From the Desk of KIAC’s Executive Director

Friends of KIAC,

Greetings to you all. This is the first time I have the honor of addressing each of you. My name is Jayson Vega, and I am a native of Puerto Rico. On September 19, I started working as Executive Director at Kitsap Immigrant Assistant Center, replacing Interim Executive Director Thangam Chandrasekaran, who did a masterful job leading our organization for the past nine months.

It is an honor to be part of this organization and to be able to lead an excellent group of professionals, who every day give their best to assist those who require our services. I accepted this new role with enthusiasm and hope, and with the certainty that our organization will build upon the successes of the past.

Here are a few highlights from September:

• KIAC team members began outreach and application assistance as part of our contract with the Washington Immigrant Relief Fund (WIRF) — a fund advocated for by immigrants, for those immigrants impacted by the pandemic who did not qualify for existing assistance. KIAC applied for and was contracted, along with dozens of other community organizations around the state, to do outreach and assist immigrants in applying for relief checks. So far, we have completed over 300 applications totaling $300,000 in assistance for our immigrant neighbors. Applications close November 14. To find out more, visit immigrantreliefwa.org
• We partnered with KiDiMu in early September for a space-themed event for KIAC’s youngest clients. Here at KIAC, books in both Spanish and Mam were read aloud for the kids to enjoy, and they colored pictures and put together paper solar systems. 
• Several KIAC team members have participated in outreach activities to talk about KIAC, the work we do in the communities we serve, and the challenges immigrants face in our region. Larry Chin, KIAC’s Legal Services Director presented at Enlighten Kitsap and Heron’s Key and Kimberly Cizek Allen, KIAC’s Development & Marketing Director spoke with the League of Women Voters and the Bremerton Rotary.

Thanks to your support, we continue improving and expanding our services. I urge you to continue supporting KIAC, our work team, our volunteers, but above all our immigrants who every day rise and contribute to the progress of our community.

I encourage you to watch our animated video about “KIAC the Hub” and make a gift today.

In gratitude for your support,

Jayson Vega, Executive Director