Korean American Nonprofits Merge to Increase Impact

There are approximately 80,000 Korean immigrants in greater Chicago, many of whom are served by multiple organizations. The Korean American Community Services provided ESL and citizenship classes, workforce development, immigration and legal services and benefits counseling programs, in addition to running two senior housing facilities. It traditionally served first-generation Korean immigrants who came to America in the 70s, through 90s and wanted to expand to a more diverse population. The Korean American Resource & Cultural Center worked to engage youth in community activism and advocacy and primarily served the second-generation/children of their clients, but saw increasing participation from the Latino and African American communities. The merger resulted in the creation of The Hana Center which has grown the programs significantly, expanded the staff and expects almost $100,000 in cost savings annually. A grant from The SeaChange-Lodestar Fund for Nonprofit Collaboration funded a portion of the costs of the merger.

Grant Information

Grant Amount: $5,000

Year Granted: 2018

Grantee: The Hana Center

Location: IL - Illinois

Grantee Website: The Hana Center