Iu Mien Community Services

TO SUPPORT AND DEVELOP HEALTHY IU-MIEN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. WE ENVISION A THRIVING IU-MIEN COMMUNITY IN WHICH ITS HISTORY IS PRESERVED, LANGUAGE IS SHARED, CULTURE IS CELEBRATED, AND NEEDS AND ASPRIRATIONS ARE FULFILLED.

THE HEALTHY VILLAGE SENIOR GROUP PROGRAM IS A SOCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS THE PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING OF UNDERSERVED MIDDLE-AGED,DISABLED, AND ELDERLY IU-MEIN INDIVIDUALS.DURING 2022, WE STARTED MONTHLY FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS DUE TO THE FOOD SCARCITY THAT OUR COMMUNITY WAS EXPERIENCING THROUGH COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS. IN JANUARY WE WERE SERVING 76 UNDERSERVED MIDDLE-AGED, DISABLED AND ELDERLY IU-MIEN INDIVIDUALS MONTHLY-- AND BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WE WERE SERVING 155 UNDERSERVED MIDDLE-AGED, DISABLED AND ELDERLY IU-MIEN INDIVIDUALS. IN APRIL 2022, WE GATHERED EVERYONE FOR AN IU MIEN CULTURAL FESTIVAL, BRINGING OVER 230 ATTENDEES TO JOIN US IN CELEBRATING THE NEW YEAR AND THE RENEWED BEGINNING OF OUR PROGRAMS POST-COVID.WE ALSO PROVIDED "WELLNESS CHECK-IN CALLS" TO OUR CLIENTS ONCE A MONTH DURING COVID-19, CALLING OVER 100 HOUSEHOLDS EACH MONTH TO CHECK IN ON THEM. WE WERE ABLE TO MEET IN PERSON ON A WEEKLY BASIS AGAIN POST-COVID. WE STARTED HOSTING WEEKLY "WALK IN THE PARK" DAYS TO GIVE OUR ELDERLY A SAFE SPACE TO GATHER AND GET EXERCISE BACK INTO THEIR ROUTINES. 42 INDIVIDUALS ATTENDED THE FIRST WEEKLY PROGRAM WITH AN AVERAGE OF 20 INDIVIDUALS WEEKLY THEREAFTER.IN OCTOBER 2022, WE WERE HONORED TO HELP THE CENTER FOR LAOS STUDIES WITH THE DISPLAY "BETWEEN 2 WORLDS" UNTOLD STORIES OF REFUGEES FROM LAOS, AT THE CALIFORNIA MUSEUM IN SACRAMENTO. IU MIEN ARITIFACTS AND CULTURAL CLOTHING, PHOTOS AND BOOKS WERE DISPLAYED. WE WERE INVITED TO TABLE THE OPENING RECEPTION WITH OVER 250 ATTENDEES.

OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE TRANSLATION SERVICES AND OUTREACH

OUR S.A.E. MIEN YOUTH CLUB IS A SOCIAL SUPPORT GROUP, WHICH OFFERS A SAFE AND FUN ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUTH TO SOCIALIZE WITH THEIR PEERS THROUGH POSITIVE ACTIVITIES. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE IU-MIEN CULTURE AND THEIR COMMUNITY, IDENTIFY HEALTHY AND UNHEALTHY SIGNS OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND DEVELOP LEADERSHIP AND SOCIAL SKILLS. DUE TO THE RESTRICTIONS CREATED BY COVID-19, WE EXPERIMENTED WITH A VARIETY OF WAYS TO DELIVER SERVICES. WE REGULARLY UTILIZED VIRTUAL MEETINGS EVERY FRIDAY THROUGH ZOOM, INSTAGRAM LIVE OR DISCORD. WE HOSTED REGULAR POP-UP NIGHTS, FUNDED BY THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO. WE STARTED TO PROVIDE MEAL KITS, WHICH WAS FOR THE YOUTH TO MAKE AT HOME BY THEMSLVES. WE HELD ONLINE MOVIE NIGHTS, GAME NIGHTS AND PAINT NIGHTS. ONCE COVID RESTRICTIONS WERE LIFTED, WE STARTED HOSTING IN-PERSON MEETINGS AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS AND SETTINGS TO ENSURE EVERYONE FELT SAFE AND CAN ENJOY THEIR TIME. WE ENDED THE YEAR STRONG WITH A HOLIDAY TOY AND BOOKS GIVE-AWAY, THANKS TO THE MARINE CORP RESERVE TOYS AND TOTS PROGRAM. WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE AND HAND OUT 100 TOYS AND BOOKS TO CHILDREN AGES 0-14.

VARIOUS OTHER PROGRAMS SUCH AS A FUNERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. DUE TO COVID-19 AND THE PASSING OF MANY OF OUR IU MIEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE CREATED A FUNERAL SUPPORT FUND TO HELP FAMILIES OFFSET THE EXPENSES OF IU MIEN FUNERAL ACTIVITIES. WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPLIES SUCH AS WATER, RICE, TOILET PAPER, ETC. TO FAMILIES IN THE GREATER SACRAMENTO REGION. WE ALSO PROVIDED SERVICES RELATED TO THE SACRAMENTO COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS PROGRAM TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN RELATIONSHIPS WITH RESIDENTS WHO REPRESENT CULTURALLY AND LINQUISTICALLY DIVERSE POPULATIONS AND HISTORICALLY UNDER-REPRESENTED COMMUNITIES; AND SERVICES RELATED TO THE SACRAMENTO COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH'S COMMUNITY VACCINE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.