Local IAWW Renamed Indian-American Community Services, Expands Services, Pandemic Programs, Minority Advocacy

BELLEVUE, Wash., Jan. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The India Association of Western Washington (IAWW) announces its new name – Indian-American Community Services (IACS). The new name reflects the unwavering commitment of IACS to support the local Indian-American community with essential programs and services, fostering an inclusive, diverse, and secular environment.

The IACS' evolution demonstrates a strategic shift to more advocacy for social justice issues providing vital community services to the underserved and marginalized people of the Indian American community. IACS programs and services aim to develop self-sufficiency and independence to navigate the day-to-day challenges across age, social, and economic strata. 

Core IACS programs and services:

1. Youth Leadership – Developing emerging leaders through advocacy, peer-mentoring, awareness around mental health, and an annual summer camp, when permissible, to connect community youth.
2. Senior Support Services – Offering wellness, support services around health, transportation, housing, legal needs, resource referrals, social connections and celebratory events.
3. Crisis Care – Supporting families dealing with emergency crises – health issues, family loss, employment or business obstacles, legal needs, financial assistance. This effort includes COVID-19-related crises care.
4. Women's Employment & Career Advisory –  Employment placement, career advising and networking opportunities for women who are new immigrants or re-emerging to the workforce after a hiatus.
5. Early Childhood Family Services – Addressing parent-child development, enrichment, wellness and developmental screenings to support young families.
6. Individual and Family Services – Inter-generational events addressing community conversations, legal services, celebratory and cultural events, workshops on career development, panel conversations and speaker series.
7. Small Business Support: Mentoring, emergency relief services, and policy-based advocacy for community small businesses.
8. Mental Health & Wellness Support – Culturally-aware approaches to mental health and wellbeing via policy advocacy, support groups, meditative art, social connections, inter-generational gatherings, community conversations on cultural taboos, and vetted referrals for professional support.
9. Civic Engagement - Voter registration, census outreach, ballot parties, candidate forums, townhalls, outreach webinars, engagement and education around issue-based advocacy and policy changes.

"The transformational shift that the IAWW/IACS has undergone over the past five years reflects the power of our community and how much we can accomplish through our collective effort," said Lalita Uppala, Executive Director, IACS. "It is both a solemn responsibility and honor to serve the needs of our community with a comprehensive approach administered by a team that is passionate, inspiring, and all about collective wisdom."

About Indian-American Community Services  
The IACS is the longest-serving Asian Indian organization in the Pacific Northwest. Secular and volunteer-driven, the IACS works to connect and empower the Indian-American community through programs, services, and advocacy for people of all ages and all life stages. For more information: www.iacswa.org, Facebook.

SOURCE Indian-American Community Services (IACS)

Related Links

https://www.iacswa.org/

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