CAPI’s Basic Needs Programs CAPI connects immigrants, refugees, and our communities with the nutrition, health, and human service resources they need to thrive. We offer a nutritious, culturally-specific food shelf while serving as a gateway to resources that move people toward greater economic stability and health. Through our food and nutrition programs, we promote healthy communities, partnerships, community involvement, and volunteerism. Visit their website for more program information CAPI’s Fresh Produce Distributions will be held on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month. The distributions will begin on July 10th and end on October 9th, 2020 from 1-2:30pm. Distributions are first come, first serve based on numbers handed out beginning at 12:30pm. Participants may arrive at 12:30pm and after to receive a number. Numbers will not be handed out before that time. The SNAP program is intended as a supplement to help individuals and families purchase healthy and nutritious foods. Eligibility for the program depends on your household size and income. CAPI provides screening and application assistance for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) for people of all ages. CAPI is a satellite distribution site for the Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors (NAPS), which is Minnesota’s Commodity Supplemental Food Program. This is a USDA program administered by the Minnesota Department of Health. The program is designed to provide a monthly box of healthy and nutritious foods to low-income individuals over the age of 60 at no cost. The CAPI Gardens Project empowers immigrants and refugees, particularly immigrant and refugee women, to become community leaders through gardening and small-scale farming. The gardens create access to and utilization of affordable, healthy, fresh, and culturally suitable food for Hmong, Laotian, and other Southeast Asian immigrant families. During the growing season, CAPI supports 325 urban gardeners as they raise 4,500 pounds of fresh produce from 15 community gardens. Produce is distributed to each gardener, with the remaining produce sold at a mini-farmers market. More than 2,500 lbs. of produce were distributed through the CAPI Asian Food Shelf.
CAPI’s Economic Empowerment Programs CAPI offers employment and financial services to create pathways to economic independence for immigrants, refugees, and American-born clients. To create these pathways, CAPI staff provide culturally competent, linguistically appropriate, individualized services and tailored employment and/or financial plans for each client. CAPI’s Economic Empowerment programs serve over 900 people. Visit their website for more information CAPI’s Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP)—funded through Hennepin County—strives to guide individuals toward employment while focusing on families. CAPI staff provide intensive case management, training and job coaching, and placement and retention services. The Career Pathways program helps unemployed and underemployed refugees and immigrants find employment through credentialed training, paired with individualized career planning, work readiness, job search, placement, and retention services. In partnership with Hennepin Technical College and MCTC, CAPI offers FREE NA training to earn a nursing assistant certificate and begin a career in healthcare. This course reoccurs every several months. In partnership with TSC Connect, LLC, CAPI offers a hand soldering skills course. Upon successful completion, participants will graduate with the industry-recognized IPC-A and IPC-J-STD certifications. In partnership with Century College and Osseo ABE, CAPI offers a foundational manufacturing certificate designed to help individuals begin a career in the manufacturing industry. Participants will learn basic manufacturing and warehouse skills, while also completing the OSHA-10 outreach training program. CAPI has staff available to assist in connecting our clients to quality employers. Participants will also find help in resume building, gaining interview skills, and learning about professionalism at work. With funding provided by DEED, CAPI is able to provide job placement services, credentialed training in hand soldering, and a nursing assistant certificate for the Southeast Asian community. CAPI currently has a Hmong speaking Navigator on staff ready to assist.
CAPI COVID-19 Resources CAPI USA has put together a list of helpful resources should you find yourself in need during this time. We will update it as more resources become available. Resources include: info on the coronavirus, employment, food, utilities, housing, health insurance and mental health resources, families and education, financial resources, and immigration/legal resources. We are here to help! Do you need help with food access? Do you need help with unemployment, taxes, or other benefits? Do you need to talk to someone about job search services or available training? Call us today! 612.767.3670 Check out their COVID-19 resources list here
COVID-19: We’re In This Together. There are a lot of resources out there about COVID-19, and we are pulling together those most relevant to our community. Check out our new webpage: www.revivingsisterhood.org/covid-19 Resources include: ● Resource kits in 13 South Asian languages ● Tools for reporting racial discrimination ● Our joint statement on condemning Asian American discrimination ● Low cost mental health therapy options ● Wellness activities and apps
SEAD | COVID-19 Resource Hub SEAD acknowledges that this current pandemic feels all too familiar to many in our Southeast Asian communities. We’re living in trying times that are uncertain, complicated, and heavy. Yet it’s not without forgetting the lessons of resiliency and perseverance that have passed down to us from our past and present ancestors. We’re grateful to pave ways to grow social empowerment ecosystems through cultural organizing, critical language, and just storytelling. SEAD’s commitment to the Southeast Asian diaspora still remains our core focus and in that spirit, we’re offering ways to pivot towards more innovative ways to do healing-centered and strategy-based storytelling. Visit their resources page here In-Language Resources – The two most important things to remember during this pandemic are 1) Stay home and 2) Stop the spread. Physical distancing (while still being digitally social) and staying home are critical to stop the spread of coronavirus. Share these key messages with your Burmese, Hmong, Karen, Khmer, Lao, and Vietnamese communities.
EmergenSEA Corps | COVID-19 Community Needs Request & Volunteer Form EmergenSEA Corps is a small rapid response pod of young (healthy!) community members who are ready to help! We understand things can change at any time and want to assess and meet the needs and requests that come in. We are volunteer-led so please be patient with requests. Fill out the form here To be efficient and effective with our response, we are only able to assist the following. COMMUNITIES: -Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and surrounding Twin Cities metro area within 10 mile radius. -Southeast Asian, Asian American, Pacific Islanders who are refugees, immigrants, displaced, and/or vulnerable communities (elderly, immunocompromised, medically fragile, and frontline medical workers). SEAD’s current resources that are provided from our team for free: -Masks: Reusable hand sewn cloth masks -Sanitizer: Mini spray bottles for travel only -Saturday May Meals: Saturdays only for month of May (individually prepared meals, up to 6 meals per household) -Essentials Transporters: Pick or drop off for essentials such as groceries, medications, etc -Telehealth Line: General medical help via phone/video call by licensed nurse and physician assistant (currently English or Lao only) -Care package [PENDING]: Limited digital + physical care packages in-language for Southeast Asian communities. TIMELINE: As a first rule of thumb, check in with your neighbors and loved ones if they already have resources to help. We try to respond within 24 hours of receiving each request and fulfill them within 2-7 days. If we don’t have the resource, we will direct you to the appropriate organizations and individuals who are able to help. This is currently a growing community-led group hosted by The SEAD Project. If you have any questions, email [email protected] or call 612-987-7313.
Reviving Sisterhood | MN Racial Discrimination Hotline Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment is working with community partners and leaders at Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL) to help the state track the rise in anti-Asian discrimination during this time. If you or anyone you know has experienced racial discrimination, please navigate the provided link to fill out this form produced by the MN Department of Human Rights. This form is available in English only; however, translation/interpretation services are available when reporting by phone at 1-833-454-0148. These organizations rising up with our community to address the increase in discrimination & violence experienced by Asian Americans. Read Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment’s joint letters and statements to learn more.