Vietnamese Asso Of Illinois

VAI FOCUSES ON SERVING DIVERSE COMMUNITIES OF ALL ETHNICITIES AND RELIGIONS, FOSTERING UNITY, AND PROMOTING VIETNAMESE AMERICAN IDENTITY.

COMMUNITY CARE PROGRAM - VAI'S ELDERLY HOMECARE PROGRAM SERVES SENIORS IN COOK, DUPAGE, CANE AND WILL COUNTRIES. MULTILINGUAL VIETNAMESE, CHINESE, AND ARABIC HOMECARE WORKERS PROVIDE CARE FOR HOMEBOUND SENIORS, SUCH AS WITH DAILY TASKS AND HOUSEHOLD CHORES. IN FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2022, VAI INCREASED ITS NUMBER OF HOMECARE WORKERS WITH 16 NEW HOME CARE AIDES AND ADDED 15 NEW CLIENTS, IN TOTAL PROVIDING CARE FOR OVER 331 SENIORS AND EMPLOYED 261 HOMECARE WORKERS. VAI PROVIDED 4 TRAININGS FOR HCA WITH TOPICS OF MENTAL HEALTH, SEXUAL HARASSMENT PREVENTION, DEMENTIA AND SHIP AND HBV AND HPV. IN ADDITION TO HOMECARE SERVICES, VAI PROVIDED THOUSANDS OF PPE TO HOMECARE WORKERS IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19, AS WELL AS VIETNAMESE-TRANSLATED MATERIALS WITH INFORMATION AS TO HOW TO LOWER THE RISK OF EXPOSURE FOR CLIENTS AND WORKERS.

ADULT EDUCATION - THE ADULT LITERACY PROGRAM PROVIDES ENGLISH (ESL) AND CITIZENSHIP INSTRUCTION TO LIMITED-ENGLISH-PROFICIENT COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PREPARING THEM FOR THEIR NATURALIZATION INTERVIEWS WITH USCIS AND TO IMPROVE THEIR CAPACITY TO COMMUNICATE IN ENGLISH. IN FY'22, THE PROGRAM PROVIDES OPTIONS FOR ON-LINE LEARNING AND EXPANDED SERVICES TO 182 LEARNERS WITH ESL AND CITIZENSHIP INSTRUCTION PROVIDED BY 60 VOLUNTEER TEACHERS. THE PROGRAM ALSO EXPANDED TO DUPAGE AND WILL COUNTIES, SUCH AS A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH JOLIET PUBLIC LIBRARY TO REFERRAL VAI SERVICES TO NEW IMMIGRANT POPULATION VAI HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY WORKED WITH. IN ADDITION TO ON-LINE LEARNING, LIMITED IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION WAS PROVIDED AT VAI OFFICES IN CHICAGO AND CAROL STREAM, INCLUDING ONE-ON-ONE INSTRUCTION AT THE BEZAZIAN PUBLIC LIBRARY IN CHICAGO.

IMMIGRATION/LEGAL PROGRAM - VAI PROVIDES PUBLIC BENEFITS ASSISTANCE THROUGH ITS IMMIGRANT FAMILY RESOURCE PROGRAM (IFRP) AND IMMIGRATION AND LEGAL SERVICES THROUGH THE COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT LEGAL CLINIC (CELC) AND NEW AMERICANS INITIATIVE (NAI). CELC WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2017 TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL LEGAL SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME, LIMITED ENGLISH SPEAKING IMMIGRANTS, REFUGEES, AND ASYLEES AND THEIR FAMILIES NEEDING ASSISTANCE WITH MATTERS RELATED TO IMMIGRATION, FAMILY, HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, AND CIVIL RIGHTS. FOR FY'22, REPRESENTATIVES ACCREDITED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND PARTNER ATTORNEYS ASSISTED IN 605 LEGAL CASES. WE ALSO SERVED 541 FAMILIES IN VERIFYING ELIGIBILITY AND APPLYING FOR MEDICAID, SNAP, AND UNEMPLOYMENT THROUGH IFRP. IN ADDITION TO IMMIGRATION AND LEGAL SERVICES, VAI HOSTS COMMUNITY EDUCATION WORKSHOPS TO INFORM AND EMPOWER COMMUNITY MEMBERS AROUND RELEVANT ISSUES, SUCH AS PUBLIC CHARGE, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, CENSUS, AND HOW TO APPLY FOR CITIZENSHIP. IN FY'22, VAI HOSTED 8 WORKSHOPS AND FACILITATED DISCUSSION REACHING OVER 167 COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

YOUTH PROGRAM - VAI'S YOUTH PROGRAM PROVIDES YEAR-ROUND SERVICES FOR CULTURALLY DIVERSE YOUTH, AGES 5-18, FROM AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM TO ALL-DAY SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM. AS A PART OF OUR PROGRAMMING, WE OFFER ACADEMIC SUPPORT, MENTORING, AND ENRICHING EXPERIENCES THAT FOSTER PERSONAL GROWTH AND CONNECTION. IN FY'2022, UNDER COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS VAI PROVIDED PROGRAMMING SERVED 15 STUDENTS. IN ADDITION, THE YOUTH PROGRAM SUMMER PROGRAM SERVED OVER 30 YOUTH. ADDITIONALLY, VAI CO-HOSTED WORKSHOPS FOR STUDENTS YOUTH ON TOPICS SUCH AS BODILY AUTONOMY, COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, AND FINANCIAL LITERACY.