Asian Services In Action, Inc.

Asian Services In Action, Inc. (ASIA) is the largest comprehensive health and social services organization for the Asian American, Pacific Islander (AAPI), immigrant, and refugee communities in the Northeast Ohio. The organization also serves as the leading advocacy voice for Ohio’s AAPIs,working in partnership with other Ohio AAPI ethnic, voluntary, and social organizations.

ASIA was founded in 1995 by four Asian immigrant women who saw a need to improve the quality of life for Asians in Northeast Ohio. Their first project was a one-day health and wellness event that reached 60 members from the AAPI community. Today, the organization has an operating budget of $5.6M with over 100 part-time and full-time staff. Overall, ASIA, Inc. is comprised of:

• Two main social services offices (Cleveland and Akron) providing a broad range of programs for youth, adults, and older adults:
• Kindergarten readiness
• Youth mentoring and tutoring
• Domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking victim assistance
• Immigration/family legal services
• Senior congregate meal and socialization
• Job skills training and employment assistance services
• Citizenship classes and legal services
• HAPI Fresh (organic farm and farmers’ market providing workforce training for New Americans)
• Basics needs--housing counseling, food pantry, public benefits access assistance
• ACE Network (statewide voter registration and civic engagement project)
• Interpreting and translation services including a Medical Interpreting
• Program Certificate program
• Community health initiatives, evaluation, and research

• International Community Health Center (ICHC), a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) providing pediatric to geriatric primary health care in three sites in Akron (2) and Cleveland (1)

• Apex for Financial Economic Opportunities (AFEO) which provides small business lending to low- to-moderate income individuals who want to start businesses

Annually, ASIA serves over 58,000 individuals, in 55+ languages and dialects, with services that are linguistically and culturally relevant.

ASIA’s vision is for AAPI individuals, families, and communities to progress further along the pathtoward self-sufficiency; be deeply engaged in civic life; have equal access to opportunity; be well understood through the vast availability of community data and information; and achieve optimal health and well-being. ASIA also works with institutions, systems, and organizations to increase their awareness of AAPIs and other vulnerable communities, leading to improved policies and practices.