PR-11/02

JACS Awards $9,000 to Community Groups

The Japanese American Community Services of Southern California, Inc. (JACS) announces that it has awarded a total of $9,000 to fund four community projects. Grant recipients for 2002 include Cold Tofu, Great Leap, Little Tokyo Residents Association, and South Asian Network.

JACS awarded Cold Tofu funding to support production costs for their 20th anniversary show, which ran four weekends from October - November 2002. Cold Tofu is the premier Asian Pacific American comedy improvisation group in Los Angeles. Cold Tofu’s mission is to promote diverse images of Asian Pacific Americans through comedy and developing multi-ethnic talent through education and performances.

Great Leap was awarded funding for "To All Relations: Memories of Boyle Heights." Engaging a diverse group of participants in the creation of a multi-disciplinary, site-specific work based on the stories, perceptions, and history of Boyle Heights, Great Leap will present 13 performances at the Japanese American National Museum in January–February 2003. Great Leap is dedicated to using the arts to cross cultural borders as a powerful force for positive social change.

The third group receiving funds, Little Tokyo Residents Association (LTRA), will purchase translation equipment to accommodate 25 non-English speaks with up to three language channels at a time. Translation will be provided by Community Organizers working for the Little Tokyo Service Center Community Development Corporation (LTSC CDC) and will be supplemented by volunteers. The LTRA was established in 2000 to give voice to the needs and concerns of 200 residents in Little Tokyo.

Finally, the South Asian Network received funding for their Anti-Discrimination Project to continue its efforts to raise awareness and organize within Los Angeles’ South Asian community with respect to post 9/11 hate crimes and discrimination. Formed in 1990, this grassroots organization addresses a broad array of health, legal and social issues affecting low-income persons of South Asian origin.

"The Board of Trustees is so thrilled to be able to fund these worthwhile projects. We feel that they represent the ideals that JACS represents," said Kristin Kumamoto, Vice President of Grant Programs.

For over 40 years, JACS has provided funds to a broad range of community and social service groups serving the Nikkei and Asian Pacific American communities. Currently, JACS provides financial support to emerging groups and projects in the Greater Los Angeles area, with a focus on community service, health and human services, cultural arts and leadership development.

In the past several decades, JACS has supported dozens of organizations, including the Little Tokyo Peoples Rights Organization, Korean Youth Community Center, Asian Rehabilitation Services, East West Players, JACS/AI and Yellow Brotherhood.

The origins of JACS can be traced back to Shonien, a Los Angeles-based children’s home and day nursery for Japanese immigrants in the early 1900s. After World War II and the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans, the Shonien redirected its focus to provide family and community social services, and eventually became the Japanese American Community Services of Southern California, Inc. in 1961. The Shonien home was sold and proceeds placed in a trust fund.

Since then, JACS has provided funds to a broad range of community and social service groups serving the Nikkei and Asian Pacific American communities.

JACS also recently announced that they are now accepting proposals for their grants funding program. Proposals are accepted throughout the year. Applications and criteria can be obtained by calling
(323) 223-6473, emailing jacsfund@yahoo.com or via the website, www.jacsfund.org.