87 Tyler Street, 5th Floor Boston, MA 02111 |
[P] (617) 426-9492 x 206 [F] (617) 482-2316 |
http://www.aaca-boston.org [email protected] Natalie Ornell |
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INCORPORATED: 1963
Printable Profile (Summary / Full) EIN 04-2476258 |
![]() LAST UPDATED: 03/23/2018 |
Organization DBA |
N/A |
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Former Names |
Chinese American Civic Association (1967) |
Organization received a competitive grant from the Boston Foundation in the past five years | Yes |
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Mission StatementMORE »AACA’s mission is to provide education, occupational training, and social services to all immigrants and economically disadvantaged individuals enabling them to attain lasting economic self-sufficiency. |
Mission StatementAACA’s mission is to provide education, occupational training, and social services to all immigrants and economically disadvantaged individuals enabling them to attain lasting economic self-sufficiency. |
Fiscal Year | July 01, 2017 to June 30, 2018 |
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Projected Income | $3,827,128.00 |
Projected Expense | $3,362,758.00 |
For more details regarding the organization's financial information, select the financial tab and review available comments.
In a specific U.S. city, cities, state(s) and/or region.
STATEWIDE
City of Boston- Chinatown/ Leather District
City of Boston- Citywide (Indiv. neighborhoods also listed)
AACA serves all immigrants and refugees, as well as economically disadvantaged individuals residing in Chinatown, Malden, South End, Allston/Brighton, Dorchester, and vicinity towns including Quincy, Randolph, Cambridge, Malden, and Somerville.
Yes
The Adult Education Center offers basic to intermediate English for Speaker of Other Languages (ESOL) classes for individuals seeking higher education, jobs or job training and incumbent worker education for the health care industry. | |
Budget | $604,950.00 |
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Category | Education, General/Other Adult Education |
Population Served | Immigrant, Newcomers, Refugees International Poor,Economically Disadvantaged,Indigent |
Program Short-Term Success | English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL):
Next Steps Transitional English Program (NEXT Step):
SouthCove Community Health CenterWorkplace Education:
|
Program Long-Term Success | The long-term success of our Adult Education program is demonstrated by the opportunities that become available to students after they graduate. Once students master essential language skills, they perform their jobs more effectively or have a greater options in their job search and placement opportunities. These courses also make it possible for adults to pursue more a more advanced education through their enhanced English communication, reading and writing skills. |
Program Success Monitored By | Since the stated goal of the project is to help learners acquiring English language skills and transition to higher education, skills training or employment, or to advance their current jobs, program success will be evaluated in the following ways: - Demonstrated increase in Student Performance Level achieved (SPL is a standard way to measure the English language acquisition of students); - Documented enrollment in the intermediate level Next Steps Transitional English Program - Job training program acceptance letter; - A hiring letter or company recognition of a promotion, salary increase, etc.; |
Examples of Program Success | Kate Luo grew up in a small town in China. Her father was a construction worker and her mother did not have a job. She dreamed about going to college but had to begin working after completing vocational high school. While pregnant, she and her husband immigrated to the US in 2006 to seek a better future. Before she came to AACA, Kate had a newborn baby and her English was limited. She enrolled in AACA's basic ESL program. After she graduated from the AACA ESL programs she went on to attain her Associate's Degree from Bunker Hill Community College with a 3.8 GPA. Kate is now working as a full-time Customer Service Representative at EastWest Bank and raising two children. |
The Multi-Service Center is staffed by trained social workers and employment specialists who speak Cantonese and Mandarin and can offer timely support with personal and family issues. Walk-in clients are welcomed (in FY16 served over 2,500 clients). We also provide a Chinese-English translation service. | |
Budget | $134,584.00 |
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Category | Education, General/Other Adult Education |
Population Served | Immigrant, Newcomers, Refugees Poor,Economically Disadvantaged,Indigent Unemployed, Underemployed, Dislocated |
Program Short-Term Success | In FY16, the Multi-Service Center served 2,500+ clients. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were returned to low-income clients through filing of income tax returns. |
Program Long-Term Success | AACA's Multi-Service Center|provides immigrants and economically disadvantaged residents with immigration counseling, housing counseling, college access information, welfare and benefits assistance, fuel assistance, information and referrals, and tax preparation and assistance. These services aim to stabilize families living in unsuitable living conditions. Additionally, the assistance and counseling provided through the Multi-Service Center help clients make goals for themselves and provide them with hope. |
Program Success Monitored By | The Multi-Service Center tracks progress through counselor notes and follow-up appointments. |
Examples of Program Success | "Quan" immigrated to the US from Vietnam in 1992 after waiting 11 years to leave. She lives with her brother who is mentally ill and her mother who suffers from severe diabetes. Before she came to AACA's Multi-Service Center, she worked in a garment factory and then a supermarket. She was the only source of income for her family. Facing financial hardship, she didn't make enough to pay for food or rent. She couldn't properly take care of her brother, and her mother had to give herself insulin injections while she was at work. The Multi-Service Center helped Quan's family apply for public housing, food stamps, SSI and home medical care services for her mother through the Adult Foster Care Program. Now Quan takes care of her mother full-time at home and gets paid. Quan's brother receives SSI. Quan plans to buy a car in the near future to be able to take her mother and brother to see doctors. |
The Workforce Development Center is recognized as one of Boston's leaders in vocational training for adults. The agency operates two pre-employment job training programs targeted at high demand occupations: Careers in Banking and Finance and Building Energy Efficient Maintenance Skills (BEEMS) as well as the Employment Center, which offers financial literacy, job readiness and job placement services to all low-income residents. | |
Budget | $686,459.00 |
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Category | Employment, General/Other Job Training & Employment |
Population Served | Unemployed, Underemployed, Dislocated Immigrant, Newcomers, Refugees Poor,Economically Disadvantaged,Indigent |
Program Short-Term Success | In FY15 (July 1, 2015-June 30, 2016), the Workforce Development Center will serve 266 new clients. Over 100 clients served in the last two years will receive retention services. Expected outcomes: Employment Center:
Job Training Programs: Building Energy Efficient Maintenance Skills (BEEMS) & Careers in Banking and Finance
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Program Long-Term Success | The goal of the Workforce Development program is not only to teach clients the skills they need to secure a job, but to place them in that job with all of the wrap-around support services they require.
75% of clients enrolled in the Workforce Development program will be placed into employment.
75% of graduates will retain employment for two years post placement.In FY14, AACA placed 80% of job training program graduates. Those that were previously employed had an estimated annual income of under $22,000 and many were previously unemployed. The average initial starting wage for those placed was $27,330, with an expected 6% increase during the two-year retention period. Job retention is key to successful outcomes. A Retention Specialist works with all placed training program graduates to facilitate job retention and career advancement. |
Program Success Monitored By | AACA tracks the number of Workforce Development clients that get and maintain new positions in employment through employer partner reports and follow-up job retention counseling. Root Cause, an independent research firm conducted an analysis of AACA’s workforce development programs and compared AACA to other agencies providing similar services. Consistently AACA scored higher than the organizations in the comparison group, scoring as a high performing organization with 37 out of a possible 40 points measuring program performance, organizational health, and field advancement. AACA received the highest possible points in technical training and education, employment preparation and placement services, social services, and performance measurement. |
Examples of Program Success | Linda Bergen, a formerly homeless woman was finally able to secure housing but was working two part time jobs with no benefits; just barely making ends meet. She came to the employment center hoping to find a full time, benefited position in the hospitality industry. After working with the employment specialist in the Employment Center, she was hired as a full time server at the Doubletree Horel Downtown Boston. She loves her job and the fact that she received the employee of the month award in her department, speaks for itself. Linda now has a 40 hour a week job with benfits and the opportunity to advance within the hotel. Linda recently visited the Employment Center because she wanted to thank the employment specialists for helping to change her life in a positive way. She now has a savings account and is planning on a vacation, where there is a Hilton Hotel. Linda is eager to awail of her "Friends and Family" discount that is going to make the vacation extra special! |
The Youth Center, launched in 2008, offers leadership development through actual job/volunteer opportunities. The center prepares youth from a wide range of economic, social, and ethnic backgrounds for high education and career preparation. Recently, AACA was the recipient of the Boston Opportunity Youth Colloborative funding, which has enabled us to hire a Youth Employment Specialist, who will focus on placing unemployed young adults, including career counseling and job readiness training of young adults. |
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Budget | $190,000.00 |
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Category | Youth Development, General/Other Youth Leadership |
Population Served | Adolescents Only (13-19 years) Minorities College Aged (18-26 years) |
Program Short-Term Success | In 2011, the Youth Council held a College Day event that drew in over 150 parents and students from the community to learn more about college opportunities directly from college representatives. There were a total of 26 colleges and universities present at the event. In the beginning of 2012, the Youth Council also launched a Teen Tutors program. In this program, 20 high-achieving teens were paired with k-8 students who struggled in school. The teens provided their mentees with academic support and mentorship. We already have a waiting list of families who wan to participate in the fall! Last year the Youth Council also demonstrated their competitive leadership skills when they entered into the entrepreneurial training program called Junior Achievement. Eight of our Youth Council members completed the program that gave them an opportunity to experience the business world by marketing and selling their own products. |
Program Long-Term Success | The long-term success of our program is demonstrated through the dedication of our Youth Council. Events and activities of the Youth Council are supported on a volunteer basis. Without the help of our team of youth leaders, it would not be possible to provide outreach and community service projects to the youth in our community. Our long-term success is also demonstrated by our youth's keen focus on their goals. We are proud to say that all Youth Council leaders are college bound. |
Program Success Monitored By | The success of our programs are monitored through randomized surveys and conversations with the youth. |
Examples of Program Success | "Anonymous" was recruited to the Youth Council by a friend. At first, this student was shy and didn't speak up much, but after tutoring youth and participating frequently in Youth Council meetings, his demeanor changed. He became a leader among the other youth who was not afraid to help recruit other students for projects, or even give presentations about the work he is doing in his community. This summer, he is a leader in the Junior Achievement Program, and next year he will be the Co-Chair of the Youth Council. |
With the influx of immigrants to Massachusetts and the high unemployment rate among non-English speaking immigrants, as well as the aging and changing of job skills of the labor force, AACA's role in workforce development is pertinent to address the employment need of immigrants and the demand of labor from local employers. The one-stop holistic service approach from ESOL instruction to job training to job placement enables students and clients to transition seamlessly in every stage of their lives. In addition, the training is supported by multi-lingual and multi-cultural case management. The two year retention service further allows clients to advance their careers both horizontally and vertically, culminating in a higher wage earning. |
CEO/Executive Director | Ms. Mary Chin |
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CEO Term Start | July 2017 |
CEO Email | [email protected] |
CEO Experience | Mary Chin has been the Executive Director of AACA since 2017. Her vision of the Association is to assist immigrants from over 100 countries to achieve social and economic self-sufficiency. Mary is a longtime community leader with extensive experience in human services and a strong track record of service in Boston and beyond. A native of Lowell, Massachusetts, Mary is the daughter of immigrants and understands the struggles immigrant families face firsthand. Mary is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in private practice and has served as the Chair of the Massachusetts Board of Registration for Social Work. She has led social service departments and psychiatric programs in Boston and the North Shore. Mary served on AACA’s Board of Directors as President beginning in the 1980s and oversaw the organization’s growth, including the construction of the building at 87 Tyler Street, the expansion of workforce training, education and social service programs, as well as the addition of the Mandarin immersion daycare, Buds & Blossoms. Mary completed her graduate studies in social work at Simmons College and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts. Mary has also served on the boards of Action for Boston Community Development, Urban College, Mothers for Justice and Equality, Company One, and Eastern Bank. In 2017, the Asian American Commission awarded Mary the Lifetime Achievement Award. She also received a Citation for her service to the community from Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker at AACA's 50th gala. |
Co-CEO | N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A |
Co-CEO Term Start | -- |
Co-CEO Email | -- |
Co-CEO Experience | N/A |
Name | Start | End |
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-- | -- | -- |
Name | Title | Experience/Biography |
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Mary Chin | -- | -- |
Mr. Spencer Klein | Director of Finance Dpt | -- |
Ms. Georgiana Tam | Administrator | -- |
Lisa Wong | Deputy Director | -- |
Award | Awarding Organization | Year |
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-- | -- | -- |
Affiliation | Year |
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-- | -- |
Member of state association of nonprofits? | No |
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Name of state association | -- |
External Assessment or Accreditation | Year |
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-- | -- |
AACA is a lead or active member of many collaborative groups of adult education and training - Chinatown Community Educational Partnership, adult education providers in Boston’s Chinatown; Job Training Alliance, Greater Boston non-profit workforce development organizations; Adult Literacy Initiative, a partnership of Boston adult literacy organizations; Massachusetts Coalition of Adult Education, a statewide adult education and advocacy coalition; and Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, promoting the rights and integration of immigrants and refugees.
AACA has memoranda of agreement with Bunker Hill Community College, Roxbury Community College, Cambridge College, and Urban College for the Next Steps Transitional English Program.
AACA has an extensive list of partnering community-based organizations who refer clients for education, job training, and employment services.
For job placement, AACA staff have secured partnerships with 117 employers across a wide spectrum of industries.
Among government organizations, AACA collaborates with Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Commonwealth Corporation of Massachusetts, Economic Development and Industrial Corporation (EDIC)/Mayor’s Office of Jobs and Community Services, etc.
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Number of Full Time Staff | 54 |
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Number of Part Time Staff | 10 |
Number of Volunteers | 67 |
Number of Contract Staff | 0 |
Staff Retention Rate % | 90% |
Ethnicity | African American/Black: 2 Asian American/Pacific Islander: 70 Caucasian: 28 Hispanic/Latino: 0 Native American/American Indian: 0 Other: 0 Other (if specified): 0 |
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Gender | Female: 70 Male: 30 Not Specified 0 |
Organization has Fundraising Plan? | Yes |
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Organization has Strategic Plan? | Yes |
Years Strategic Plan Considers | 5 |
Management Succession Plan | Yes |
Business Continuity of Operations Plan | No |
Organization Policies And Procedures | Yes |
Nondiscrimination Policy | Yes |
Whistle Blower Policy | No |
Document Destruction Policy | Yes |
Directors and Officers Insurance Policy | No |
State Charitable Solicitations Permit | No |
State Registration | No |
-- |
Management Reports to Board? | Yes |
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CEO Formal Evaluation and Frequency | Yes Annually |
Senior Management Formal Evaluation and Frequency | Yes Annually |
Non Management Formal Evaluation and Frequency | Yes Annually |
Board Chair | Ms. Yongmei Chen |
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Board Chair Company Affiliation | Eastern Bank |
Board Chair Term | July 1980 - |
Board Co-Chair | Yongmei Chen |
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Board Co-Chair Company Affiliation | -- |
Board Co-Chair Term | - |
Name | Company Affiliations | Status |
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Christina Chan | Assistant Attorney General | -- |
David Chang | Retired | Voting |
Ms. Amy L Chen | MassMutual Fiancial Group | Voting |
Yongmei Chen | Eastern Bank | Voting |
Mary Chin | Community Volunteer | Voting |
Philip Chin | WCVB-TV | Voting |
Helen Choi | Retired | Voting |
Mr. Tony Franzone | DoubleTree Boston Downtown Hotel | Voting |
Diana Jeong | Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Business and Technology | NonVoting |
Ms. Julia Kim | Income Research + Management | Voting |
Stephen T. Kunian | Community Volunteer | Voting |
Joseph A. McGrail Jr. | State Street Corporation | -- |
Ms. Patricia Moy | China Pearl Restaurant | Voting |
Tuan Pham | Tech Networks of Boston | -- |
Edward Scribner | Seidman & Scribner | Voting |
Vatsady Sivongxay | Candidate for Cambridge City Council | -- |
Ian So | Chicken and Rice | -- |
Hua Wang | Boston University | -- |
Benny Wong | Massachusetts Development Finance Agency | Voting |
Name | Company Affiliations | Status |
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-- | -- | -- |
Name | Company Affiliations | Status |
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-- | -- | -- |
Name | Company Affiliations | Status |
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Mr. Eddie Andelman | Community Volunteer | Voting |
Mr. Edward G. Andelman | Phantom Gourmet | Voting |
Eric J. Beyer | Harvard Pilgrim HealthCare | -- |
Ms. Caroline Chan | inVentiv Health, Inc. | Voting |
Mr. Francis E. Chin | Chin & Curtis | Voting |
Mr. Dan Conley | Suffolk County District Attorney | Voting |
Mr. Richard Gavegnano | N/A | Voting |
Ms. Margaret Ings | Emerson College | Voting |
Ms. Treen Liu | N/A | Voting |
Ms. Madge Meyer | N/A | Voting |
Mr. Joseph Milano | N/A | Voting |
Mr. Scott Miller | U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Solicitor | Voting |
Ms. Linda A. Moulton | CEO, TRU Corporation | Voting |
Mr. Tony Neoh | Hong Kong Bar | Voting |
Mr. Robert J. Newman | Ocean Edge Resort & Club on Cape Cod | Voting |
Mrs. Faye Polansky | N/A | Voting |
Mr. Joseph Riley | Eastern Bank | Voting |
Mr. Clifford Scott | -- | NonVoting |
Mr. Francis Seow | N/A | Voting |
Ms. Clare M. Sheridan | American Textile Museum | Voting |
Ms. Clare Sheridan | -- | NonVoting |
Ms. Clare Sheridan | -- | NonVoting |
Mr. Tai Van Ta | N/A | Voting |
Mr. Ming Tsai | Blue Ginger | Voting |
Dr. Bak Fun Wong | Josiah Quincy Upper School | Voting |
Dr. Wan Wu | Kam Man Food | Voting |
Ethnicity | African American/Black: 0 Asian American/Pacific Islander: 79 Caucasian: 21 Hispanic/Latino: 0 Native American/American Indian: 0 Other: 0 Other (if specified): 0 |
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Gender | Female: 47 Male: 53 Not Specified 0 |
Board Term Lengths | 1 |
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Board Term Limits | 10 |
Board Meeting Attendance % | 76% |
Written Board Selection Criteria | Yes |
Written Conflict Of Interest Policy | Yes |
Percentage of Monetary Contributions | 100% |
Percentage of In-Kind Contributions | 100% |
Constituency Includes Client Representation | No |
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Fiscal Year | July 01, 2017 to June 30, 2018 |
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Projected Income | $3,827,128.00 |
Projected Expense | $3,362,758.00 |
Form 990s | |
Audit Documents | |
IRS Letter of Exemption |
Fiscal Year | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
---|---|---|---|
Total Revenue | $3,103,990 | $3,112,689 | $3,544,687 |
Total Expenses | $2,998,368 | $2,714,611 | $2,771,213 |
Fiscal Year | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
---|---|---|---|
Foundation and Corporation Contributions |
-- | -- | $880,852 |
Government Contributions | $900,944 | $661,730 | $828,422 |
Federal | -- | -- | -- |
State | -- | -- | -- |
Local | -- | -- | -- |
Unspecified | $900,944 | $661,730 | $828,422 |
Individual Contributions | $971,055 | $767,194 | $360,274 |
Indirect Public Support | $108,777 | $114,344 | $97,143 |
Earned Revenue | $1,095,362 | $964,589 | $1,019,311 |
Investment Income, Net of Losses | $9,097 | $16,031 | $30,035 |
Membership Dues | $0 | $0 | -- |
Special Events | $6,232 | $351,841 | $322,691 |
Revenue In-Kind | -- | -- | -- |
Other | $12,523 | $236,960 | $5,959 |
Fiscal Year | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
---|---|---|---|
Program Expense | $2,402,987 | $2,100,310 | $2,143,886 |
Administration Expense | $400,789 | $426,916 | $360,643 |
Fundraising Expense | $194,592 | $187,385 | $266,684 |
Payments to Affiliates | -- | -- | -- |
Total Revenue/Total Expenses | 1.04 | 1.15 | 1.28 |
Program Expense/Total Expenses | 80% | 77% | 77% |
Fundraising Expense/Contributed Revenue | 10% | 10% | 11% |
Fiscal Year | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
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Total Assets | $6,532,208 | $6,309,053 | $4,005,773 |
Current Assets | $2,196,995 | $2,129,274 | $1,971,467 |
Long-Term Liabilities | $2,528,172 | $2,592,718 | $57,419 |
Current Liabilities | $595,415 | $324,256 | $433,060 |
Total Net Assets | $3,408,621 | $3,392,079 | $3,515,294 |
Fiscal Year | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
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1st (Source and Amount) |
-- -- |
-- -- |
-- -- |
2nd (Source and Amount) |
-- -- |
-- -- |
-- -- |
3rd (Source and Amount) |
-- -- |
-- -- |
-- -- |
Endowment Value | $0.00 |
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Spending Policy | N/A |
Percentage(If selected) | -- |
Credit Line | Yes |
Reserve Fund | Yes |
How many months does reserve cover? | 4.00 |
Are you currently in a Capital Campaign? | No |
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Capital Campaign Purpose | -- |
Campaign Goal | -- |
Capital Campaign Dates | Jan - June |
Capital Campaign Raised-to-Date Amount | -- |
Capital Campaign Anticipated in Next 5 Years? | Yes |
Fiscal Year | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
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Current Ratio: Current Assets/Current Liabilities | 3.69 | 6.57 | 4.55 |
Fiscal Year | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 |
---|---|---|---|
Long-term Liabilities/Total Assets | 39% | 41% | 1% |
No Other Documents currently available. |
The Impact tab is a section on the Giving Common added in October 2013; as such the majority of nonprofits have not yet had the chance to complete this voluntary section. The purpose of the Impact section is to ask five deceptively simple questions that require reflection and promote communication about what really matters – results. The goal is to encourage strategic thinking about how a nonprofit will achieve its goals. The following Impact questions are being completed by nonprofits slowly, thoughtfully and at the right time for their respective organizations to ensure the most accurate information possible.
AACA’s ultimate goal is to assist immigrants, linguistic minorities and economically disadvantaged individuals to achieve economic and social self-sufficiency. Economic and social self-sufficiency is measured by acquisition of career-oriented employment, generation of family sustainable income, and building of assets such as home ownership.
AACA’s clients often face obstacles that seem insurmountable, from language barriers and lack of transferrable job skills, to unstable and substandard housing, past criminal records, and multi-generational poverty. AACA’s tasks are to give them opportunities that will allow them to fully integrate into mainstream – a point at which they have a steady income at a sustaining wage, they are able to take active part in their communities, and they have a secure living situation for themselves and their families.
As an organization, AACA envisions itself as a beacon of hope for its clients. In particular, AACA wants to be seen as the one-stop center providing seamless social and educational services for new immigrants arriving in Massachusetts; a key advocacy group in terms of workforce development; and an innovator promoting a path to better futures for all disadvantaged residents of Massachusetts.
Over the last thirty years, the immigrant influx has significantly contributed to the labor force growth in Massachusetts. AACA has a vital mission to educate and empower Massachusetts’ new workforce. AACA’s programs and services are crucial in building and supporting a productive workforce that benefits the local economy, businesses and numerous immigrant and indigent families.
AACA takes a holistic approach to clients and their families, providing not only English language education and job training and placement services, but also providing critical case management and social services.
AACA is an outcome-driven organization that focuses on services for 'the whole client' - this means that we not only provide our clients with training, but also with the essential wrap-around social services they and their families require, and with job retention services for a minimum of two years after they are placed in a job. Depending on their individual needs, a client will receive help, teaching, and advice from a number of different specialized members of the AACA team throughout their contact with us. This integrated team strategy is focused on achieving benchmarks such as completion of programs, successful college entry, securing housing or retaining a job, while valuing and promoting the individual’s ambition to succeed.
AACA’s job training programs are particularly effective because they embrace economic realities: each program is developed after extensive labor market research. Each job training program has strong relationships with employer partners who are actively involved in all aspects of the program design from setting standards for program admittance, advising on curriculum and providing workshops, to hosting interns, hiring graduates and supporting them so they thrive and advance (we now work with over 90 employer partners). Through AACA’s unique formula of holistic client services combined with strong employer relationships, the workforce development programs prepare strong candidates for hire.
AACA already has an excellent reputation for immigration and social services as well as workforce development. We have several medium- to long-term strategies that will allow AACA to continue to deliver its programs and to adapt those programs to changes in the economy and in workforce demands.
In terms of program development, we plan to increase capacity in our highly successful Building Energy Efficient Maintenance Skills (BEEMS) and Careers in Banking and Finance programs.
Other areas that we are looking to develop include an entrepreneurial training program aimed at immigrant women, and our youth employment center.
An innovator in our community, AACA has taken a leadership role in workforce development, developing high quality training as a means to promising career attainment. All of AACA’s workforce development programs combine English language education contextualized to the industry with technical skills, computer literacy, and job readiness training. AACA provides its students with the needed skills for employment, provides career coaching, and works closely to help its graduates find jobs and build assets.
AACA’s core asset is its ability to adapt to changes in its programming and services based on the ever-changing demographic characteristics of its clients, as well as shifts in local labor market needs. The internal resources that currently play into AACA’s work and help strengthen it for the future are:
The external strength of AACA includes:
AACA is an outcome-based organization focused on achieving positive results for our clients. AACA is committed to not just placing graduates into good jobs but also ensuring they keep the job and advance in their careers, and so we measure not only program registration and attendance, but also the rates of job retention for a minimum of two years after clients are placed in a job.
For Fiscal Year 2017, AACA achieved these results for clients enrolled in our job training programs:
Completion rate for job training programs: 100%
Job placement rate for job training programs: 86%
Two-year retention rate for graduates placed in a job: 76%
AACA will strive for equally compelling outcomes for the Workforce Development Center in FY19, including:
For our Multi-Service Center, we measure our successes in terms of numbers served, and in terms of what we are able to do for our clients. In FY16, the Multi-Service Center served over 2,500 clients, and among its many services, we were able to help with filing of income tax returns.
For our English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs, a key indicator of success is the number of graduates who go to college after graduating the program, or who find a job based on their English skills.
AACA has come a long way since its beginnings. Founded in 1967, the Asian American Civic Association has evolved from a Chinese social club to a leading workforce development and college preparation center in Massachusetts for all immigrants and economically disadvantaged individuals.
Eight years ago, we concentrated our fundraising efforts on a $2.8 million campaign that allowed us to create a new facility at the Chinatown Community Education Center, 87 Tyler Street, Boston, which incorporated much-needed space for teaching, counseling, meeting and organizing, including a multi-purpose community room, multi-functional conference room, two computer labs, confidential counseling spaces, and multiple classrooms.
Since moving into the new premises in 2007, we have significantly expanded vital programs and met many of the strategic goals established by our Board of Directors in 2001: we have added nine major new programs; the City of Boston and the City of Cambridge each awarded AACA the only grants for “green” job training; and in 2010, AACA opened the Buds and Blossoms Early Education and Care Center. In 2013, AACA is awarded five years of funding from the George and Alice Rich Charitable Foundation to create a scholarship fund for AACA students.
Among the new programs we created after the move were: the Employment Center, the Careers in Banking and Finance program, and Workplace Education at South Cove Community Health Center, Tufts Medical Center and China Pearl Restaurant. We created a new youth initiative focusing on leadership development and civic engagement. In response to client needs, we also expanded our Next Steps Transitional English Program to include a college track for adult immigrants interested in pursuing a college education. This has been very successful, with 40 Next STEP students placed in college in 2014.