ACRS eNews – July 2026
As summer unfolds, we are reminded that sustaining the work of care, community, and advocacy takes all of us. At ACRS, that work continues every day — through volunteers, programs, and community members who show up for one another. In this month’s eNews, we’re sharing a few ways ACRS is meeting this moment with resilience, compassion, and purpose.
Join ACRS, Chinese Information and Service Center, Interim CDA, Refugee Women’s Alliance, and Wing Luke Museum for the 14th annual A&NH/PI Primary Election Candidate Forum on Thursday, July 23.
This year’s forum will feature candidates for King County Council District 2, including Toshiko Grace Hasegawa, Miriam Mboya and Rebecca Saldaña. Come hear directly from the candidates, bring your questions, and learn how their priorities may impact Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities.
The forum will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Wing Luke Museum in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. You can register through the day of the event, but advance registration is encouraged to help organizers plan for food and interpretation needs. Online registration will guarantee a meal at the event.
Register at tinyurl.com/2026anhpiforum.ACRS’s Children’s Mental Health team continues to expand access to mental health education and early support for youth and the adults who care for them. In June, Director of Children’s Mental Health Bonnie Wang helped train about 90 Youth Mental Health First Aiders from Seattle Parks and Recreation and about 60 teen Mental Health First Aiders in grades 9–12 through ACRS’s partnership with the City of Seattle’s Department of Education and Early Learning.
The teen training helps young people recognize when a peer may be struggling, offer support, and connect them to trusted adults and resources. It is already making an impact: three youth have been referred to ACRS’s Children’s Mental Health team for services. A Mental Health First Aid training for ACRS staff is also scheduled for July 30, continuing this important work of building knowledge, confidence, and connection across the agency.
ACRS was one of three organizations selected for funding through a King County executive order, recognizing the strong work of ACRS’s Citizenship Program and the growing need for trusted, culturally responsive immigration support.
The funding will help ACRS continue providing services such as adjustment of status assistance, employment authorization applications, green card renewals, and related immigration support for community members navigating complex systems and uncertain times.
ACRS Aging and Adult Services Director Hazel Boado contributed to the Washington State Department of Health’s new
In-Home Services Roadmap, a resource created to help individuals, families, and care partners better understand and navigate in-home care options.The guide offers information on home care, home health, hospice, family caregiver support, respite care, hospital discharge planning, paying for care, and finding licensed providers in the community.
Once printed copies are available from the Department of Health, ACRS will receive copies to share with staff, clients, and community members who may find the roadmap helpful.
Congratulations to Katherine Hazara, ACRS’s Volunteer of the Month for June! Katherine has been a steady and supportive presence in the Club Bamboo Kitchen, recently completing more than 100 hours of service since 2025. Hardworking, positive, and efficient, she helps keep meal preparation running smoothly while bringing warmth and care to the space. We are grateful to have Katherine as part of the ACRS community and thank her for the time, energy, and heart she shares with us.
