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Milan 2023
Saturday, March 25, 2023

Milan 2023 FAQs

 

What is Milan 2023?

Milan 2023 is the kick off of the IACS Capital Campaign which is dedicated to raising funds for the IACS Community Center and IACS Operations. Donation requests may be specified to IACS Support Services by contacting us at executivedirector@iaww.org.  

 

How often is this fundraiser held?

So far Milan has been a biennial fundraiser. Going forward IACS will have a virtual fundraiser every other year, alternating with an in-person event .

 

What services/programs does IACS provide?

IACS serves the Indian American immigrant, refugee community of Washington state through

programs, services, and advocacy for people of all ages and life stages.  These services address the following needs:

 

  • ●Early childhood
  • ●Youth
  • ●Women
  • ●Seniors
  • ●Civic Engagement
  • ●Mental Health
  • ●Small Businesses
  • ●Crisis Services - Legal, Housing and Food Assistance; Childcare
  • ●Community Centers

 

What areas do the Community Centers currently serve?

IACS operates and serves the community daily at the various pop-up centers that we have established at the following locations:

  • ●Bellevue (North Bellevue Community Center)
  • ●Redmond (Redmond Senior Center)
  • ●Bothell (Northshore Senior Center)
  • ●Kent (Kent Commons)
  • ●Issaquah (Issaquah Senior Center)
  • ●Snoqualmie (Sno-Valley Senior Center)
  • ●North Bend (Mt.Si Senior Center)
  • ●Sammamish (Beaver Lake Lodge)

 

 

 

 

Is IACS moving its operations to Kent?

IACS will continue its weekly-once pop up program (Thursdays) in North Bellevue Community Center and has added weekly-thrice (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays) in Sammamish, as well as monthly-once in Redmond, Bothell and Snoqualmie. In addition, IACS has its main office in Together Center, Redmond where the community can access services 5 days a week. The IACS Community Center in Kent will allow us to provide much needed support services as well as offer a safe, inclusive space for community to connect 7 days a week.

 

How does IACS support its current operations?

Funding from private foundations, government entities and community donations supports and sustains the IACS services.

 

What is the IACS capital campaign?

IACS has purchased a physical space in Kent in 2022 to provide a safe, inclusive space for our community's seniors, families, youth and women who can now easily access all support services, and resources. This center will also provide opportunities for small businesses to access technical assistance, training and marketing opportunities. Very importantly, a stand alone dedicated space offers us more effectiveness with urgent crisis services like free legal clinics, mental health services, counseling, support groups, including emergency services like housing, rent, childcare and food assistance.

The space itself needs significant remodeling to begin the community center operations.

These improvements include:

  • ●Community gathering space
  • ●Early learning center
  • ●Small business hub - technical assistance, e-commerce training, relief assistance
  • ●Youth gathering space
  • ●Therapy rooms
  • ●Wellness Studio
  • ●Offices for legal & mental health services
  • ●Teaching prep kitchen, etc…

IACS Community Center improvement budget is expected to be around $4M. IACS hopes to raise $2M from the community by 2025.

Please note: In order to donate or pledge towards specific spaces and naming rights or to customize your donation, please reach out to executivedirector@iaww.org

 

Why is Kent chosen for the IACS community center

IACS conducted a focused two-year feasibility study to understand community needs and IACS’s own growth plan.

While we continue to grow our services in cities like Sammamish (3 days per week), and Bellevue, Redmond, Bothell and Snoqualmie (1 day a week, in all these centers), our study showed that there was a resounding ask from the community for a permanent space that is safe, inclusive and one that addresses basic, urgent and emergent needs for youth, new parents, families, small businesses, workers and seniors. Crisis survivors can reach out in times of need for not only support but also discover community connections.

While IACS operates pop up centers in East and North King County we find that very often our youth and other programs run out of space during weekends, or experience limitations in the use of rental spaces. This points us back to this need for a stable permanent space.

IACS did its due diligence in exploring locations based on access, cost and other important factors. Based on these factors,, we picked Kent as a central and affordable location which is accessible to community members, service workers and our small businesses.

 

How did IACS impact and serve the community last year?

We are proud of the impact IACS has had through our pop-up centers.

 

During 2022, IACS served:

  • Over 32,500 community members with a daily touch point including 1,800 seniors, 325 youth and their families, 127 toddlers and over 115 women via in-person and virtual programs, addressing personalized wellness, mental health, health care and insurance, social programs, transportation, crisis care, and caregiver services.
  • 525 small businesses with technical assistance and support both in-person and virtual.
  • 575 hours of free legal clinics along with family law clinics and immigration help, especially for domestic violence clients.
  • IACS also offered over 3,700 hours of free, culturally nuanced mental health sessions, vocational training, and legal counseling to crisis clients, and provided access to 1,345 individuals for COVID vaccinations while offering PPE support to 450+ small businesses and workers.

 

How will I buy tickets for the Milan 2023 event?

  • ●Register for Milan 2023 (ejoinme.org)
  • ●Select your table captain from the drop down menu, add your credit card information and you are all set!

 

What are the different ways in which I can participate in and support Milan 2023 and the Capital Campaign?

  • ●Attend the Milan 2023 event on March 25th
  • ●Participate in the Silent Auction / Live Auction / Raise the Paddle and other fundraising opportunities during the event.
  • ●The live auction opportunities will be available for viewing only, starting from March 20, 2023. As a registrant, one can nominate their friend as proxy to bid at an entry of choice in the live auction. The live auction will include art from community artists, personalized chef dinners, curated wines, customized consultations and curated weaves from India brought to you from our master weavers and designers.
  • ●Bidding by proxy is allowed as long as the proxy bidder is registered and present for the in-person event.
  • ●Register for free for the Silent Auction online and bid on wine, sarees, experiences and assorted gift baskets starting March 19 at 8 am and ending on March 25 at 7.30 PM sharp - the day of the fundraiser (http://Iacs2023.ggo.bid).
  • ●Consider Monthly pledges.
  • ●Multi-year donations - spread across 2 to 4 years - please contact Executivedirector@iaww.org for more information.
  • ●Opportunity to honor, name your family or a loved one at the new community center. Please contact Executivedirector@iaww.org for more information.