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Blurb

The Korean Resource Center (KRC) is a non-profit, community-based organization that has been serving the low-income immigrant and the Korean American community of California since 1983.

An integral part of California's multicultural fabric, Korean Americans constitute one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing minority communities in the nation.

As a predominantly immigrant community, Korean American face great barriers and difficulties settling into American Society. These problems include issues of empowerment, identity, access and representation.

KRC seeks to enhace the lives of Korean Americans by serving as a sharing place and a community center for education, culture, social services and community organizing.

Social SErvices: KRC provides a range of social services particularly to those with less resources and access such as recent immigrants, women, youth, senior citizens and low-income residents. Services include a free income tax clinic for low-income residents; technical assistance and advice on public benefits, naturalization and immigration issues; interpretation and translation; and information and referrals.

Education: COMMUNITY FORUMS - KRC holds on-going community forums with guest lecturers on issues of concern to the Korean American community. These issues include immigration, civil rights, health and community development.

SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM - KRC runs an annual summer youth program to help young Korean Americans gain a better understanding of the Korean American community.

RESOURCES - KRC operates a resource library that is open to the public and contains over 3,500 volumes of books, magazines and audio-visual materials. The library contains a specialized collection of materials on topics of particular interest to Korean Americans.

Culture: KRC fosters the developement of a Korean American cultural consciouness through regular cultural programs and activities. It is also home to several cultural performing troupes. KRC conducts cultural workshops including lessons on Poong-mool (traditional Korean percussion ensemble); invites Korean and Korean American performing artists to link with California-based artist; and holds performances at a wide range of community events, festivals and concerts.

Civil Rights

In response to the rising anti-immigrant tide sweeping the nation, KRC launched the Civil Rights Project in 1994. The Project seeks to educate, mobilize and advocate for Korean Americans on major civil rights issues such as immigrant rights, language rghts and affirmative action.

As a part of the Civil Rights Project, KRC also participates in multi-ethnic coalitions and conducts educational outreach to Korean American and other communities.

VOlunteeer:

KAVEP: Since the 1996, KRC has maintained the KAVEP in order to maximize Korean American voter participation. This comprehensive project includes voter registration drives, publication of voter guidebooks, bilingual voter hotline, poll monitoring, provision of bilingual pollworkers, get out the vote activities, exit poll and development of voter profile.

Social Service: Assist KRC to provide social services such as the Free Low-Income Tax Clinic, information on Medi-Cal / Healthy Families, Translation Services, and more.

HanNuri- Join a drumming troupe, learn to play Korean Drums, help teach, and promote appreciation of Traditional Korean Culture.

Immigrant & Civil RightsAdvocacy - Participate in KRC's campaign to educate the public on issues of immigration and help fight for Immigrant and Civil Rights in California.

KRC also offers a Saturday "Roots" Program for elementary school children teaching how to read/write Korean and English. Korean Calligraphy and Korean Drumming (Poongmool) are also taught.

KRC's HAP seeks to improve the health status of Korean Americans, foster a belief that health care should be incorporated into our daily lives and ensure Korean American representation in the health policy, funding, and education. KRC seeks volunteers who are concerned with the betterment of the Korean American community and the lives of Korean Americans. The doors of opportunity are open for those interested in the following areas: