According to Melissa Luke, senior program manager of Asian Americans for Community Involvement’s (www.aaci.org) Asian Women’s Home (dv.aaci.org), the organization has some of the area’s most extensive experience conducting outreach in Santa Clara, one of the cities in Santa Clara County that the organization serves. Luke cited Central Park Library, Santa Clara University and Mission College as locations where Asian Women’s Home has tabled at or delivered presentations about domestic violence, human trafficking and cultural competence in Asian communities where there are survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking.
“There are 15 plus programs within the agency at Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI) and the Asian Women’s Home is one of them,” Luke said. “Support here [at the Asian Women’s home] is offered in 13 languages and they include English, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Vietnamese, Korean, Khmer, Tagalog, Lao, Thai and Mien. Kids are welcome here too.”
Since Asian Women’s Home opened in 1986, the program has served over 3,000 survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. The website for Asian Women’s Home states that “Asian Women’s Home serves everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, immigration status, socioeconomic background, or sexual orientation.” Amenities here include, but are not limited to emergency shelter, support groups and case management. Services here are free and confidential. For those who want to talk, Asian Women’s Home runs a 24-hour hotline at 408-975-2739.
Highlighting Asian Women’s Home’s legal support, Luke mentioned that there are case managers, also known as advocates, who are able to assist survivors of domestic abuse and human trafficking with restraining orders, immigration and in other areas. She added that Asian Women’s Home, with AACI, also hosts the San Jose Family Justice Center (dv.aaci.org/get-help/family-justice-center-at-aaci). A survivor can walk in on a Thursday to the center’s office at 749 Story Rd., Ste. 50 without an appointment and meet with attorneys in immigration and family law as well as the district attorney.
Through Dec. 15, Asian Women’s Home is collecting donations for its annual holiday drive. Donated items, expected to be brand new, will go to survivors—women, children and men. Even a simple $50 Target gift card would be welcomed.
“We’re expecting gifts for over 100 people,” said Andra Chao, grants and development associate at AACI’s Asian Women’s Home. “We’re collecting gifts for a huge range of ages, from newborns to adults. We’re hoping to get educational games and activities that are non-violent for children. We are accepting anything that’s sports-related. We also accept winter clothing. Anything a person is willing to donate to a family, we’re willing to take. Our shelter is in a confidential location. We collect items for donation at our main address, which is 2400 Moorpark Ave., Ste. 300 [in San Jose]. If someone wants to come in for a drop-off, they would need to make an appointment with me (andra.chao@aaci.org, 408-975-2730 ext. 171).”
“Our priority is that all the families can receive the gifts before the holidays because we know what a hard time of year this can be for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, especially those who had to flee their homes to escape violence,” Luke said.
For details about volunteering with Asian Women’s Home, visit dv.aaci.org/get-involved/volunteer/ or contact dvvolcoordinator@aaci.org.
