Chinese Mutual Aid Association Inc

PROUDLY FOUNDED BY ETHNIC CHINESE REFUGEES, CHINESE MUTUAL AID ASSOCIATION (CMAA) IS LED BY MANY PROMINENT INDIVIDUALS FROM THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY. OUR PURPOSE IS TO SERVE THE NEEDS, PROMOTE THE INTERESTS, AND ENHANCE THE WELL-BEING OF LOW-INCOME, DIVERSE IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE COMMUNITIES ACROSS METROPOLITAN CHICAGO THROUGH SOCIAL SERVICES, ADVOCACY, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING, AND ASSISTANCE FOR YOUTH, ADULTS, THE ELDERLY, AND SMALL BUSINESSES.

SENIOR SERVICES:IN HOME SERVICES: CMAA CONTRACTED WITH THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT ON AGINGS COMMUNITY CARE PROGRAM (CCP) AND PARTNERED WITH MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATIONS (MCOS), INCLUDING BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD, AETNA BETTER HEALTH, AETNA BETTER HEALTH OF ILLINOIS, MERIDIAN HEALTH, MERIDIAN COMPLETE, MOLINA, COUNTYCARE, AND HUMANA IN PROVIDING VITAL SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULTS LIVING IN CHICAGO AND THE SUBURBS. THE CCP, IN-HOME SERVICES AIMS TO FACILITATE AND SUPPORT OLDER ADULTS LIVING IN THEIR OWN HOMES WHILE AGING IN PLACE. AS A PROVIDER OF IN-HOME SERVICES, WE ALSO WORK WITH CARE COORDINATION UNITS (CCU) I.E., THE CATHOLIC CHARITIES IN PROVIDING PERSON-CENTERED ASSESSMENTS AND DESIGNING PLANS OF CARE FOR PARTICIPANTS. OUR DEDICATED TEAM OF OVER 264 HOME CARE AIDES AND STAFF PROVIDES QUALITY CARE TO A DIVERSE OLDER ADULT POPULATION, OVER 378 SENIORS, SPEAKING LANGUAGES THAT INCLUDE CANTONESE, MANDARIN, CROATIAN, BOSNIAN, SERBIAN, VIETNAMESE, TAGALOG, BURMESE, NEPALESE, LAOS, BOSNIAN, KHMER, TAISHANESE, AND HINDI. OUR CAREGIVING TEAM COMPRISES OF MORE THAN 254 EXPERIENCED HOME CARE AIDES AND 10 STAFF MEMBERS. CMAA IS A MEMBER OF THE ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF THE COMMUNITY CARE PROGRAM HOMECARE PROVIDERS (IACCPHP) AND A MEMBER OF THE IDOAS COMMUNITY CARE PROGRAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CCPAC). OUR DIRECTOR OF THE ELDERLY CARE AND SOCIAL SERVICES SERVES ON THE CCPAC AND IACCPHP BOARD TO ADVOCATE FOR THE OLDER ADULTS SERVED, HOME CARE AIDES, AND PROVIDERS. TOGETHER AS AN ORGANIZATION, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND PROGRAM STAFF MEMBERS CONSISTENTLY ENGAGE IN EVALUATING AND PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF THE COMMUNITY CARE PROGRAM STATE-WIDE THROUGH ADVOCACY. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING AND ROLLING OUT IN-HOME SERVICES FOR OLDER ADULTS WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID BENEFITS. THE RETIREMENT RESEARCH FOUNDATION HAS BEEN FUNDING THIS JOINT VENTURE FOR CMAA AND THE HANUL FAMILY ALLIANCE TO DEVELOP THE PRIVATE PAY PROGRAM FOR OLDER ADULT CLIENTS WHO ARE NOT COVERED BY MEDICAID AND CAN PAY FOR THE SERVICES VIA OUT-OF-POCKET OR INSURANCE. OLDER ADULTS WHO NEED ASSISTANCE IN THEIR HOMES BUT HAVE INCOMES EXCEEDING THE LOW-INCOME GUIDELINES CAN REQUEST SERVICES THROUGH OUR PRIVATE PAY PROGRAM. CONTRACTED WITH THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH (IDPH), OUR HOME CARE AIDES ALSO PROVIDE IN-HOME SERVICES TO ASSIST CLIENTS WITH MEDICAL VISITS AND OUTINGS, BATHING AND GROOMING, WALKING AND TRANSFERS, MEAL PREPARATION, GROCERY SHOPPING, HOUSEKEEPING, AND LAUNDRY. WE HOUSED AND PARTNERED ON THE CCP AND THE PRIVATE PAY PROGRAM WITH THE BOSNIAN HERZEGOVINIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY CENTER (BHACC). CMAA PROVIDES, IN-HOME SERVICES IN BOTH THE CHICAGO AND ELGIN OFFICE. GOLDEN AGE CLUB:CMAA HAS A GOLDEN AGE CLUB FOR ACTIVE OLDER ADULTS TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL ACTIVITIES I.E., DANCING, SINGING, CALLIGRAPHY SESSIONS, FIELD TRIPS, AND SOCIAL/EDUCATIONAL EVENTS. EACH YEAR, CMAA HOSTS A GRANDPARENTS LUNCHEON IN JUNE AND A WINTER HOLIDAYS LUNCHEON IN DECEMBER FOR OUR MEMBERS. CURRENTLY, CMAAS GOLDEN AGE CLUB HAS 130-150 ACTIVE MEMBERS. CMAA ALSO ENDEAVORS TO COACH OUR IMMIGRANT OLDER ADULTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BECOMING MORE CIVICALLY INVOLVED AND ANNUALLY BRINGS A GROUP OF SENIORS TO CHICAGOS CITY HALL AND TO THE ILLINOIS STATE CAPITOL IN SPRINGFIELD.

EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, & CITIZENSHIP:ADULT EDUCATION: THROUGH A GRANT FROM THE ILLINOIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD (ICCB), CMAA AND ITS PARTNER AGENCIES - THE LARGEST AND MOST DIVERSE CONSORTIUM IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS - OFFERED ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) AND CIVICS CLASSES TO OVER 600 LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT (LEP) IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES ACROSS THE CITY OF CHICAGO IN FY22. PARTNERS INCLUDE THE BOSNIAN HERZEGOVINIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY CENTER, CHINESE AMERICAN SERVICE LEAGUE, ETHIOPIAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION OF CHICAGO, ERIE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE, HANA CENTER, HANUL FAMILY ALLIANCE, INDO-AMERICAN CENTER, AND TOUCH GIFT FOUNDATION. IN FY22 OUR CONSORTIUM OFFERED ADULT BASIC EDUCATION CLASSES IN ADDITION TO ESL CLASSES TO HELP CLIENTS WITH HIGHER LEVEL ENGLISH IMPROVE THEIR READING AND MATH SKILLS, AS WELL AS BRIDGE AND INTEGRATED ENGLISH AND TRAINING CLASSES FOR CLIENTS SEEKING TO TRANSITION FROM EDUCATION TO EMPLOYMENT. CMAA SPECIFICALLY CONTINUED TO OFFER OUR HEALTHCARE EMPLOYMENT PREPARATION PROGRAM (HEPP) THAT COUPLES CONTEXTUALIZED HEALTHCARE LITERACY CLASSES AND HOLISTIC CASE MANAGEMENT TOWARD PURSUING A CAREER IN HEALTHCARE, AND LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR MAKING A SIMILAR OFFICE TECHNOLOGY OFFERING IN FY23. HEPP AS WELL AS ESL IS ALSO OFFERED AT CMAAS SATELLITE OFFICE IN ELGIN, IL, AGAIN PRIMARILY THROUGH ICCB FUNDING. HOWEVER, IN ADDITION TO ICCB, IL SECRETARY OF STATE FUNDS SUPPORTED BOTH OUR FAMILY LITERACY CLASSES AT LOCAL CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR PARENTS AND A ROBUST VOLUNTEER TUTORING PROGRAM AS AN ALTERNATIVE OR SUPPLEMENT TO OUR ESL CLASS OPTIONS. FINALLY, CMAA ALSO SUPPORTED CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION STUDENTS LOOKING TO GAIN US CITIZENSHIP WITH FUNDING FROM THE ILLINOIS COALITION ON IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE RIGHTS (ICIRR) NEW AMERICANS INITIATIVE (NAI). OF COURSE, PREPARING STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE FULLY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES IS A GOAL OF ALL OUR ADULT EDUCATION CLASSES, WITH SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN ICCB-FUNDED COURSES, WHICH COVER SUCH TOPICS AS: THE RIGHTS OF IMMIGRANTS AND U.S. CITIZENS, U.S. HISTORY AND GOVERNANCE, ACCESSING COMMUNITY RESOURCES, CONSUMER ECONOMICS, AND WORKFORCE READINESS SKILLS. EMPLOYMENT: CMAA CAREER COACHES PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED EMPLOYMENT PREPARATION, REFERRALS, AND JOB PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE TO UNEMPLOYED OR UNDEREMPLOYED COMMUNITY MEMBERS. OUR CLIENTS REPRESENT DIVERSE PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUNDS, SUCH AS HEALTHCARE, HOSPITALITY, AND INDUSTRIAL WORK, AND HAVE VARIOUS LEVELS OF EDUCATION. ALTHOUGH CMAA PRIMARILY SERVES IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES, OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ALSO ATTRACTS U.S.-BORN AMERICANS WHO NEED ASSISTANCE WITH JOB READINESS TRAINING, RESUME WRITING WORKSHOPS, AND DIGITAL LITERACY. IN FY22 CMAA SERVED OVER 100 UNIQUE CLIENTS THROUGH BOTH WORKSHOPS AND ONE-ON-ONE CASE MANAGEMENT. OUR CAREER COACHES MEET INDIVIDUALLY WITH ALL CLIENTS TO ADDRESS BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES TO EMPLOYMENT, CONDUCT CAREER SKILLS ASSESSMENTS, AND SUPPORT THEIR CREATION OF AND ACTING ON AN INDIVIDUALIZED EMPLOYMENT OR EDUCATION PLAN. OUR REPUTATION OVER THE YEARS AS A PROVIDER OF QUALITY STAFFING HAS CREATED A NETWORK OF EMPLOYER PARTNERS SUCH AS WEISS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, OHARE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AND THE VICEROY CHICAGO. CITIZENSHIP: SINCE 1997, CMAA HAS OFFERED CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES SEEKING TO APPLY FOR U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND OTHER BENEFITS. OUR DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (DOJ) ACCREDITED STAFF OFFERED INDIVIDUALIZED LEGAL COUNSEL AND CASE ASSISTANCE AT A LOW COST TO CLIENTS AND, OFTEN, IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGES OF VIETNAMESE, CANTONESE, OR MANDARIN. IN FY22 CMAA ASSISTED OVER 300 CLIENTS WITH A VARIETY OF SERVICES: OBTAINING OR RENEWING THEIR GREEN CARD, PETITIONING TO REUNITE FAMILIES BY SPONSORING MEMBERS LIVING ABROAD TO IMMIGRATE TO THE US, APPLYING FOR WORK AUTHORIZATION, APPLYING FOR CITIZENSHIP AND PREPARING FOR THE NATURALIZATION EXAM, AND PROVIDING COUNSEL OR REFERRAL FOR A HOST OF OTHER IMMIGRATION-RELATED ISSUES. IN FY22 CMAA SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS FOR CITIZENSHIP ON BEHALF OF 196 CLIENTS.

SOCIAL SERVICES:CMAAS SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT WORKS WITH THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES (IDHS) TO BREAK DOWN LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL BARRIERS TO HELP LOW-INCOME CLIENTS AND FAMILIES IDENTIFY AND ACCESS BENEFITS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM THROUGH LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS. IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2022, AS OF TODAY OUR DIRECT SERVICE STAFF ASSISTED OVER 1,000 FAMILIES IN APPLYING FOR LIHEAP, ALL KIDS, SNAP, MEDICAID, TANF AND OTHER PUBLIC BENEFITS. THE ILLINOIS COALITION OF IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE (ICIRR) PROVIDES GRANTS TO CMAA IN ASSISTING LOW-INCOME FAMILIES FOR TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETATION. WE SERVED 1,500 FAMILIES IN FY22 AND WE AIM TO EXCEED LAST YEARS OUTCOMES BY SERVING 2,000 FAMILIES IN FY23.SINCE JULY 1, 2022 OUR WELCOMING CENTER PROGRAM HAS SERVED MORE THAN 170 ASYLEE, IMMIGRANT, REFUGEE, AND LIMITED ENGLISH-SPEAKING HOUSEHOLDS WITH VARIOUS NEEDS. WE SERVED 286 HOUSEHOLDS IN FY22. WE AIM TO EXCEED OUR FY22 OUTCOMES BY SERVING 450 HOUSEHOLDS IN FY23. OUR RESILIENCY 2.0 INITIATIVE AIMS TO OUTREACH HARD-TO-REACH COMMUNITIES TO INFORM INDIVIDUALS WHO DID NOT RECEIVE THE STIMULUS FUNDS AND ARE QUALIFIED TO APPLY FOR THIS ONE-TIME CASH ASSISTANCE. THIS INITIATIVE BEGINS ON NOVEMBER 1, 2022 AND ENDS ON DECEMBER 9, 2023. OUR GOAL IS TO REACH AND INFORM 2,000 INDIVIDUALS BY DECEMBER 9, 2023 OF THE CASH ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION. FURTHERMORE, OUR HOUSING SERVICES ASSISTED CLIENTS WITH FINDING AFFORDABLE AND SUBSIDIZED HOUSING, PROVIDING ASSISTANCE IN UNDERSTANDING LEASES AND FORECLOSURES, AND HELPING RESOLVE TENANT-LANDLORD CONFLICTS.