The last fiscal year has been extremely gratifying because of the tremendous growth in NANAY's service activities and community outreach.

The first major funding of $50,000 that NANAY received from the Alliance for Aging for Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties (through the Older Americans Act) in January 2000, allowed us to provide counseling, transport and other supportive services to at least 171 seniors from different ethnic groups (96 Filipinos; 27 Caucasians; 22 Koreans; 16 Chinese; 7 African-Americans, 2 Hispanics, 1 Egyptian; 1 Haitian) by the end of the last fiscal year. NANAY uses its 15-seater transport van that regularly picks up elders who do not have any means of transportation. We have also extended our services into the second floor of the Asian Pacific American Community Center, and renovated the social hall with the help of our community supporters.

In July 2000, NANAY received a one-year transitional funding for $80,000 from the Miami-Dade Department of Human Services, which enabled us to provide companionship, chore, telephone reassurance, shopping assistance and escort services for the frail elders. In addition to our funded services (Counseling, Transport and Living Assistance), we also provided numerous hours of HEALTH SESSIONS, consisting of blood pressure checkup and blood glucose tests. Free medical consultation was given once a month for elders who had no health insurance.  Through their regular soft AEROBICS, stretching exercises, and/or yoga exercises, the elders were able to improve their breathing, relax and stretch their muscles, enhance their circulation, and increase their mobility. From their ARTS AND CRAFTS sessions, elders learned how to make flower arrangements, jewelry boxes, glass painting, ikebana, bonzai, origami, clothing and toilet accessories. RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES consisted of folk dancing and ballroom dancing lessons which encouraged the elders to showcase themselves through participation in local community events.

      OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES and FIELD TRIPS  were scheduled to decrease the elders’ feeling of isolation, and to enhance their knowledge about their surroundings and their community. This included an orange-picking field trip to the West Palm Beach farm of Dr George Lim and Precy Lim; tomatoes and sweet potato picking at Homestead farm, visit to the Historical Museum, trips to the movies, shopping malls, flea markets and swap shops.

At least 28 elders registered for our COMPUTER CLASSES to learn about the basic operation and use of the computer, accessing programs, sending out e-mails, and surfing websites. A number of them have already been provided with their own e-mail addresses. CONVERSATIONAL ENGLISH CLASSES were given to improve the communicative skills of the elders with language barrier, and allow them to better integrate themselves with the community.  NANAY’s initiative enabled an 82 year old Haitian immigrant residing in North Miami who could not read or write, and spoke only in Creole, to learn how to read and write the alphabet, count and write numbers, spell and write her name, answer simple greetings in English, and participate in aerobics, dancing exercises and health sessions.  Free LEGAL COUNSELING SESSIONS were periodically given to advise the elders against the loss of their basic civil rights, and issues related to immigration, health care, guardianship, abuse, neglect, and age discrimination. 

     The elders were encouraged to showcase themselves in the community through participation in community events. Last year, our elders participated in an Intergenerational Fashion Show at FIU Campus, Alliance for Aging Reception at Marriott Hotel, Alliance for Aging Senior’s Day at Aventura Mall, the Japanese World of Non-Profit Seminar at Airport Hilton Hotel, the Dimas Caraballo Piano Concert at University of Miami’s Gusman Hall, and the Himig Concert at North Miami Beach Center for Performing Arts.  They participated in the City of North Miami’s 2000 Thanksgiving Winternational Parade and waved at the street crowd as they rode on mint-conditioned 1930’s through 1950’s vintage cars. NANAY’s colorful float that portrayed our Vision of Tomorrow received the Most Colorful Float Award. NANAY also co-hosted the two-day Winternational Festival on that Thanksgiving weekend, in cooperation with the North Miami Jaycees.

    Our involvement with youth started in March 1999 when NANAY co-hosted a 3-day Southern Regional Convention of the National Federation of Filipino-American Associations (NaFFAA). In July 2000, NANAY presented an Intergenerational Fashion Show at FlU Graham Center, performed by NANAY’s elders and students from Florida International University and the University of Miami, and attended by more than 200 guests. NANAY also formally instituted our Grandparent Matching Program, an intergenerational mentorship and companionship service model, with sessions that encouraged elders and youth to get to know each other and have discussions about the family, friendship, love, marriage, goal setting, life’s values, stress and conflict resolution. By January 2001, the Grandparent Matching Program was integrated within NANAY’s Intergenerational Programs to expand young people’s scope of community services for senior citizens. These programs were nurtured by NANAY’s partnership with the Miami-Dade Public Schools, North Miami Senior High School, college student associations from University of Miami and Florida International University, Norland Middle School, and individual teenagers with the spirit of volunteerism and community service

        In January, 2001, students from University of Miami joined NANAY elders and performed a cultural dance during the Barrio Fiesta Celebration at the University of Miami grounds. They again did an intergenerational Hawaiian dance presentation during the "Island Styles" performance at the Aloha Hui Concert that was held at University of Miami’s Gusman Hall, in front of approximately 150 guests. In February and March 2001, NANAY’s team of youth volunteers from North Miami Senior High School sorted out more than 1,000 books solicited and donated by Andrea Macatangay, one of our youth; these were in turn were donated to URGENT, Inc., a nonprofit group that serves economically disadvantaged youth in Miami Dade. NANAY’s involvement with the Tobacco-Free Miami-Dade Community Partnership gave an opportunity for our intergenerational group members to express their sentiments about the consequences of smoking. On April 11, 2001, NANAY hosted one of the partnership’s monthly meetings at the Asian Pacific American Community Center where North Miami Senior High School students gave a presentation on the pros and cons of smoking. On May 1, 2000, student volunteers from ASPIRA, North Miami Senior High and Johnson and Wales University joined NANAY at the VIP & Press Cocktail that was sponsored by NANAY to promote the May 6 Asian Caribbean Festival in North Miami. Students joined NANAY elders in their impromptu dancing and singing spree on the festival’s main stage. On the morning of the same day, NANAY’s Intergenerational Choir made up of 20 elders and 20 students from Norland Middle School, had their debut performance during the Seniors’ Mentor Luncheon at Radisson Hotel, sponsored by Miami Dade Public Schools and Humana. NANAY’s Intergenerational Choir again performed on May 23, 2001, during the Biographies and Portraits Recognition Ceremony at Miami-Dade Historical Museum, sponsored by Miami-Dade Public School.

    To date, a total of 198 youth have already participated in our program. Our youth volunteers from North Miami Senior High School, guided by our Intergenerational Program Director Rose Marie del Rosario, are now coordinating an Intergenerational Leadership Forum scheduled on August 31 2001, to promote meaningful interaction and create bonds across diverse generational, racial, ethnic and linguistic groups.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

NANAY’s outreach extends far beyond social services. For example, our Asian Pacific American Community Center was designated as an official Census 2000 Informational and Recruitment Center, and as an official site for the "Get Out The Vote" and Voter Education Seminars last year. Through our periodic workshops (Immigration and Voters Education, Census updates), elders were made aware of civic and legislative issues that could affect them. Our informational website (http://www.nanay.com) was set up in late September 2000, and has already been accessed by more than 23,000 visitors.   NANAY is now expanding its website to add linkages with a broader information system that is of interest to immigrant families and communities.

        In January 2001, NANAY received a $40,000 funding from the Dade Community Foundation through Miamians Working Together. Through this initiative, NANAY led and established the Asian Pacific American community partnership, comprised of the Philippine American Federation of South Florida, the Organization of Chinese Americans-South Florida Chapter, the Korean-American Community Relations Council, the Thai-American Association of South Florida, the Chinese Cultural Foundation, Japan American Society of Florida and Ismaili Muslim community that meet periodically to discuss various projects that are designed to address the common issues that face our community. Each of the program partners have agreed to host a one-day community forum, where the cultural heritage of their respective countries will be showcased to the community, and social-civic issues pertaining to their own local community are discussed in order to foster a greater understanding of our intercultural differences, and present solutions to problems that are common to our community, particularly among elders and youth.

NANAY’s first community partnership project consisted of an Informational Session and Technical Assistance Program for economically deprived Asian American high school students who wished to avail of the Gates Millenium Scholarship. This workshop was held on January 14. 2001, in partnership with the Washington-based National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA). More than fifty youth, parents and community leaders participated in the workshop. 

On February 16, 2001, NANAY, together with its Asian Pacific American community partners, had a special meeting with Civic Rights Commissioner Yvonne Lee to discuss the community's concerns on issues affecting Asian Americans. The topics discussed included Citizenship, Immigration, Education, Language, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Voting irregularities during the November 2000 election.

On March 10, 2001, the Asian Pacific Community Leadership Training was held in partnership with the Washington-based National Asian Pacific American Labor Consortium (NAPALC) and the Los Angeles-based Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc. (LEAP). This was attended by more than 40 community leaders who discussed the various issues on cultural values and leadership, and who participated in strategic media and communications workshop, with the main focus on promoting the Asian Pacific Heritage Festival which was scheduled for May.

On April 11, 2001, NANAY coordinated the Debate Team from the North Miami Seniors High School, made up mostly of Asian and American Youth, who discussed the issues on Anti-Tobacco Drive.

On April 14, 2001, a Hate Crime Workshop was co-sponsored by the Organization of Chinese Americans, one of our community partners, and hosted at NANAY’s Asian Pacific American Community Center. More than 40 Asian American leaders were joined by the State Attorney’s office, legal attorneys and law enforcement officers.

During the week of April 22-28, a 30-minute special program at the "Asian American Focus", a public television program of WLRN Cable TAP, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, featured and promoted the NANAY-sponsored Asian-Caribbean Heritage Festival. NANAY and its partner organizations held a Press Cocktail at North Miami's Museum of Contemporary Arts on May 1, 2001. NANAY extended its community networking, not only to the Asian Pacific Americans but also to the Caribbean community, during the celebration of the First Asian Caribbean Heritage Festival on May 6, 2001, which was held at Griffing Park in North Miami to promote Asian and Caribbean culture during the month of May, which has been officially designated by the U.S. Congress as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

As part of the Miamians Working Together program, we partnered with the Philippine American Federation of Florida when we hosted our first Community Forum at NANAY Center on June 23, 2001 and discussed issues about youth, work, business and community, together with the different leaders of the Asian American community. NANAY also helped set up the Philippine Cultural Exhibit, and helped coordinate the Philippine Cultural Show that was held on the same day, attended by more than 100 guests. It was during this performance that John Stokesberry, who had recently retired from his position as Executive Director of the Alliance for Aging in Miami Dade and Monroe Counties (our first major funder), honored and validated our services by announcing his intention to join NANAY’s Governing Board. He is now the Chairman of NANAY's Governing Board.

Our partnerships with local, countywide, regional and national organizations have grown tremendously in the past year. The following is a partial list of NANAY’s community partners with whom we have had different levels of working relationship last year: Alzheimer’s Association, American Cancer Society, Banal na Pag-aaral, Chinese Cultural Foundation, Asian American Federation of Florida, Cleveland Clinic-Florida, Congresswoman Carrie P. Meek, Dinggin, Florida Department of Health, Florida Legal Services, Florida International University, Greater North Miami Chamber of Commerce, Linda Lentin Elementary School, Miami-Dade Asian Advisory Board, Miami-Dade Community College, Miami-Dade Community Relations Board, Miami-Dade County Office of the Mayor, Miami-Dade Department of Human Services, Miami-Dade Public Schools (Region II, Intergenerational Programs Office, and the Office of Workforce Development Education), National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium, National Conference of Community and Justice, Norland Middle School, North Miami City Council, North Miami Foundation for Senior Citizens, North Miami Jaycees, North Miami Police Department, North Miami Senior High School, Philippine American Federation of South Florida, Philippine Nurses’ Association, Southeastern Equity Center, U.S. Department of Justice (Region IV, Community Relations Service), and University of Miami.

NANAY’s activities have sparked the interest of other community leaders who expressed their desire to expand our services to the north.  In December 20, 2000, civic-minded leaders in Little Rock, Arkansas received their official Incorporation Papers for the new NANAY, Inc- Arkansas Chapter. On March 24, 2001, NANAY-Broward Center in Pompano Beach, Florida was inaugurated, under the auspices of committed community leaders. Registered elders from the NANAY-Broward Chapter joined the NANAY-Miami elders and performed during NANAY’s Mother’s Day Event on May 12, 2001, that was attended by more than 250 guests. The NANAY-San Francisco Bay Area Chapter also celebrated Mother’s Day Event on the same evening in California, where "Alay Kay Nanay" (Ode to Mother) essays written by youth were published and read.

The belief in NANAY’s integrity, organizational experience and capacity is further evidenced by our continued support from the government. Beginning in July 2001, NANAY will receive additional 3-year funding from the Miami-Dade County Department of Human Services to support its Community-Based Adaptation and Socialization Program for Immigrants and New Entrants, Specialized Transport Services, and Center-Based Care and Socialization Program for the Elders.  NANAY also joined SERVICE LEADERSHIP FLORIDA with Miami-Dade Community College, Miami-Dade Public Schools, Alliance for Aging, NCCJ, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Welfare to Work/Bizlink, and Regis House for the purpose of building effective community partnerships in Florida and utilizing community service as a strategy to create change.

All these wonderful things could not have happened without the generous support of retired Broward County Judge John Gaudiosi and health entrepreneur Ric Garcia who were instrumental in our acquisition of the NANAY building in North Miami, and without Lulu Mendoza who helped us acquire the transport van. We are fully indebted to Alliance for Aging for Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, who gave us the first funding break and allowed us to develop our full potential as a community service provider. But the real success of our organization hinges on our partnership with the community. The strong commitment of our staff members and volunteers, as well as the continued support from our donors and contributors played a major role in making all these good things happen. The honor and the pride of providing valuable service to our community truly belong to all our wonderful staff, volunteers and contributors who shared in our vision of improving the lives of our elders and youth.

In the course of successfully accomplishing NANAY's collaborative projects, we anticipate that there will be an even greater desire to broaden the scope of our programs, services and activities that will enrich the overall well-being and wellness of our youth and elders. We envision our intergenerational approach to serve as a practical model by which young people will see the elders as productive members of society, and we hope that our programs will prepare the youth to become community-oriented adults capable of taking over the projects we have started.

I encourage everyone to share with us the joy of service, and the satisfaction of knowing that we have made, and continue to make a difference in people’s lives. NANAY provides everyone with an opportunity to participate and contribute something of value to people and projects that we all care about. I invite you to join us in the wonderful work that we are doing, and help us create a legacy that we can leave behind for our family and our community.

Together, we can move mountains.

Joy Bruce - President, NANAY Inc.

August 15, 2001

STAFF

Bennie Trinidad, Administrator; Teresa Liu, Administrative Assistant; Rose Marie del Rosario, Intergenerational Program Director; Sony Trinidad, Director of Services; Pol Capina, Transport Service

VOLUNTEERS

Mariliz Anima, Tony Abiera, Nini Balauat, Vanessa Barcelona, Franlie Bautista, Novette Bautista, Wilma Bautista, Diana Benitez, Aisha Bhandarkar, Jessie Blancada, Badette Bryant, Neil Calocoban, Perry Camagong, Vicky Cambia, Carmen Cefre, Julius Cesar, Daisy Ciocon, Dr. Jerry Ciocon, Suzette Clemente-Woodward, Cherry Coleto, Thelma Darato, Harold Dioquino, Greg Esposito, Charing Estoque, Ryan Faldas, Falun Gong members, Bening Forneste, Nena Forte, Jean Francisco, Gary Freedman, Judge John Gaudiosi (ret.), Denise Gomez, Pearl Gordon, Mike Gozon, Pilar Hacha, Sonia Hanopol, Joey Hipolito, Helen Kranzel, Tom Kranzel, Andy Juan, Betty Juan, Henry Lantion, Lila Lee, Yolanda Lester, Edita Limpioso, Felisa Litz, Nilo Lobrio, Leslie Lowe, Erlinda Magbag, Nimrod Marayan, Gigi Moneda, Marilou Morris, Annie Nanowsky, Lily Orticio, Yi Ling Pan, Ted Ravelo, Nida Recabo, Nelson Sagnip, Stephanie Santos, Tessie Santos, Pol Segui, Frances Simpao, Barry Snyder, Winnie Tang, Rosemarie Topacio, Ernie Yu, Mike Upright, Bennie Valde, Bing Valde, Sol Valencia, Dolores Villamar, Fran Vincent, Gigi Walsh, Marvin Weinstein, Sang Whang, Nida Winnett

YOUTH VOLUNTEERS

Aubrey Cermak, Raffia Bazaria, Henry Bolanos, Theresa Bright, Azumi Camarena, Julian Castin, Enide Cetoute, Eduardo Chile, Luz Cruz, Maria Consuelo Cuevas, Brian Cui, Michael Cuquejo, Sarah David, Doleste Dingcong, Leticia Flores, Cynthia de Oliveira, Julie Ghenassia, Andrea Gonzalez, Darlyns Gonzalez, Elizabeth Gonzalez, Tatiana Gonzalez, Shirley Gozon, Pricilla Goulari, Shelitia Gowie, Bianca Hernandez, Vikram Jagadish, Nicolle Faith Limpioso, Nelson Lopez, Linda Ly, Samantha Lo, Allen Lok, Theresa Maramag, Leilani Mariano, Nastia Miranda, Alvin Muller, Jackie Muller, Phuc Nguyen, Daryl Nuncio, Melissa Ortega, Michael Paez, Vanessa Panganiban, Nikki An Parras, James Pascual, Kelly Pearson, Tony Pith, Triannis Polanco, Bernadette Ragaza, Jamie Ravelo, Joann Ravelo, Rosie Rivera, Erica Rosario, Michael Smith, Q Ton, Maira Elena Torres, Huy Trinh, Nam Trinh, Kary Urra, Jennifer Valdez, Angel Velazquez, ,Tamy Veya, Latoya Vickers, Jimmy Walker, Jason Williams, Lee Williams, Mike Williams