AWUM 2023 Annual Report

Testimonials

“They help me with my safety, divorce, and just to become smarter as a person. I was able to learn English and be able to help myself more.”

“All the advocates were helping with many resources. I loved it. I learned how to step up and stand my ground. I now know about resources, shelters, and I got much information for my children. Staff safety planned with me to increase my strategies. Staff were able to help me with my 3-year-old when possible and they gave me the best advice to get things that are important to me. Please keep on doing what you guys are doing.”

“House of Peace (HOP) is a great place. HOP is the place that helped me at my most difficult time. Everyone here is so kind and helpful. HOP is a friendly atmosphere that makes me feel at home, like my own home reborn. With advocate help their advice was very useful and my knowledge and availability of community resources increased.”

“What was most helpful was the staff just being there. The staff were very friendly.”

Mission Vision

Asian Women United of Minnesota will end domestic violence by promoting safe and healthy relationships within the Asian-Pacific Islander community, and beyond.

We are the leader in eliminating violence in the Asian-Pacific Islander community and share the expertise of our best practices with others. Using the strengths of the API community, AWUM will uphold an environment free of violence, promote self-sufficiency for women, and foster nurtured and healthy children and families.

Letter from the Executive Director

Dear Friends and Supporters:

Like many organizations in our community, Asian Women United of Minnesota (AWUM) spent the past year adapting to a post-pandemic world.

Fiscal Year 2023 (July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023) featured exciting growth for AWUM. Generous gifts from private foundations and the federal government allowed us to focus on two key issues faced by most people who seek support from AWUM. In the summer of 2022, gifts made it possible to hire a housing advocate, a new position at AWUM, whose role is to help individuals and families move from our House of Peace shelter to safe, permanent homes. At the start of 2023, AWUM received critical funding to support the retention of three attorneys working closely with AWUM’s participants on legal matters such as divorce, immigration, and protection orders. These resources have enhanced participants’ prospects for healthy, stable futures.

As always, AWUM will continue to offer a safe place for those seeking refuge from gender-based violence. We ask our friends and allies to stand with us, to be vigilant, to protect our elders and our children, to condemn anti-Asian rhetoric and action, and to make our community a safer place for every human being.

We are sincerely grateful for your interest in AWUM’s work, which would not be possible without your support.

Sincerely,

Claudia R. Waring Executive Director

AWUM from the Heart SEPTEMBER 2022

After 2 years of hosting our gala virtually due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, AWUM decided that conditions were safe enough to gather in-person on September 22, 2022 at the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis for our 11th annual gala, AWUM from the Heart. It was a delightful reunion of longtime friends and a heartwarming opportunity to meet new ones, all in support of AWUM’s mission to end domestic violence. Thanks to the amazing and talented Ritika Ganguly for her soul-stirring performance. We also acknowledge the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans for their gala sponsorship, and Lake Wine & Spirits for their bottled wine donations. We express our deepest gratitude to our guests and donors for making our annual fundraiser a success. Thank you!

Photos by Ryan Stopera

Give to the Max Day

NOVEMBER 17, 2022

Give to the Max Day is a Minnesota-based, one-day initiative started by GiveMN in 2009 to help raise money for participating nonprofit organizations and schools. The annual event is held on a Thursday each November and in 2022, on Give to the Max Day, donors gave $4,553 to AWUM, surpassing our goal of $2,400! AWUM’s expressed wish was to raise $2,400 before the year ended to cover the cost of extended mental health therapy for one month. Thank you so much for contributing to this campaign to provide the much needed culturally sensitive and responsive therapy services!

“After Emergency Shelter: Housing Challenges for DV Survivors” Video

DECEMBER 2022

To advance our work in the housing arena focusing on domestic violence (DV) survivors, AWUM produced a video highlighting the challenges women face after leaving a DV shelter. This production also helps us to amplify the message that regardless of the path chosen, affordable, safe & clean housing are top priorities in the work towards an independent life. This video project was funded by a grant from Violence Free Minnesota and was filmed, written & edited by Hlee Lee (theothermediagroup.com).

This informational video is available on YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=jvsNGU7KGwY

Donations to AWUM

Every year, we receive in-kind donations from many thoughtful community members from around the Twin Cities. Below are some of the contributions received. Thank you so much to the donors!

Diane Caruso (December 2022)

Diane Caruso made beautiful, quilted blankets and donated them to AWUM’s families.

Sally Beauty (January 2023)

Sally Beauty sent to the House of Peace a wonderful supply of beauty products.

Schuler Shoes (January 2023)

Schuler Shoes donated 13 pairs of winter boots – a much needed item for the season.

Soniya Bhojwani (February 2023)

Soniya donated essential items for our participants. Thank you!

Karen (April 2023)

AWUM regular donor Karen gifted our shelter brand-new indoor slippers, outdoor flip flops, and socks. These were much needed items at the House of Peace.

Philippine Student Association

U of MN (April 2023)

The Philippine Student Association at the University of MN held a drive to collect essential items.

AshaUSA (May 2023)

AshaUSA held a donation drive collecting essential items to celebrate Asian American Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. AshaUSA is a non-profit organization focused on creating healthy, happy, and harmonious South Asian communities by engaging and empowering South Asian women, men, and children through culturally specific programs and services.

Donations to AWUM (cont.)

Nilan Johnson Lewis, PA (June 2023)

Nilan Johnson Lewis law firm, with former AWUM staff Lynn Hu spearheading the effort, raised over $500 in honor of Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Those funds were used to purchase & deliver the needed new household items, cooking supplies, and bags of rice for AWUM.

Hormel Foods (June 2023)

Hormel Foods’ Asian, Asian-America, and Pacific Islander Employee Resource Group donated needed household items & a nice supply of Tsang condiments for our House of Peace.

Women’s Dermatologic Society (June 2023)

As part of the Women’s Dermatologic Society’s women’s shelter outreach program, members from the society hosted an event at our House of Peace. Physicians and medical students shared information about skin, hair, hand and foot care. The presentations and Q&A were very engaging. The event was organized by Nathalie Ly, a medical student & dermatology fellow at the University of Minnesota. Natalie & her colleagues also gave gift bags full of self-care goodies at this event.

Volunteers

Volunteers have been essential to the success of AWUM’s programs. Each volunteer comes to us with such thoughtful, caring, humble awareness of the importance of their service. They help us to provide the best service possible for each woman and child at AWUM. During July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023, AWUM had 44 volunteers offering a total of 1,313 hours of service. We thank these wonderful souls a thousand-fold! Below are testimonials of a few of our amazing volunteers.

IRIS ZHANG

“I am so appreciative to everyone at AWUM for being so generous with sharing their time and experience with me and for all the work they do for the communities they serve. The dedication and care that the team at AWUM put forth everyday inspires me deeply. I learned so much from everyone I worked with: the staff, the volunteers, the women and the children.”

SUAD HASSAN

“Volunteering at House of Peace was an immensely rewarding experience. Witnessing the strength and resilience of the women we served filled me with inspiration and gratitude. Through my time there, I not only contributed to the community but also gained invaluable insights and personal growth.”

JAMES ANDERSON

“As I have transitioned from my teen years into adulthood, helping with AWUM’s children’s group has given me insight on the values I want to hold dear. There is so much meaning in providing care through learning activities, play, and connection. Participating in community creates so many opportunities for growth and healing within ourselves, and for the children who follow after us; volunteering has granted me the opportunity to become the sort of adult that I needed in my life during my own childhood, and will serve as a valuable basis for me going forward in my personal and professional life.”

AWUM Services

HOUSE OF PEACE (HOP)

COMMUNITY ADVOCACY PROGRAM (CAP)

Temporary emergency shelter

Women’s support group & children’s groups

Assistance in obtaining Orders for Protection (OFP)

Aid in filing for Harassment Restraining Orders (HRO)

Provide housing assistance and help with job searches

Help with filing for financial assistance & reparations claims

Legal referrals for family and immigration law

24-hour multi-lingual crisis line

Safety planning

Legal (criminal & civil court) advocacy

Sexual assault advocacy

Assistance in obtaining Orders for Protection (OFP)

Aid in filing for Harassment Restraining Orders (HRO)

Assistance with immigration services

On-going follow-up services

Violence prevention & outreach in the API community

Community education on domestic violence

Training for service providers

89 shelter residents (45 women & 44 children)

767 crisis calls

206 calls requesting resources

100 calls for OFP/HRO (Orders for Protection/ Harassment Restraining Orders)

189 women’s group participants

418 children’s group participants

HOP CAP Participant Statistics

393 advocacy participants (300 women, 54 men, and 39 children)

199 attendees at 8 community trainings/presentations

2023 FISCAL YEAR

Board of Directors

Hao Nguyen, Chair

Ramsey County Attorney’s Office

Rebecca Chaffee, Secretary

Hennepin County District Court

Melissa Chiodo, Treasurer

Inver Grove Heights Police Department

Miski Abdulle, Member

Pillsbury United Communities

William Vang, Member

Chlamydomonas Resource Center

Sophia Vuelo, Member

Ramsey County Second Judicial District

2023 FISCAL YEAR Leadership Team

Claudia R. Waring, Executive Director

Sipra Jha, Shelter Director

Shoua Kong, CAP Lead

Lucas (Louie) Munn, Facilities Supervisor

Nancy Wong, Communications Manager

2023 FISCAL YEAR Financials

2023 FISCAL YEAR Financials

2023 FISCAL YEAR

2023 FISCAL YEAR

Grants, Contracts, Foundations

Alice M. O’Brien Foundation

Butler Foundation

FR Bigelow Foundation

Heading Home Minnesota Collaborative

Hennepin County

HRK Foundation

Land O’Lakes Foundation

Mardag Foundation

Minneapolis Foundation

Minnesota Department of Human Services

Minnesota Office of Justice Programs

Monroe, Charlotte & Barbara Shine Family Fund

Otto Bremer Trust

Pohlad Family Foundation

Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation

Women’s Foundation of Minnesota

2023 Fiscal Year Cash + In-Kind Donations

Addy Boltjes

Afagh Mohajeri

Alexis Walstad

Amanda Schroeder

American Family Insurance

Andrea Jachman

Angela Jones Flanaghan

Anne & Michael Waring

Anne Hines Brabec

Anonymous

AshaUSA

Bhagwati Karki

Bill Bushey

Bill’s Garden Restaurant

Bo Thao-Urabe

Boondi Iyer

Brandon Fabel

Brindha P. Sargunam

Carol McTeague

Charlene Sun

Charles E. Johnson

Cherrelle Phon

Cheryl L. Jensen

Claudia Waring

Connie M. Korman

Council on Asian

Pacific Minnesotans

Craig Steiner

Dana Gillespie & Carlo Cuesta

Dave & Judy Lucking

Dave Dumas, Diamonds & Gold

David Milazzo

Dawn Morningstar

Deepika Appana

Diane Caruso

Duraikkannan

Sundarackannan

Dzung Thai

Eckberg Lammers, P.C.

Elaine Vue

Elizabeth Henrich

Elizabeth Sauer

Eric Nadeau

Erin & Neeraj Mehta

Gail Chang Bohr

Gaochong Lee

Gemini Incorporated

Gerald J. Stahl

Grace & Paul Wong

Helen Zhang Valt

Hormel Foods

JAMF Nation

Global Foundation

Janet Hou

Jennifer Vanwyk

Jeromelle Potterton

Jessica Lerbs

Joseph Stahl & Lida Etemad

Karen R. Steiner

Katelyn Korman

Kathleen Fluegel

Kathryn Mary Tierney & David Tierney

Kaumudi & Venkateshwaran Iyer

Kelly McTeague

Kesha Tanabe

Kian & Eddie Glenn

Kohpa Vang

Kris Solz

Krishna Jain

Krissandra Anfinson

Kristi Lahti-Johnson

Lake Wine & Spirits

Layli Phillips

Lee Reinhardt

2023 FISCAL YEAR CASH + IN-KIND DONATIONS (CONT.)

Linda Lee

Lou Yang

Lucas Munn

Lydia Geiszler

Lynn Hu

Madeline Kuehn

Maitzeng Chang

Mary Bates

Maychee Mua

McKnight Foundation

Melissa Avery

Melissa Ng

Miguel Cline

Milton Lucy

Molly Schwartz

Mubina Qureshi

Nancy Veronen

Nancy Wong

Nayana Jha & Michael Cain

Neelam & Arun Singh

Network for Good

Nida Sajid

Nilan Johnson Lewis, PA

Pamela Zeller

Paul Dvorak

Peggy Flaig

Philippine Student Association (UoMN)

Rashika Shetty

Regina Chu Moore

Ritu Aparajita

Robyn Tabibi & Dain Meyer

Sally Beauty

Sam Stahl

Samira Missaghi

Sandra Erickson

Sarah Cadorette

Savita & Ramesh Harjani

Schuler Shoes

Sharon Johnson

Shirley Slagle

Sipra Jha

Soniya Bhojwani

Stacy Miller

Stephanie Carlson

Susan Armington

Susan Frenzel

Swaranjali Kale

Tanni & Bhabani Misra

Tareen Dermatology

Tenzin Yangzom

Terra Shockman

The Syal Foundation, Inc.

Timothy D. Savaloja

Timothy Gray

United Way Greater

Twin Cities

UnitedHealth Group

Vaishali Jha

Wells Fargo

Willard W. & Jeanne Nelson

William Vang

Women’s Dermatologic Society

Xinxin Zhang

Yamini Jha-Korman & Dan Korman

Yasmin Mehrotra

Yuemin Xu

Yvonne Olsen

Thank you for supporting AWUM.

Thank you for your contributions to end domestic violence. Thank you for promoting safe & healthy relationships in the Asian community and beyond!

Staff at the 2022 AWUM from the Heart at The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis. (Photo taken by Katie Tierney)