Fil-Am among AARP Community Hero Award winners

WASHINGTON, DC — AARP announced the winners of its 2nd Asian American and Pacific Islander Community Hero Awards for the hardworking staff and volunteers of non-profit organizations serving Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders age 50-plus.

Three AARP Asian American and Pacific Islander Community Hero Award winners and their organizations will each receive a $1,000 cash prize. Among the winners are a Filipino American:

Linda Mayo, Founder and President Emeritus, Pan-American Concerned Citizens Action League (PACCAL), Jersey City, New Jersey

Linda Mayo has served the local Filipino & Asian American community for more than 30 years. In 1992, Mayo found PACCAL, the first organization in Jersey City to address the health and human service needs of Filipinos and other Asians with a focus on senior citizen and veterans’ programs.

It holds the distinction of being the only Asian Provider Agency recognized by the Hudson County Dept. of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Office on Aging. PACCAL is a multi-service organization that organizes social and recreational activities for seniors, assists seniors and veterans apply successfully for affordable housing, coordinates citizenship and voter registrations, helps victims of domestic violence, and holds education, art and cultural workshops.

Dilafroz Nargis Ahmed, Desi Senior Center Director, India Home, Glen Oaks, New York

Dilafroz Nargis Ahmed has helped new immigrants in the Bangladeshi community in Queens, New York for three decades. At Desi senior center India Home, Ahmed works to improve the quality of life of vulnerable South Asian seniors in a culturally appropriate environment.

Since 2014, Ahmed has strived to make India Home a comfortable place for immigrant seniors to come together, adjust to living in a new country, and build community. Ahmed also helps Bangladeshi older adults access services and find jobs.

Shongchai Hang, Outreach Worker, South East Asian Mutual Assistance Associations Coalition, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Shongchai Hang has been dedicated to serving Southeast Asian refugee and immigrant elders for more than 30 years. For the past 11 years, Hang has worked as SEAMAAC’s Lao Outreach Worker to help diverse low-income communities in Philadelphia. At weekly Elders Gatherings, he plays an integral role in building bridges between elders from diverse communities.

He helps community members to see their own leadership potential, by recruiting and supporting Lao elders to serve on SEAMAAC’s Elders Council. Hang also helps seniors apply for social services and navigate the health care system. Hang’s ability to speak Lao, Hmong, Thai, and English allows him to serve diverse groups of seniors.

“Congratulations to Dilafroz, Shongchai and Linda for their exemplary contributions and dedication to our seniors,” said Daphne Kwok, AARP Vice President of Multicultural Leadership, Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience Strategy.

“They are unsung heroes who every day are improving the lives of seniors and their families. AARP commends all of our 2017 Heroes and all of those who were nominated for inspiring each and every one of us.”

AARP received submissions from around the country including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, and Washington, DC. The stellar nominees included executive directors, staff, and volunteers who work in healthcare, housing, social services, education, and media. Ten finalists were selected by AARP, and the winners were chosen by AARP AAPI Facebook visitors.