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LOS ANGELES, January 24, 2019 – Today Keiro announced the recipients of its 2018 Grants Program cycle, awarding a total of nearly $250,000 in funds to support 30 nonprofit organizations in combatting social isolation among Japanese American and Japanese older adults and caregivers in Southern California. The focus of Keiro’s Grants program this year is on projects that help reduce and prevent social isolation, a growing health epidemic across the U.S.

Social isolation impacts more than 8 million older adults nationwide, and its health effects can be as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

“Keiro is proud to be able to support many organizations who are playing an active role in the community to address and prevent social isolation, ensuring that older adults in our community can age well wherever they call home,” said Lynn Miyamoto, Keiro Board Chair. “At the same time we appreciate the opportunity to be able to learn what needs are out there and how we can collaborate with community partners to solve this pressing issue in the aging field.”

The Keiro Grants Program funds qualified non-profit, community-based organizations that serve the Japanese American and Japanese older adult population, specifically supporting projects that focus on social isolation and create a positive impact on the quality of life for our community. The grant proposals were evaluated by an independent review committee comprised of 9 members of the Japanese American and Japanese community with experience in business and non-profits. After much in-depth review based on criteria outlined in the Keiro Grants Program guidelines, the committee’s recommendations were presented to the Keiro Board of Directors for approval.

“As a new member of the Keiro Grants Review Committee, I was pleased by the number of applications from churches, temples, senior groups, and non-profit organizations from Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura counties that are doing grassroots work in support of those individuals and families coping with social isolation,” says Chris Komai, a member of the Keiro Grants Review Committee. “Some of the programs are quite innovative and I am hoping the Keiro Grants Program will encourage others to think creatively in dealing with this serious issue in our greater Japanese American and Japanese community.”

For more information on the Keiro Grants Program, please visit our website here

To read about Grants Highlights, where we share all the impact the organizations have made in Our Community, visit here

GRANT RECIPIENTS FOR KEIRO’S GRANTS PROGRAM 2018 CYCLE:

American Society of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivors

Centenary United Methodist Church

Cerritos Baptist Church

Christ Episcopal Church

Continuing Education for the Nikkei Widowed

East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center

First Presbyterian Church Altadena

Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute

Grateful Crane Ensemble

Japanese American Christian Chapel

Little Tokyo Nutrition Services

Long Beach Pioneer Project/Long Beach Japanese Cultural Center

Los Angeles Holiness Church

Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple

Los Angeles Men’s Glee Club

Mission Valley Free Methodist Church

Newport Beach Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple

Nikkei Choral Federation of Southern California

Okinawa Association of America

Orange County Buddhist Church

Orange County Friendship Choir

Orange County Japanese American Association

Pasadena Nikkei Seniors

San Fernando Valley Hongwanji Buddhist Temple

Seinan Senior Citizens’ Club

Union Church of Los Angeles

Venice Japanese Community Center

Visual Communications Media

West Covina Christian Church

Zenshuji Soto Mission

Independent Grants Review Committee Members:

Lance Hama

Ken Hayashi

Chris Komai

Hiroko Murakami

NJ Nakamura

Mark Oune

Julie Senaga

Ron Takasugi

Michelle Yamashiro


About Keiro

Keiro is a mission-driven organization engaged in improving the quality of life for older adults and their caregivers in the Japanese American and Japanese community of Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura counties. Keiro delivers a wide range of resources to address the challenges and barriers that aging presents: isolation, limited financial resources, complex health conditions, and cognitive and memory disabilities. Keiro also partners with companies and organizations that can expand its services and ability to reach seniors and caregivers, and participates in research and innovative work where Keiro can contribute to advancing progress in resolving the challenges of aging. Keiro is based in Los Angeles. For more information, visit keiro.org.