Asian American Civic Association

CONTACT:

87 Tyler Street
Boston, MA 02111
617-426-9492x201
www.aaca-boston.org

Chau-ming Lee, Executive Director

DESCRIPTION:

Founded in 1967, originally to support political candidates helpful to the Chinese population of Boston, AACA at its 40th anniversary has become the largest educational, vocational. and social service agency in Chinatown, serving all Asian immigrants as well as immigrants from other nations. This year it began a new chapter in its history, by moving into new and more spacious headquarters. In 2006 AACA social workers served 10,613 client cases, and their education program’s enrollment is now at over 1,000 students annually. Their newspaper, Sampan, founded in 1972 and still the only English-Chinese bilingual newspaper in New England, at its 35th anniversary has a circulation 10,000 in Greater Boston and 31,500 weekly hits on its webpage. So AACA is productive, and efficient—94% of its annual budget goes directly to programs. But they were very overcrowded in their offices, so they mounted a $2.8 million “New Beginning” capital campaign, to nearly double their office and instructional spaces, sharing a sharing a 6-story building with Kwong Kow Chinese School, which will enable their youth and child care services programs to grow as well. You can help them celebrate these anniversaries by supporting their “New Beginning.”

(2007: HUMAN SERVICES: Well-Being: Employment)