For Immediate Release
December 11, 2024
Washington, DC – SEARAC is thrilled to announce that we have received $150,000 in funding from Next50 to conduct groundbreaking research on the needs of Southeast Asian American (SEAA) older adults. Over the two-year grant period, SEARAC and our research team will interview service providers who work with SEAA elders and caregivers to understand how the pandemic, the economy, and the recent presidential election have affected the lives of older adults in our communities.
“Southeast Asian American elders have unique physical and mental health needs, owing to their experiences as refugees who came to the United States fleeing war and genocide,” shared Quyên Đinh, Executive Director of SEARAC. “On the eve of commemorating 50 years of Southeast Asian refugee resettlement in the United States, this is an important moment in history to measure how far we have come and how far we still have to go to ensure that SEAAs are not just surviving but thriving. We are grateful to Next50 for their investment in the elders in our communities and their commitment to equity for immigrant and refugee older adults.”
“It’s expensive to age in this country,” said Peter Kaldes, President & CEO of Next50. “That’s why we seek partners like SEARAC who will change the status quo and help create a world that values aging.”
Our research will begin in January 2025, and SEARAC looks forward to sharing findings and recommendations in a public release in 2026. To stay informed on our health and aging advocacy, check out our website resources and follow us on social media @searac. If you would like to support our work, you can make a donation here.
Media Contact: Elaine Sanchez Wilson|elaine@searac.org
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About SEARAC
SEARAC is a national civil rights organization that builds power with diverse communities from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam to create a socially just and equitable society. As representatives of the largest refugee community ever resettled in the United States, SEARAC stands together with other refugee communities, communities of color, and social justice movements in pursuit of social equity. Find out more at www.searac.org.
About Next50 Next50 is a Colorado-based national foundation that works toward a society that values aging and makes growing older an empowering, fulfilling experience. Today, our systems in the U.S. don’t prioritize our economic well-being as we age, which causes widespread economic hardship for older adults and their families. That’s why we focus on funding innovative and equitable programs that create economic opportunity for older adults, especially in low-income communities and communities of color. We fund programming in three key areas: ending age-related bias and discrimination; advancing digital equity so technology is available to all; and making it possible for people to age where they want to live. To learn more, visit www.Next50foundation.org.