SIPA to Temporarily Suspend Public Events and Community Services Through End of April

UPDATED AS OF 4/1 RE: SEARCH TO INVOLVE PILIPINO AMERICANS RESPONSE TO COVID-19

To Our Valued Community:

As concern and uncertainty continues around the COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus, we want to assure you that our main priority is, has always been, and will continue to be, the well-being and safety of the greater Fil-Am community and the Historic Filipinotown district that we serve. As we continue to monitor the news and latest developments throughout our neighborhood, city, state, nation, and motherland abroad, our thoughts and prayers are with all of those who have been afflicted with the virus. We ask our community for help in keeping themselves safe at home in adherence to local, state and national government recommendations and restrictions.

Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) will continue its temporary suspension of public events and community services through April 30. The list of suspended services, activities and events include:

• Weekly Seniors Program, Services & Food Distribution (held Fridays)

• Palms Up Academy Workshop Series and Recess Open Mic events (held Mondays and Wednesdays)

• Asian Pacific Islander Small Business Program meeting (monthly in-person meetings)

• Quarterly Pinay Empowerment Brunch

• El Centro Loretto After School Program

Also due to travel restrictions and the size and scope of the event, SIPA’s Benefit Gala originally planned for Wednesday, April 29, in Downtown L.A., will be rescheduled to a later date in the year. More to come on the timing and details of our non-profit organization’s most important and largest fundraiser of the year.

Several of SIPA’s individualized services will continue online and/or by phone, uninterrupted. These include: Small Business Counseling, Parenting Classes, and Gang Reduction & Youth Development (GRYD) Case Management for Youth. Outreach Counseling will continue on a case-by-case basis. More information about these services is available by contacting our staff at 1-213-382-1819.

We invite you to join our online efforts to help those in need of support during the pandemic – small businesses, families, and folks on the frontlines of this pandemic: our first responders, hospital and medical professionals, essential workers, and more:

• SIPA Letters of Love – Download free cards and card templates here: bit.ly/sipalove and send your personalized notes of encouragement and gratitude. Completed cards can be posted on social media or emailed to hello@sipacares.org – SIPA staff will help to distribute accordingly

• SIPA Resource Guide – Available at bit.ly/sipahelps, this online resource database provides beneficial information and tips for the community at large, especially those in need of shelter, food, health and senior services, economic development, and more in the greater Los Angeles area. Contributions welcome!

The SIPA Board of Directors and its staff will continue to work remotely on behalf of the community we serve, while practicing social distancing, and remind you to do the same. We wish you the best of health and safety, and we will continue to provide updates as we have news about our growth and expansion to share in the coming weeks and months. If you would like to help the Fil-Am community and support SIPA’s ongoing efforts in Historic Filipinotown, please visit https://sipacares.org and click on “Donate” to kindly make a gift in any amount. Every gift is greatly appreciated and will go towards our continued work. We thank you tremendously and wish you well.

Ingat and Maraming Salamat,

Lyle M. del Mundo President, SIPA Board of Directors

JD/LD:jdm