What we do

The Kitsap Multicultural Assistance Center (KMAC) is a Kitsap County-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization which was started by April Borbon in 2004.  We are dedicated to helping immigrants in our community and the people/organizations that help them.  There are a multitude of organizations in our area that help immigrants.  We aim to be a bit different by acting as a clearinghouse for all information available to help new immigrants.  If you have a problem that no single agency seems to be able to address, give us a call!  We specialize in assisting immigrants with usual (and not so usual) problems.

Services

We offer a wide range of services at the KMAC.  Every day brings both new and different needs and new and different services which we add to our repertoire.  Basically we help with any need that an immigrant has and if we are unable to help, we will refer them to organizations in our community that can (ie: we do not offer medical services, however if a client has a medical issue we will refer them to the local hospital, health district, community health clinic, etc.).

Our Services Include:

• English as a Second Language (ESL) classes.  We offer these classes each day that our Center is open and we also refer clients to the Kitsap Literacy Council or Olympic College for more advanced ESL classes.
• Health and Nutrition classes.  We offer these classes each day that our center is open.  We touch on a wide range of topics including diabetes, exercise, domestic violence, alcoholism, stress reduction, and a number of other health-related topics.
• Lunch.  Thanks to grants from various community organizations, we are able to offer a simple lunch each day that our Center is open.
• Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) Intake.  We are very fortunate to have a DSHS intake worker at our Center on the days that we are open.  The worker provides information, intake, and help with DSHS applications in both English and Spanish.
• Referrals.  We refer clients to many social service agencies in our community which can provide more in-depth assistance with a wide range of problems.  These agencies include: the Kitsap County Health District, the Northwest Justice Project, the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Congressman Norm Dicks office, Peninsula Community Health Center, Kitsap Community Resources, the Salvation Army, local food banks, the Goodwill, Head Start, and many others.
• Assistance Filling Out Applications.  Time permitting, we are happy to help clients fill out applications when there are no other sources of help such as passport applications and simple immigration paperwork.  Applications and paperwork for services that are mandated to provide assistance such as schools and hospitals are referred back to the organization that is mandated to help them.
• Annual Events.  We participate annually in a number of community events including: the Latina Health Fair, Central Kitsap Kids Day, the Kitsap County Fair field trip, and community resource events (ie: Operation Connect).  We also host the annual IAC Health and Resource Fair each summer.
• Cultural Literacy Classes.  Explaining American culture to immigrants and immigrant culture to Americans is something we can do on an appointment basis.  Our basic class serves to open the doors to better understanding and better communication by explaining the idiosyncrasies of various cultures.
• Citizenship.  Although we are not lawyers, we provide assistance with filling out citizenship and other USCIS applications. We offer as-needed citizenship classes, and also offer referrals for more complex immigration issues.

Our More Unusual Services Include:

• Help students with scholarship applications, science fair projects, and applying for college.
• Answer calls for assistance from around the world.  To date we have provided information to callers from Iraq, Australia, the United Kingdom, Honduras, Mexico, and Japan.
• Help with domestic violence situations by referring clients to the YWCA's Alive Shelter and assisting with their intake if translation services are needed.
• Go to doctors appointments with clients to ensure their needs are met and they are able to communicate with their medical care provider.
• Help clients find jobs (filling out the application, preparing for the interview, and helping with resume writing, etc).
• Show and Tell.  To date we have taught clients how to use the bus, how to take the ferry to Seattle, how to bargain shop at thrift stores, how to use coupons when shopping, and where to find ethnic stores and restaurants in our community.

 

An anonymous donor has issued a challenge - they will match donations of $250.
Please help us meet the challenge.

Can't come to the fundraiser?
Will you help support the KMAC?

The KMAC depends on donations from people like you to keep our programs running and ensure that anyone who needs help in our community receives it.  Thank you for your generous donation!