10/21/2011 - Appreciation Luncheon
On a sunny day in late October, the Southeast Asian Coalition celebrated past achievements and thanked supporters by holding an Appreciation Luncheon at our new offices in the Denholm Building. Due to the combined efforts of our board members, staff, volunteers, and supporters, the event was a huge success. We had over 70 guests in attendance. Everyone's presence contributed to the jovial atmosphere. Guests sampled a buffet of Southeast Asian cuisine, and enjoyed a presentation highlighting the organization's work.Read more.
The purpose of the luncheon was first to acknowledge and thank the many funders, donors, partners and volunteers who made possible the important work at the Southeast Asian Coalition, and secondly to outline our efforts over the past year. An hour-long presentation, replete with testimonials and guest speakers, conveyed how the organization continued to be a crucial resource for Southeast Asian community members this year. Teenager Cathy Chau spoke profoundly about how the Youth Effect program pulled her from her shy isolation and offered her opportunities to shine as a leader in her peer group. Recent immigrant Loan Nguyen shared how taking ESL classes at the center provided crucial language skills to help her on her path towards self-sufficiency. However, due to almost $100,000 in funding cuts this year, the programs that Cathy and Loan depend upon are at risk for shutting down. Without ongoing support, Southeast Asian Coalition will not be able to continue offering two of our keystone programs after October 2011 – the Youth Effect after-school program for teens, and the ESL program for new immigrants.
We've enlisted the help of local politicians, foundations, and donors to raise the necessary funds so that we can continue to provide these critical services. Many politicians including Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray, Congressman James P. McGovern, City Mayor Joseph C. O'Brien, and District 4 Councilor Barbara Haller came to the Luncheon to help raise awareness and ask the community to help us. At this point, we have raised $30,000, garnering commitments from the City of Worcester, the District Attorney, United Way, and Main South CDC. But we still need $50,000 more to reinstate our Youth Effect and ESL programs.
The Center cannot do this work alone. Now, more than ever, in the face of the harsh economy and in the spirit of community growth, we need your help to ensure that every person gets a fair chance at acquiring equal opportunities to build a better future. To be part of the change that we all wish to see in the world, please contact us, or check out our website at www.seacma.org to see how you can help.
