keep their spirits up.

Learn more about Central California Nikkei Foundation at http://ccnf.org/

East San Gabriel Valley JCC

The East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center (ESGVJCC) will use the grant to distribute free drive-thru meals for their seniors and provide drop-off meals for those who do not drive. These meals will be provided twice a week on Tuesdays and Wednesdays until their Senior Wellness Program opens again. Usually their lunches are homemade, but for this effort, they will be supporting local businesses and purchasing the food for their seniors.

Learn more about East San Gabriel Valley JCC at https://www.esgvjcc.org/

Eden Township JCC

The Eden Township Japanese Community Center, in partnership with J-Sei, Inc., provides hot Japanese lunches to seniors on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month. This service is provided on site at the Community Center. A much needed enhancement to the program would allow them to delivery the same meals to home-bound seniors. Funding from the emergency grant would allow them to move forward with a home delivery program for their home-bound seniors. The funds would be used to purchase the necessary equipment to become a satellite of the J-Sei senior meal program.

Learn more about Eden Township JCC at http://www.edenathleticclub.org/edenjcc.html

J-sei, Inc.

J-Sei delivers meals and food pantry staples to 90 seniors during this emergency period. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday hot and frozen meals and groceries are delivered. Each senior receives a minimum of five to seven healthy Japanese meals per week and weekly phone check-in calls are provided. COVID-19 has put an extreme strain on their ability to continue food delivery and yet the demand for assistance increases. An emergency grant pays for the continued sourcing of raw food, food packaging supplies, sanitation supplies, gas reimbursement for volunteers and the purchase of food pantry items and also cover the cost of additional temporary part-time kitchen help to support the increased preparation of meals. Without such support, the most vulnerable will be at risk.

Learn more about J-Sei, Inc. at https://j-sei.org/

Kimochi

Our Emergency Fund will be used to support their senior nutrition program. Kimochi provides over 300 meals every day for seniors in Japantown, Western Addition, Richmond, and Sunset Districts. All meals are being provided for pick-up from their senior center or for home delivery. In normal circumstances, they would prepare approximately 140 meals in to-go containers for delivery every day, they are currently preparering over 300 meals per day in to-go containers for pick-up or delivery. This change from congregate dining to delivery and pick-up only has resulted in increased supply costs. They are in need of additional insultaed delivery bags and paper supplies for to-go meals. In addition, the grant will be used to cover the cost of raw food and mileage reimbursement for volunteer delivery drivers.

Learn more about Kimochi at https://www.kimochi-inc.org/

LTSC Community Development Corporation

LTSC provides services in a 200 unit senior affordable apartment building in Gardena, CA and to the seniors with low-incomes in the surrounding neighborhood. Many of the seniors have no children, family or other care providers, but were mostly self-sufficient before the Los Angeles County “Safer at Home” order. Now they are no longer able to shop for food and supplies and so LTSC is experiencing an unprecedented number of requests for emergency assistance, food, meals and other supplies. The funds will be used to provide emergency assistance in April and May, including dinners delivered by volunteers, to these home-bound and isolated JA and AA seniors. To provide suitable food, LTSC will work with local restaurants or prepared meal providers to create meals with Asian items. LTSC will order the meals, the food will be prepared and volunteers will pick up and deliver the meals to the self-isolating seniors.

Learn more about LTSC at https://www.ltsc.org/

Long Beach Japanese Cultural Center

In keeping with the stay-at-home order and in lieu of thier weekly lunch program served at the Long Beach Japanese Cultural Center, they have arranged for home delivery of 2-3 meals/week to thier participants. Their volunteers have remained in contact with each of the seniors weekly (and more frequently, if needed) and have determined that keeping food supplies and making meals is becoming critical for those who are already mobility challenged and have none to few relatives nearby. Many of them have chronic health problems and their vulnerability makes it extremely inadvisable to venture out and to keep contact with others at a minimum. They are negotiating with two of their regular vendors for (culturally inspired) and nutritious meals, and are planning for 14 weeks in the event that this Pandemic is not contained by then.

Learn more about Long Beach Japanese Cultural Center at https://www.lbjcc.org/

Yu-Ai Kai

Yu-Ai Kai provides hot meals, made fresh, daily (Mon-Fri) for their Senior Nutrition Program (SNP) that is an essential service to their seniors in the community. The State and County has issued a mandate for meals to be prepared to-go only, requiring Yu-Ai Kai to revise their food service configuration, process, and procedure. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they have lost many volunteers and the required changes to their SNP operation has increased their need for additional labor. Yu-Ai Kai strongly depends on the service of their volunteers, and Covid-19 has forced their agency to redirect staff for their food service programs to fill the various needs. Funding will be allocated to pay wages of redirected staff members assisting with SNP, Brown Bag, and extra supplies due to Covid-19.

Learn more about Yu-Ai Kai at http://yuaikai.org/