FIRECRACKER FUND
In 2012, the Firecracker Fund was created with a commitment to donate $50,000 across ten years to Asian Pacific Islander (API) non profits. The goal to further pursue the Firecracker mission of promoting health, fitness and healthy life styles was extended to organizations beyond the Los Angeles Chinatown Community.
RECIPIENTS:
2012- APIOPA (now API Forward Movement)-"Bike Ride to China" Health promotion project combining physical exercise with training on urban planning and how it impacts access to physical activity in local communities. The project purchased 25 bicycles for high school students with a commitment to ride a combined 3000+ miles. The distances from Los Angeles to China. Impact: Students in the Chinatown Area.
2013-(KIWA) Korean Immigrants Workers Alliance. "Ktown Farms and Gardens" Grassroots community-led health and environmental project empowering low-income residents and families to embrace healthier lives and increase green space and local organic food in the most park-poor neighborhood in the nation. Impact: Korea Town residents, Los Angeles Area
2014-(SGEF) San Gabriel Educational Foundation- FOODPLAY Health Education for Kids. Bring a nationally recognized and award-winning health and physical fitness education assembly program to each of our 5 elementary school sites. Impact: Elementary school students in the San Gabriel surrounding cities.
2015-Visual Communications- VC Community Stories feat. FMC Walking Club- A documentary film about the Filipino Migrant Center’s Walking Club as they navigate the working class, heavily polluted, high crime area of West Long Beach through health and wellness activities as a tool for community organizing and empowerment. Impact: Participants in the Long Beach and Los Angeles area.
2016-LHTP-Lincoln Heights Tutorial Program- Summer Day Program Nutrition & Wellness. Our Tutoring, Nutrition, & Wellness program provides the educational tutoring, learning, and development of children and teens. We engage our students in exercise, physical activities, eating fruits and vegetables, and reducing stress.
Impact: Students from Asian and Hispanic children and teens, K-9th, low income, and at risk inner city youth. Lincoln Heights, Chinatown, Alhambra, and El Sereno.
2017- Asian American Studies Program, Cal State LA-Food Justice, the Environment, and Body in the API Community. Food Justice API at Cal State LA teaches students the importance of food justice, the environment, and health related to the API community through classroom learning and community service through
the creation of culturally relevant gardens for communities. Impact: Young children 2-5 y/o & their parents. 65% are low income, of these 90% are single mothers. 70% Latino, 15% API, 9% White,6% African American. Los Angeles and San Gabriel Valley.
2018-United Cambodian Community. Cambodian Wellness Program, Cambodian Wellness Program improves access and utilization of healthcare services and increases overall wellness of the Cambodian community through health education workshops and peer support groups. Impact: Long Beach area, Cambodian lower income adults.
2019-Little Tokyo Service Center Terasaki Budokan Ping-Pong Program. Serve as an inter-generational activity and enhance the lives of local senior residents and visitors to Little Tokyo, as well as youth in the Little Tokyo Service Center after-school program who reside in our affordable housing communities. Impact: All genders, Asian and Pacific Islander seniors, low income youth in the Little Tokyo/Downtown Los Angeles.
2020-San Gabriel Educational Foundation-Food for Thought ~ Young Chefs in the Kitchen. SEF desires to make a positive impact within the community thoughtful curriculum developed to teach students about healthy food purchases and preparation. The program seeks to increase education about heart healthy and disease prevention as well as to empower and motivate students to make positive changes in their lives. Impact: Middle and high school age students in San Gabriel Valley cities.
2021-Angel City Sports-Angel City Sports Adaptive Sport Clinics. Angel City Sports seeks to develop outreach in the Asian American community and to continue offering free and inclusive adaptive sports clinic. Impact: Inclusive of persons with or without disability focused primarily in Los Angeles County.
