Annual Report 2004- 2005
Leadership, service and community building since 1914
This year International Institute of Los Angeles (IILA) celebrates its 91st year of operations in southern California. We have energetically pursued our mission through a wide range of services, and the exercise of leadership in many diverse fields. This report will highlight the new efforts we have launched, and share with you some accomplishments in building strong coalitions, supporting progressive public policy and in eradicating major social problems that impede the progress of our clients. At the national, state and local levels we engage in collaboratives and coalitions to attack root causes of problems facing the most vulnerable among us. We celebrate our rich cultural diversity and affirm that we are all strengthened by a society that includes and embraces all of its members. In 2004-2005 IILA hosted a wide range of elected officials who visited throughout the year. Guests included Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Congresswoman Lucile Roybal Allard, State Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, and City Council members Ed Reyes and Jose Huizar.
New After School Childcare Center
International Institute opened an after school program enrolling 25 formerly homeless children, both pre-schoolers and adolescents. Housed at our Amistad childcare facility, the program offers a computer class, art appreciation, assistance with homework, field trips and other enrichment activities. Through our collaborative with A Community of Friends, who secured the operating grant, IILA operates the service for residents of the low income housing facility operated by ACOF. Funding from Sprint and KaBOOM! provided playground toys and a major gathering for our families in Van Nuys. Temple Israel provided many resources for our Aliso Pico childcare program, including a new paved bike path.
National Level Advocacy State-wide Conference Features Federal Officials:
IILA hosted a one day conference for refugee service program officers across California. Featured speakers included the Director of the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement Dr. Nguyen Van Hahn, California State Refugee Coordinator Thuan Nguyen, and Los Angeles County government officials. The conference commemorated the 30 years since the fall of Saigon, and provided a wealth of information on the current refugee situation. Two IILA staff participated in a national meeting at the White House on the status of refugees, hosted by our national office: US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. IILA Vice President Joy Hofer was elected chair of the California Statewide Refugee Forum, which meets in Sacramento.
Our Continued Commitment to Service
Immigration Legal Services:
IILA operates an immigration legal services program from three locations in Los Angeles. Our two attorneys and four paralegal staff assist over 9,000 persons every year to become U.S. citizens, reunite with family members, or seek asylum. This past year IILA succeeded in securing three State of California grants to provide free citizenship assistance. One of the grants is a sub-contract from our partner, The Asian Pacific American Legal Center.
Child Nutrition:
IILA operates a commercial kitchen in which we prepare over 2.1 million child meals every year. We deliver healthy, balanced meals to 56 childcare centers – operated by IILA and many other agencies. In this way children start the day ready to learn. We also manage 1,000 childcare home food programs, monitoring their compliance with nutritional and program requirements, and reimbursing homes for the meals they provide to qualified low-income children. This year the US Department of Agriculture monitored our program and recognized IILA for excellent service delivery.
Seniors Services:
In 2004-2005 IILA served over 146,000 meals to the elderly in ten congregate dining rooms or through home delivery. Our Rinconcito del Sol day care program meets the needs of seniors with early dementia by increasing the vitality of the participants through physical, social, and mental activities. It also provides support, information, and vital respite to their care givers. During 2004-2005 our Transportation Program with our three ADA-compliant special lift vans, provided more than 8,100 bus trips to frail and disable seniors. Our multi-purpose center offers seniors a home away from home, with hot meals, and an array of recreational and educational activities. IILA provides weekly dances, exercise programs for able and limited mobile seniors, holiday celebrations, monthly food banks, health screenings, immunization clinics, legal assistance, public hearings, taxi vouchers, and case management.
Child Development
IILA operates a wide array of childcare programs, from child care centers, to pre-schools, to family and home childcare providers. Included here is our CalWORKS childcare program which provides childcare to low-income families, who receive public assistance or are starting a job.
Immediate Needs Transportation:
Despite severe reductions in our operating funds this year, every month over 80,000 rides are provided to needy individuals through IILA’s network of 330 sub-contracting agencies. Hospitals, shelters, jobs programs, substance abuse centers and many more social service agencies receive travel vouchers and bus tokens by IILA to help their clients who need a ride for emergency situations, to return home from medical treatment, to flee an abusive home, or simply to get to a job interview on short notice.
Employment and Social Services:
From resettlement of newly arrived refugees, to job club and job placement, this division provides a vital helping hand to people displaced by political upheaval, war and other disasters. We train refugee women to become licensed home childcare providers or to work in other such programs. Working through our national office IILA re-unites families torn apart by war and re-builds healthy and prospering families in the United States. In FY 2004-05 we continued to settle Hmong refugees under a special contract with the federal government.
2003 – 2004 Financial Summary |
Expenditures | Percentage |
Child Development |
7,363,230 |
32 |
| 2004– 2005 IILA Board of Directors | |
| Wilson Tang, Chair Elena Garate, PhD Holda Dorsey, First Vice Chair Anita Castellanos, Second Vice Chair Dora Breece, Treasurer Julia Vera, Secretary Lynda Appleton Teresa Castaneda |
Louis Gordon Stephen J. Holt Beverly Hubbard Neu, PhD John D. O’Malley David Rees Shawn Brown |
