ASPIRE Partners

Our Partners are instrumental in achieving ASPIRE goals of healthier, safer, equity-centered communities through collaborative efforts in policy, interventions, communications, and programming. Learn more about our ASPIRE Partners here or via our partners’ brochure.

Asian Health Services (Oakland, CA)
Center for Pan Asian Community Services (Atlanta, GA)
Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi (Hilo, HI)
Light and Salt Association (Houston, TX)
National Tongan American Society (Salt Lake City, UT)
Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community (Chicago, IL)
Las Vegas Hawaiian Civic Club (Las Vegas, NV)
Asian Pacific Islander Coalition Advocating Together for Health (Seattle, WA)
Families in Good Health (Long Beach, CA)

We are always looking to uplift our community and partner with additional agencies and organizations. Look out for information on more partners in the future!

Asian Health Services

AHS’s mission is to serve and advocate for Alameda County’s Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community by ensuring access to health care services regardless of income, insurance status, immigration status, language, or culture. They offer medical, dental, and behavioral health care for Alameda County’s underserved Asian and Pacific Islander community.

Asian Health Services (AHS): Based in Oakland, California is an organization that provides health, social, and advocacy services for all regardless of income, insurance status, language, or culture. They focus on “whole patient health” and provide primary care, mental health, case management, nutrition, and dental services. The organization also promotes programming and policies that make communities a safer and healthier place. Through their Banteay Srei youth development and asset building program for Southeast Asian women at risk for sexual exploitation and other behavioral risks, AHS provides a safe space for youth advocacy in tobacco prevention and cessation. The program has a youth tobacco champion involved in working with the program manager and youth community to develop educational materials in the form of short consumable infographics and other digital media to promote anti-tobacco and vaping campaigns and create awareness for risks of smoking including lung and other cancers.

AHS’ Banteay Srei program implemented an anti-tobacco youth campaign to raise awareness in the community and to advocate for policymakers to consider the harms of second-hand smoke. The main activity of the campaign was an art competition for youth ages 11-24 to increase awareness of the negative effects of tobacco through e-cigarettes, vaping, and secondhand smoke and to build capacity among local youth, and the greater Oakland Chinatown community, through social media campaigns.

Center for Pan Asian Community Services

CPACS is a private nonprofit whose mission is to promote self-sufficiency and equity for immigrants, refugees, and the underprivileged through comprehensive health and social services, capacity building, and advocacy. Founded on the belief that “people need people,” CPACS is the first, largest, and oldest organization in the Southeast to focus on issues and concerns of Asian Americans, especially women, children, and families with low incomes.

Center for Pan Asian Community Services (CPACS): Based in Atlanta, Georgia is a nonprofit organization established as the first and largest Asian and Pacific Islander health and human service agency in the Southeast region. CPACS has been providing comprehensive health and social services, capacity building, and advocacy to immigrant, refugee, and underprivileged families in GA since 1980 to promote self sufficiency and equity. CPACS staff and volunteers serve over 79,500 clients a year and provide language services in 17 different Asian and non Asian languages. CPACS has been involved with numerous tobacco prevention programs and education to Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders. They have provided culturally tailored technical assistance and trainings in efforts to advocate for a smoke-free Doraville, GA and Gwinnett County. Through advocacy and capacity building, CPACS was able to implement a comprehensive smoke free ordinance in the city of Doraville to reduce secondhand smoke in November 2020. CPACS was instrumental in getting the ordinance passed in Doraville, GA to prohibit smoking on all city owned properties and, in all city-owned structures, and bans any kind of smoking within 20-feet of the entrance to most public places and residential common areas. The organization is also working with the American Cancer Society to make short video clips of youth-led advocacy and engagement to ask for consideration of further tobacco free Gwinnett County policies from the City Commissioner. CPACS has also developed culturally relevant educational materials for distribution through community focus group input, community engagement, and coalition building.

Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community

Coalition For A Better Chinese American Community

CBCAC unites the resources of member organizations and individual members to empower Chinese American communities in Greater Chicago. As a coalition of member organizations and individuals, CBCAC carries out its mission through civic education, issue advocacy, communication with policymakers, and community mobilization.

Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community (CBCAC): Based in Chicago, Illinois and unites the resources of member organizations and individual members to empower Chinese American communities in Greater Chicago. CBCAC provides civic education and engagement, issue advocacy, youth engagement, community planning, neighborhood outreach, communication with policy makers, and community mobilization. The organization serves over 27,000 in the greater Chinatown community including Bridgeport, McKinley Park, Brighton Park, Douglas, and the South Loop. CBCAC builds upon efforts of Chinatown’s community organizations, family associations, business leaders, community residents, and elected officials and strengthens Chinatown’s role as the center of Chinese culture and community for the Chicago area through fostering a lively, safe, clean, and vibrant community and improving opportunities for education and career development for all Chinatown residents. CBCAC’s partnership allows the Chinese American community to better work with other AA communities in Chicago and support the community’s overall health through ongoing collaboration and sharing of best practices. CBCAC has worked to examine and mobilize support for tobacco control policy and cessation service initiatives at the community and local legislative policy levels. CBCAC has concentrated its efforts on systems change that promotes the Asian Smokers’ Quitline (ASQ) in Chicago and educating providers and community members about tobacco cessation and lung cancer through promotion of ASQ’s services. CBCAC has also worked to develop culturally and linguistically relevant tobacco control and cancer resources, infographics, and other materials to disseminate back to the community and to work towards ongoing tobacco policy change.

Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi

HMONO is dedicated to improving the wellness & well-being of Hawaiʻi island so that all residents can Live Longer & Feel Better, Together. HMONO is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Incorporated in 1991, they serve as the Native Hawaiian Health Care System for Hawaiʻi island, providing medical, behavioral health, and community education services with the sole objective of improving access to quality healthcare, education, and services for the people of Hawaiʻi County.

Hui Malama Ola Na Oiwi (HMONO): Based in Hilo, Hawaii is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of Hawaii island so that all residents can Live Longer & Feel Better, Together. HMONO serves as the Native Hawaiian Health Care System for Hawaii island and provides medical, behavioral health, and community education services with the sole objective of improving access to quality healthcare, education, and services for the people of Hawaii County. HMONO provides programs for cancer support, community wellness, diabetes management education, exercise and fitness, hypertension, immunization, nutrition, traditional Hawaiian healing, social services, and community development. HMONO has worked to integrate new programming into their health systems and protocols. HMONO worked to increase support for cancer prevention among Native Hawaiians and educated community members on the health dangers of tobacco and vaping. HMONO has developed and implemented their Cancer Kine Tings Project to Native Hawaiians. This cancer prevention project educates community members about cancer-causing toxins in daily household cleaning products and provides alternatives to products with toxic ingredients such as detergents and cleaners. HMONO also participated in a World Cancer Day Twitter Chat Toolkit on February 4, 2021 through an APPEAL sponsored event which focused on bringing awareness in a public forum using social media. For the 21st Annual Hui Malama Ola Na Oiwi “Ladies Night Out “Event September 24, 2021, our partner distributed 600 cancer home detox kits, 600 tobacco and vaping cessation brochures, and 600 breast self exam instruction kits to promote women’s health, wellness, and cancer prevention to community members. HMONO has collaborated with the Tobacco Free Hawaii coalition and the Hawaii Public Health Institute to create smaller working groups to focus on youth and community engagement, youth leadership, nicotine/tobacco treatment training and capacity building, and tobacco policy advocacy to increase community education and assistance. HMONO has shared information and resources to its partners to encourage community participation in policy changes and legislation through the Hawaiian Island County Council and Hawaii State Legislation through its Island wide Electronic Smoking Device (ESD) Awareness Campaign, support for a statewide bill to ban flavors and menthol in electronic cigarettes, and support for tobacco prevention education. HMONO also worked with the University of Hawaii Hilo School of Nursing and Papa Ola Lokahi health systems to create a vaping prevention comic book translated into multiple Pacific Islander languages for distribution. HMONO also presented on cancer equality among NH and PIs at APPEAL’s annual national cancer conference in September 2021.

Las Vegas Hawaiian Civic Club

Our club mission at LVHCC is to Practice and Perpetuate the traditions, beliefs, language and arts of the indigenous people of Hawai’i. Also, to focus on bringing health awareness to our events, that focuses on Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders’ various struggles with health issues.

Las Vegas Hawaiian Civic Club (LVHCC): Based in Las Vegas, Nevada is a part of the Mainland Council of Hawaiian Civic Clubs that promotes and perpetuates the traditional values, customs, language, and cultural expertise of Native Hawaiians. LVHCC promotes projects for the benefit of all with primary emphasis on the people of Hawaiian Ancestry or Hawaiian birth and assists in furthering their education with scholarship aid. LVHCC takes an active interest in the civic, economic, social, health and moral welfare of the community and the people of Hawaiian ancestry by providing a forum for the free discussion of issues in the public interest and programs beneficial to the Hawaiian community. LVHCC serves the community in the state of Nevada to encourage health wellness and overall well-being of Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. LVHCC provides linguistically/culturally relevant resources that address the dangers of tobacco within NH/PI communities. LVHCC works to build awareness within the local NV community, provides education on cancer prevention and disease disparities, and works towards ongoing tobacco policy change. LVHCC has created and distributed tobacco and cancer control materials and policy platforms at its sponsored festivals, events, and health fairs and participated in smoke free festivals. LVHCC has also provided resources and webinar content on smoking cessation, tobacco control, cancer prevention, covid education, and diabetes and obesity control. LVHCC worked along with Nevada State Policy and Nevada Institute for Children Research and Policy to collect disaggregated data on Native Hawaiian and LGBTQA + participants living in Southern Nevada and tobacco use. Since this data has been disaggregated and collected Southern Nevada and Partners such as LVHCC have been able to designate where they need to target resources, information to disseminate, and provide more guidance to those communities that need it. The Southern Nevada Department of Health and the DOH disseminated report findings to other partner organizations and communities requiring TAT for further data sharing to inform programming and policy interventions.

Light and Salt Association

LSA’s mission is to care for and provide services with compassion and knowledge to the needy and vulnerable, to promote healthy living, and to foster a sense of community responsibilities. The five centers serving as the framework for their services include Cancer Support Center, Special Needs Caring Center, Information Media Center, Basic Needs Assistance Center, and Community Outreach Center.

Light and Salt Association (LSA): Based in Houston, Texas is a nonprofit community based organization founded in 1997 with the mission of bringing together the manpower and resources of Houston’s Chinese community to provide care and services with compassion and knowledge to those in need. LSA promotes healthy living, fosters a sense of community responsibilities, and spiritually empowers everyone in the community to live to their fullest. LSA provides services for cancer support, special needs caring, information education and dissemination, social services and basic needs assistance, and community outreach and its activities include sponsoring educational and celebratory annual events for the community, organizing clothing drives, and providing disaster relief through mobilizing the Chinese community to raise relief funds for victims of Hurricane Katrina, the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan, China 2009 Taiwan Morak Typhoon, and the 2010 earthquake in Japan. LSA has extensive experience in promoting tobacco cessation policy and advancing cancer prevention through their strong cancer network support in the AA, NH, and PI communities in Houston, Tx. LSA has created an 8 person paid high school/college internship program for youth engagement and learning to build capacity for advocating for cancer prevention programs and tobacco control legislation and policy interventions as it relates to Asian American youth. Interns proposed and developed projects designed to increase awareness about the harmful uses of tobacco and vaping for the Asian American youth community. LSA has created a platform for Community-Based Organizations in TX to exchange and share resources regarding cancer prevention, screening, and survivorship support. LSA has worked with the American Cancer Society (ACS) in decreasing the age for men to get colorectal cancer screenings. Senate bill 1028 was passed and signed into law on June 2, 2021. The law ensures Texans can access affordable preventative colorectal cancer screening beginning at age 45 by eliminating cost-sharing for all preventative colorectal cancer screening tests for people 45 and older, even if they are performed as a follow up to a positive less invasive screening. This initiative reduces barriers to accessing cancer screening and care through advocating for legislation to establish clear and consistent guidelines regarding insurance payments for colorectal cancer screening. Dr. Furjen Deng from LSA was a speaker on a ACS sponsored policy forum about Equity in Clinical Trials: Winning the War on Cancer for All on November 9, 2021. Dr. Deng spoke about the challenges for AA to participate in clinical trials.

National Tongan American Society

NTAS is devoted to community development, improving knowledge on the importance of being civically engaged, and the improvement of health and education. To achieve their mission, they work with the community to provide information about various resources and in-house workshops to attract the public’s attention and raise funds to organize and host these programs.

National Tongan American Society (NTAS): Based in Salt Lake City, Utah and founded in 1994, is one of the longest running nonprofit organizations to advocate for and empower all Tongan Americans and other Pacific Islanders. NTAS works to strengthen the Pacific Islander family by promoting health, education, cultural preservation, and civic engagement. For over 25 years, the NTAS has created programs and referrals for the Tongan American and Pacific Islands community that promotes civic engagement, optimal health, youth development, education, the arts, and festivals that perpetuate Tongan and Pacific Island culture and values. NTAS hopes to empower members of communities to use their voices to advocate for themselves in the civic space, to mobilize, be heard and be fully included and represented in the political process and systems. NTAS has extensive experience with tobacco control and cessation programming and cancer health disparities work including screenings and prevention of cervical cancer and HPV and hepatitis B. NTAS has worked with the Utah Health Department to recruit women who are 40-65 years of age who have not had breast and cervical cancer screenings in over 2 years to receive free cervical and breast cancer screenings. For the past year, NTAS has referred over 200 women to receive these screenings. NTAS has also worked with a mobile health clinic bus to provide cancer education and screenings.

Asian Pacific Islander Coalition Advocating Together for Health

APICAT’s mission encompasses building healthy Asian American (AA), Native Hawaiian (NH), and Pacific Islander (PI) communities through leadership development, education, and advocacy, while advancing policy, systems, and environmental change to ensure equity and social justice.

Asian Pacific Islander Coalition Advocating Together for Health (APICAT): Based in Seattle, Washington is an organization that works to promote healthy Asian American (AA), Native Hawaiian (NH), and Pacific Islander (PI) communities. APICAT collaborates with community leaders from community based agencies and faith based organizations. They also work with youth and representatives from health clinics, state/county health departments, and research centers. APICAT builds community capacity through a number of activities including providing resources, leadership development training, and education to their partners and mobilizing communities to address health disparities issues. They support youth leadership and self-empowerment through involving youth in leadership and educational activities. APICAT educates their partners about all aspects of commercial tobacco, e-cigarettes/vapes, and cannabis, so that this knowledge is shared with others in their communities. These aspects include the harmful effects to smokers, harmful effects of second-hand smoking, cessation resources, media literacy, and current regulations. APICAT also provides education on healthy nutrition, active living, childhood obesity, and other health disparity issues to promote healthy populations and contribute to community wellness.

Families in Good Health

FIGH is a multilingual, multicultural health and social education program for the Southeast Asian, Latino, and other communities in Long Beach. Its mission is to help the community make informed choices and gain access needed health and social resources. As an outpatient services center, FIGH offers many services, including Best Babies Collaborative, Welcome Baby program, and Kellee Murchison-Bennett Love Your Heart program.

Families in Good Health (FIGH): Based in Long Beach, California is a Dignity Health Systems program based in Long Beach, CA, created as a platform for multilingual, multicultural health and social education for Los Angeles. As part of the Dignity Health network, Families in Good Health is dedicated to delivering high quality, compassionate care and access to Long Beach and nearby communities. Through its educational content, FIGH provides an avenue for sustained leadership development, a voice to youth, access to care and services, and a place for engaging the community to build healthy communities in Long Beach California. Through its outpatient services programs, FIGH assists with the set up of programming for physician and provider referrals, insurance and benefits enrollment, family planning and parenting, youth leadership development, mental health counseling, tailored community health education outreach, refugee services, tobacco prevention groups, and an adult coalition to assist communities in providing solutions to social issues and advocating for a healthier, safer city. FIGH created the Los Angeles Tobacco Prevention Network (LATPN) to advocate for smoke-free policies in their communities and to support a smoke-free ordinance in the state in order to eliminate the tobacco epidemic for all population groups. FIGH offers a mentorship program for at risk youth to develop future leaders. FIGH’s youth leadership program, created in 1995-1996, encourages adolescents to advocate for themselves and their communities. Through the Educated Men with Meaningful Messages (EM3) project, FIGH developed a coalition, advocacy, and health education program consisting of youth ages 14-19. The program provides culturally competent mentoring, career exploration, cultural activities, community engagement, leadership training, and healthy relationship workshops to underserved, at-risk, and multiethnic youth and allowed for youth to take part in civic change through education of city council and policy makers. FIGH’s Community Wellness Program (CWP) promotes wellness in the Long Beach Asian Pacific Islander Community by providing culturally and linguistically appropriate prevention and intervention services. FIGH also provides workshops on physical and mental health, refugee and trauma counseling, support groups, and wellness activities.

Network Map

Our network members include community-based organizations, community health centers, faith-based organizations, local and state health departments, researchers and academic institutions, tobacco control and food justice organizations, and community leaders and advocates.

ASPIRE Partners

ASPIRE Partners

Network Map

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