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In times of crisis, nonprofits step up to support communities. After the 2023 Monterey Park shooting and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the mental health nonprofit Pacific Asian Counseling Services (PACS) addressed new urgent needs while continuing to provide regular ongoing services. Unfortunately, government contracts and grant funding aren’t often structured to support this crisis response.

“In order to be more effective during a crisis, we need funders to allow much greater leeway and flexibility for how we spend our funds,” says Myron Dean Quon, Esq., CEO, PACS. This might look like flexible funding, general operating support, or designated emergency funding. Closer partnership with nonprofits would also help more funding dollars meet critical needs, Myron says.

In this conversation, Myron shares how PACS, as one the few community mental health nonprofit agencies in Los Angeles County, provides mental health and other supportive services to its Asian Americans and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. He delves into the unique challenges and opportunities, and highlights the need for more flexible funding and general operating support in everything from emergency response, to administrative tasks, to paying the power bill.

Joining him is Janelle Paule, Specialist, Marketing and Communications at NFF.

This conversation is part of the Where We Go From series, a collection of interviews where nonprofit and foundation leaders share advice on what brings them hope, how they respond to change, and what keeps them going. Interested in learning more? Visit [ Ссылка ].

In this video:
0:18 An introduction to PACS.
0:37 PACS’s approach to providing culturally sensitive mental health services to AAPI communities.
2:43 How PACS overcomes barriers to providing mental health services, both in California generally and in AAPI communities in particular.
4:25 Community leadership and education: PACS's role in responding to the 2023 Monterey Park shooting.
5:36 Flexible funding and general operating support: two tools funders can use to support organizations like PACS to rapidly respond to crises.
7:32 How flex funds could make a positive difference in PACS’s approach to addressing homelessness.
8:43 Partnership, flexibility, and support for administrative work: how can funders better support organizations like PACS.

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