Press Release: Top Rated Nonprofit

THE CAMBODIAN FAMILY HONORED AS 2012 TOP-RATED NONPROFIT
New GreatNonprofits.org Award is Based on Positive Online Reviews

Santa Ana, CA 12/4/12 –The Cambodian Family announced today that it has been honored with a prestigious 2012 Top-Rated Award by GreatNonprofits, the leading provider of user reviews about nonprofit organizations.

“We are excited to be named a Top-Rated 2012 Nonprofit,” says Sotheara Chhay, Volunteer Coordinator at The Cambodian Family. We are proud of our accomplishments this year.

The Top-Rated Nonprofit award was based on the large number of positive reviews that The Cambodian Family received – reviews written by volunteers, donors and clients. People posted their personal experience with the nonprofit. For example, one person wrote, “The Cambodian Family is truly remarkable. I started volunteering in the summer of 2008 and I continue to return every year. This is the place where I discovered my passion for teaching and promoting youth advocacy and higher education. I feel like I am on the right career path because of The Cambodian Family. After 4 years of volunteering at The Cambodian Family, I realized that I want to embark on a career in the nonprofit sector. I also realized that such career path is very challenging but very rewarding. Mr. Sundaram Rama (Executive Director) and Ms. Phalen Lim (Youth Program Director) have inspired me to take on this challenge and be passionate about helping people. They are so dedicated to the community and they LOVE what they do. Also, the staff at The Cambodian Family are wonderful people. They truly welcome you like friends and family. They work hard everyday to ensure that the families they serve are on the path to better health and education. The children in the Youth Program are the reason why I keep coming back. It brings me joy when I hear that the children in the program remember me. They may not remember my name (because I do have an uncommon name) but they remember my art class. When I was an art instructor in their summer program, I remember the children asking excitedly, “What are we going to do today?” They looked forward to my art projects and the best part was–I was doing something I loved. I wasn’t just a volunteer. I was inspiring students to create art out of newspaper, cans, and old shoes. I was inspiring them to embrace their creativity. Not only that but I was encouraging them to be unique ALWAYS. Since the summer of 2008, I have done my best to be involved as much as I can at The Cambodian Family. I look forward to the many more camping trips, graduations, fundraising events, and holidays at The Cambodian Family. The Cambodian Family may be a less-known organization, but there is not an organization that has strong grassroots like The Cambodian Family. I am truly blessed to be part of such an extraordinary organization. They truly are like family.”

Being on the Top-Rated List comes at an important time of the year, as donors look for causes to support during the holiday season.

“We are gratified by The Cambodian Family for its work,” said Perla Ni, CEO of GreatNonprofits, “They deserve to be discovered by more donors and volunteers who are looking for a great nonprofit to support.”

Being on the Top-Rated list gives donors and volunteers more confidence that this is a credible organization. The reviews by volunteers, clients and other donors show the on-the-ground results of this nonprofit. This award is a form of recognition by the community.

About The Cambodian Family
The mission of The Cambodian Family is to promote social health by providing refugee and immigrant families the opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills, and desires for creating health and well-being in their lives.

About GreatNonprofits
GreatNonprofits is the leading site for donors and volunteers to find reviews and ratings of nonprofits. Its mission is to inspire and inform donors and volunteers, enable nonprofits to show their impact, and promote greater feedback and transparency. www.greatnonprofits.org

Media Contact
Sotheara Chhay
Volunteer Coordinator
714-571-1966 ext. 111

Space for Lease

Need a space for your Childcare Center? The Cambodian Family has just the center for you! We have many perks, see below for more information

Lotus Legacy: Revive and Flourish

Lotus Legacy: Revive and Flourish

KSCC 2011

Cambodian students from all across California walk down the steps at the UCLA campus, KSCC 2011.

The Cambodian Family has always been a strong supporter of student organizations. We realize that college student organizations have a great potential to impact the community in a positive way. So why should students be a part of a student organization and why should community organizations work with them? Through many years of experience, we’ve narrowed it down to three reasons:

  1. Student organizations can provide its members with a sense of belonging –  especially important because many times, students often feel alone and outcasted for reasons such as ethnicity, socio-economic status, and so forth.
  2. Student organizations can be a safe space for members to connect to their culture – something that many members don’t experience until they join the club and connect with their peers on a personal level.
  3. Student organizations can inspire members to make a difference and give back to the community – and actually take action in making a difference because of the many resources and funds available through their university.

We’ve learned that through collaboration and relationship building, community organizations and student organizations can come together to affect greater change in the community. For many years, we have worked very closely with Cambodian student organizations from UCI, UCLA, CSUF, and Chapman to help one another in our missions. Many of these organizations are members of the Khmer Student Coalition, a coalition of Cambodian student organizations across the state.

Family Heads KSCC 2011

Family Heads and Workshop Leaders Training at The Cambodian Family.

In the past, our support has included a variety of activities such as: providing workshops, giving presentations, teaching dance, sponsoring events, and providing advice and resources. In return, student organizations have provided us support through volunteering for events such as high school conferences, developing media and promotional video, raising funds and supplies for our youth program, and providing higher education opportunities such as college campus tours, financial aid workshops, and on campus sleepovers. (Learn More about What We Do)

KSCC 2011

Students from the Khmer Student Coalition Conference 2011 at UCLA take a break for a picture.

Last year, we upped the ante and volunteered to co-host the 2011 Khmer Student Coalition Conference (KSCC) with United Khmer Student at UCLA. This marked the first time ever that a community organization partnered with a student organization to host KSCC. The theme, “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for,” was a success, bringing close to 200 students and professionals from all over California to engage in workshops and conversations about identity, history, and culture. Read more here.

Through a nomination and voting process, KSCC 2012 is making its way to Cal State Fullerton’s Cambodian Student Association, this coming October 20-21st. (See below for more information.) The conference, entitled “Lotus Legacy: Revive and Flourish,” will bring workshops on culture, policy, social issues, and leadership. This year, The Cambodian Family will participate once again and support the student orgs by providing a workshop in the social issues section. Executive Director and Youth Program Director, Sundaram Rama and Phalen Lim, will be teaming up to present a workshop on the state of Mental Health and affects of PTSD in the Cambodian community. With our many years of experience in working with the community and collaborating with many organizations, we feel that sharing the information we’ve gathered with the younger generation is crucial.

Our support for student organizations and events like KSCC is only a small step in our bigger vision to move the community forward. However, with that small step, our communities are working closer than ever before and collaborating more than we ever used to.

Khmer Student Coalition Conference 2012
“Lotus Legacy: Revive and Flourish”
Hosted by the Cambodian Student Association of California State University, Fullerton
Saturday, October 20, 2012 – Sunday, October 21, 2012

The Lotus Flower descends from the murky water with its un-withering stem patiently waiting for the lotus petals to transform its beautiful transcendent state.

The murky water symbolizes the hardships, difficulties, and challenges of life. The stem represents the resilience that we as individuals can endure, the structure to succeed, and strength to overcome adversities. When the petals unfold, it represents enlightenment and the potential to rise, revive and flourish in all obstacles.

You are the heir to the Lotus Legacy. Revive and flourish!

Come and unlock the mysteries of the Lotus Legacy. Understand what is hidden beneath the murky water and learn how its stem leads to the transformation into your fullest potential.

More Info: http://2012kscc.eventbrite.com/

Contact Information – Feel free to text, call, or e-mail if you have any questions.
Lydia Kim (951) 588-9661
Joanna Hang (626) 679-4341
2012kscc@gmail.com
Sponsored by:
ASI, AICA, CSUF CSA, and PCI

Event Coverage by:

A Successful Celebration

A SUCCESSFUL CELEBRATION

On Thursday, September 27, 2012, The Cambodian Family hosted its 2nd Annual Fundraising Dinner at The Cambodian Family Achievement Center. We welcomed guests to our home to join us in celebrating our work in the community and to honor Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, Capital Group Companies, and Dr. Nak Chhiv for their ongoing support and contributions to our agency and the families that we serve.

Our guests enjoyed a variety of activities and performances throughout the evening. Dinner was accompanied by many stage performances including song performances by Phanith Sovann, a traditional dance performance by The Cambodian Family Dance Group, a fashion show presenting Cambodian cultural outfits, a video and slide presentation of agency events and programs, and an awards ceremony with many empowering speeches by our honorees. Guests were also able to participate in our silent auction event, our raffle drawings, and free photobooth sessions donated by one of our sponsors, Shutterspeed Photobooth and Photography.

All in all, the evening was a great success for our agency! The night brought together family, friends, clients, volunteers, and sponsors under one roof to support and celebrate the programs and services provided by The Cambodian Family to the greater Orange County community. The event was made possible by our generous sponsors, our attendees, and all volunteers that donated their time to make the event possible. A special thanks goes out to The Cambodian Family staff members who have spent that last several months working very hard to put everything together, balancing their normal day-to-day duties with the extra work brought forth by putting on this event.

View more pictures on our Facebook.

Photo Credits: Kevin Choy and Francisco Fregoso

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Engaging our Community

Voter Registration: Engaging our Community

With the 2012 General Elections coming near, The Cambodian Family is working hard to engage our community members to register to vote and we’re not doing it alone. Our partnerships include organizations such as Delhi Center and the Khmerican Media Group and participation in the National Voter Registration Day on September 25, 2012.

The following quote comes from Khmerican, our official media partner:

“According to recent census figures, there are over 200,000 Cambodian Americans. The largest populations are in California, New England, and the Pacific Northwest. Voter engagement by Cambodians and other Asian Americans has trailed that of other minority groups, with only 47 percent of eligible Asian Americans voting in the previous presidential election. In particular, our community has struggled not only with political awareness, but access, as ballots were not available in Khmer and some members of the older generation are not naturalized citizens. One notable exception to this poor record was a voter turnout movement aimed at Cambodians in Lowell, Massachusetts, which was initiated in 2005. Just this year, election materials in Khmer were made available in Los Angeles County, a historic first. In this spirit of progress, Khmerican urges everyone to make 2012 count even more by showing our emerging clout and getting out the vote.

Your vote is your voice. In the 2012 election, minority communities can’t afford to be silent-issues such as the economy, immigration policy, and education are at stake. If you think one vote doesn’t matter, consider that just 12 years ago, the presidential race was decided by a margin of about 500 votes in just one state, or less than one thousandth of one percent of the total popular vote. Informed voting not only makes a difference, it pays tribute to those service members who have lost their lives fighting for our rights and freedoms. Voting is fundamental to democracy.”

Our Executive Director, Sundaram Rama, stresses the importance of registering to vote:

“It’s a final act to becoming an American, to engage in choosing who should represent you and what kind of policy you want to see happening that would benefit you, your family, you community, and your country. Voting is a right and a privilege that all Americans have.  We must exercise our power to choose by voting.  If you don’t vote than you have given up your right and you let others choose for you. People all over the world would die for the opportunity to choose their leaders and their country destiny, in fact many did and many more are still fighting for it.”

Everyone can play a part in making a difference. Register to vote now! October 22, 2012 is the last day you can register to vote, if you want to vote in the 2012 General Elections.

View pictures from National Voter Registration Day 2012

Register Online | Learn about the Khmer-I-Can Campaign | Read an article on the OC Register

Join the coalition, Vote 2012.

Thank you to our Supporters!

Thank you for your Support!

The Cambodian Family would like to thank Union Bank and Shutterspeed Photobooth & Photography for their generous donation to our 2nd Annual Fundraising Event “Continuing our Tradition of Service to the Community.” Your support is crucial to our mission of providing services and promoting social health to the refugee and immigrant families in Orange County and allows us to help these families develop the knowledge, skills, and desires for creating health and well-being in their lives.

It is not too late to support our cause and you can do so by checking out our website at https://cambodianfamily.org/. Learn more about our event here.

Our Generous Supporters

Gold Sponsor: Wells Fargo

Silver Sponsor: Union Bank

Bronze Sponsor: Capital Group Companies, Green Maple Law Firm

Table Sponsor: TCF Board President John Benner, SAUSD, Project Angkor

Donors: Sim Heng, William Lyle, John Benner

Silent Auction Donors: Sophin Zoe Pruong McCreery (Shutterspeed Photobooth & Photography), Linda Sok, Phanith Rama Sovann,  Regal, AMC, Kha and Meme Sok-Chhith, Jade Kira (Rabbit Candy Apparel), Nathyn Keang (RawPixel Media), Knotts Berry Farm, InNout Burger, Legoland, Aquarium of the Pacific, Santa Ana Zoo, Bowers Museum, Costco Tustin, Ed Stewart (Capital Chem)

Auction Items

  • 60 min Deep Tissue massage at Urban Bliss Day Spa
  • AMC Movie tickets
  • Regal Movie tickets
  • Knott’s Berry Farm tickets
  • Rabbit Candy T-shirts
  • 1-Day Carpet Cleaning Service
  • In n Out Dinner tickets
  • Legoland tickets
  • Aquarium of the Pacific tickets
  • Coscto gift card
  • Wine baskets
  • Queen of the Universe Pageant 2013 tickets

Raffle Item

  • iPad 2

Our 2nd Annual Fundraising Dinner – “Continuing our Tradition of Service to the Community.”

The Cambodian Family would like to invite you to attend our Second Annual Fundraising Dinner. Please join us as we “Continue our Tradition of Service to the Community.”

Thursday, September 27, 2012
6:00p – 7:00p Registration and Silent Auction
7:00p – 9:00p Program and Dinner

Business attire
Tickets $75 each
Please RSVP by September 13, 2012
Contact: Armen Bazikian at 714-571-1966 ext. 104
Email: armenb@cambodianfamily.orgFor invitation click here: http://tinyurl.com/TCF2012fundraisingevent
To purchase a ticket or sponsor click here: www.cambodianfamily.org

If you are unable to attend the event, you can still support us by purchasing a raffle ticket for $1! You do not have to be present to win the prize. Raffle prize: iPad 2 (value $399)
Purchase a ticket here or from any TCF staff member: www.cambodianfamily.org

Two Shadows Movie Screening

Two Shadows Movie Screening at The Cambodian Family

On Saturday, July 28, 2012, the director and cast from the movie Two Shadows made a visit to The Cambodian Family for a free movie screening. Two Shadows, winner of the Audience Award at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, is the story of Sovanna, a Cambodian-American girl who travels back to Cambodia in search of her long-lost brother and sister. Purchase the DVD

The movie screening is the first of its kind at The Cambodian Family. Although it was something very different and very new for our community, it made a lasting impact for those who attended. One of The Cambodian Family’s goal is to open our doors to opportunities that are culturally sensitive for the community. To learn more, contact us at 714-571-1966 ext. 118.

Taking action against Violence in the Community – July 4 Fireworks War

Taking action against Violence in the Community – July 4 Fireworks War

In collaboration with the Bishop Manor Task Force, Jamboree Housing, and Bishop Manor Management, The Cambodian Family played a key role in ensuring that the Minnie Street and Bishop Manor community members had a safe and secure Fourth of July. In response to a heartfelt letter (see below) from a resident in the community regarding a “fireworks war”  on Sunday, July 1, 2012, members and volunteers from The Cambodian Family, Lives Worth Saving Gang Intervention, OCAPICA, and Santa Ana Police Department met and took immediate action to ensure the safety of the community members. On both the 3rd and 4th of July, instead of sounds of bottle bombs and fireworks getting thrown at people, community residents had the opportunity to play with fireworks in a  “safe and sane” manner. There were at least two dozen volunteers, patrols, and police officers walking the community at one point and almost always 10 patrols and officers throughout the night. This is a huge success for our community and we are proud to be working in a collaboration like this.
Letter from SABHC Zone 5 resident
Sunday, July 1, 2012
“It has come to my attention that the Minnie St/Bishop Manor “Fourth of July” street war has returned this year. For those of you who do not know what this is, you can get an idea of what it is here: http://goo.gl/urMzJ

As a Minnie Street resident most of my life, I have seen the “Minnie Street War” come and go year after year for over 20 years (with the exception of the past two years thanks to the help of Pastor Kevin Brown, the Lives Worth Saving Crew, and SAPD for their hard work). July 4 was never about celebrating Independence for me, but instead, it became a night where I was a spectator of a real live war on the very street I played and grew up on. The Minnie Street war always happened around July 4 for as long as I could remember. Growing up, I could always expect flaring fireworks and loud bottle bombs go off in the night as people threw them at each other.

As depicted in the footage, the word “war” is not used lightly. Each year around this time, adults AND kids from in and out of the neighborhood engage in an all out fireworks battle where illegal fireworks and homemade bottle bombs that produce a loud boom are commonly used. This war is usually between the Cambodians from the Bishop area and the Latinos from the Minnie Street area. 

Safety is NEVER a concern. In years past, I recall people, both active participants and bystanders, getting seriously injured. In addition, this war is oftentimes a green light for local gang members (and sometimes from afar i.e. Long Beach) to come and participate. I remember numerous incidents when people would get shot and rushed to the emergency room. 

I wanted to bring to your attention that for the past few nights, the war has resumed and will most likely continue each night until the finale on the Fourth of July. I write to you now feeling frustrated, hopeless, scared, and concerned about the safety of my family and of the kids running around the street at this late hour. SAPD has come many times but as soon as they’re gone, the flares and bottle bomb continues. 

I write to you all literally begging for a solution and wishing for a way to stop this cycle of violence. This war has become such a norm that parents and their kids are sitting out on the walkway watching as if the streets were their TV. People are posting footage online and openly commenting on it, with many of them taking pride in their participation. It’s so ridiculous that people will not even call to report the firework war because they think it’s a waste of time to tell the police.”

New Media Partnership!

New Media Partnership!

The Cambodian Family is happy to announce our new media partnership with The Khmerican. Quoted from their website:

“KHMERICAN is a noun; a person or organization striving to improve the quality and well-being of Khmer America.”

Our missions align in that we strive to help people develop the knowledge, skills, and desires for creating health and well-being in their lives. With this partnership, we hope to build upon a mutual vision to raise awareness about opportunities for the community. To learn more check out their Website, Blog, Twitter, Youtube or Facebook.