The Asian Community Fund at the Boston Foundation is a permanent endowment that is designed to build the visibility and capacity of our diverse AAPI communities to meet our evolving needs, especially for our low-income and immigrant communities.
THE HISTORY: Asian Americans have lived, worked, and raised families in Greater Boston for more than a century and a half, and this community now represents the fastest growing—and arguably the least understood—group in our region. Many of us in the Asian American community have worked hard to build successful lives, often in the face of daunting obstacles, and are economically and educationally advanced. Others, less visible, face myriad challenges and, in some cases, severe social and economic distress.
THE GOAL: The Asian Community Fund at the Boston Foundation was established to increase the visibility of the Asian American community and expand resources for nonprofits that serve disadvantaged Asian Americans.
We seek to raise a permanent endowment at the Boston Foundation to serve the Asian American Community long into the future.
The Boston Foundation launched the fund with an initial $250,000 commitment.
To date, the Fund has raised over $2 million in gifts and pledges.
“Asian American” suggests a degree of homogeneity that obscures the complexity of our community. Made up of many ethnic groups, Greater Boston’s Asian Americans include large populations of Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Korean, Filipino, Japanese, Nepalese and Pakistani Americans, all speaking different languages. This diversity extends to educational attainment and income levels.
This is a critical moment in the Asian American community nationally and locally. ACF with the Advisory committee is beginning to explore the challenges and opportunities exposed by COVID, the rise in Anti-Asian violence, and the limited public understanding of and resources devoted to the diverse needs of AAPI communities.
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Paul W. Lee Of Counsel, Goodwin Proctor LLC Director, The Boston Foundation |
Helen Chin Schlichte Co-Founder, President Emeritus, South Cove Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility |
| Kimberly Blakemore Program Officer Tufts Health Plan Foundation |
Dr. Peter Nien-chu Kiang Professor and Director of the Asian American Studies Program College of Education & Human Development, UMass Boston |
| Stephen Chan Vice President of Strategy and Operations The Boston Foundation |
Sarah G. Kim Deputy Treasurer and General Counsel Office of the Massachusetts State Treasurer & Receiver General |
| Shu (Nick) Chau Founder and President Tai Tung Realty, Inc. |
Elaine Ng Executive Director TSNE MissionWorks |
| Pam Y. Eddinger, Ph.D. President Bunker Hill Community College |
Sovanna Pouv Executive Director Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell |
| Renee Inomata Partner Casner & Edwards, LLP |
On October 29, 2020, the Asian Community Fund and the Boston Foundation hosted the Fund's first event, to learn how the Asian-Pacific Islander (API) community is enduring amidst the challenges of racism and COVID-19. The event, featuring a panel of community leaders, highlighted the diversity of the Asian/Pacific Islander community, and the work and impact of the new Asian Community Fund at the Boston Foundation.