Asian American Health Initiative Provides COVID-19 Grants to Community Organizations Serving Asian American and Pacific Islander Residents; $1 Million in Funding Awarded to 11 Organizations

Per Montgomery County:

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Montgomery County’s Asian American Health Initiative (AAHI) recently awarded $1 million in COVID-19 relief grants to community organizations that serve the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. The funding will be used for activities related to COVID-19 education and outreach related vaccinations and testing. Asian American communities have faced unique challenges since the start of COVID-19. With 15 different Asian American subgroups in Montgomery County providing education, information, and resources around COVID-19 testing and vaccination in a linguistically and culturally appropriate manner has been a key challenge, along with the increased need and demand for social services and mental health services. Another unique challenge that Asian American communities have faced is the rise anti-Asian sentiment since the start of the pandemic.

Recognizing the need for tailored services and outreach, AAHI partnered with the Primary Care Coalition of Montgomery County (PCC), to develop and administer the COVID-19 Relief Fund for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Through a competitive grants process, AAHI- and PCC-requested proposals from eligible organizations to provide COVID-19 related services, which included, but were not limited to, culturally appropriate outreach activities, testing and vaccinations, outreach and education, mental health, anti-harassment/anti-hate, and social service support. A total of 42 organizations submitted applications and 11 organizations received funding.

The organizations who received funding are:

• American Diversity Group (ADG) (awarded $85,604)
• Asian Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project (DVRP) (awarded $79,971)
• Chinese American Community Health Services (CACHS) (awarded $37,800)
• Chinese Culture and Community Service Center, (CCACC) (awarded $156,797)
• EveryMind (awarded $71,330)
• Indonesian Muslim Association in America (IMAAM) (awarded $82,665)
• Korean Community Service Center of Greater Washington (KCSC) (awarded $125,017)
• Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association (MVMA) (awarded $123,727)
• Muslim Community Center (MCC) Medical Clinic (awarded $66,550)
• Philippine Nurses Association of Metropolitan DC (PNAMDC) (awarded $75,550)
• Vietnamese American Services (VAS) (awarded $94,989)

Funding for the AAHI COVID-19 Relief Fund was allocated after the Montgomery County Council passed three resolutions that provided funding for AAHI to develop a linguistically and culturally diverse response to COVID-19. Funding came from the County’s general fund, through the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the American Rescue Plan Act.

The AAHI is one of three minority health initiatives (AAHI, the African American Health Program and the Latino Health Initiative) that are part of DHHS. For more information about AAHI, visit their website.