OIRA Victim Compensation Fund
The Korean Community Service Center has received funding from the City of Seattle’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs to support individuals and families of victims who have experienced race or identity-based harm.
The program is available to any individual or family who lived, works or goes to school in the City of Seattle and/or the incident took place in Seattle in 2020 or later.
KCSC will review all applications and will provide assistance to individuals and families until December 31, 2024 or until the funds are depleted.
(See official blog of the OIRA below)
This one-time fund was established in response to the increase in hate crimes and targeted violence in immigrant communities, including those directly impacting Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities; incidents such as physical assault, home-invasions, robberies, and muggings.
During listening sessions in 2023 with AAPI- serving community organizations, participants amplified the need for resources to directly support the families and individuals with the financial toll of these violent incidents. These occurrences of violence have spiked since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020 and these communities often have fewer financial and social resources to recover from the devastation of violence or identity-based harm. The unforeseen costs related to these incidents are extra burdensome for these often extreme to individuals and their families, and they further exacerbate the physical and emotional pain caused.
In April 2024, the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) ran a public Request for Proposals Process. Korean Community Service Center was awarded the one-time $150,000 Victim Compensation Fund and is implementing the cash assistance fund to eligible applicants.
If you or someone in your family has experienced an incident of hate or identity-based crime, please get in touch with KCSC to apply.
Eligibility requirements for Victim Compensation Fund
For victims of hate crime or identity targeted violence:
· Immigrant or refugee or is the impacted family member of such a victim
· Low-income individuals/families (80% Area Median Income)
· Live, work, or go to school in the City of Seattle, or the incident took place in Seattle
· Incident occurred in 2020 or later
Impacted family members are defined as:
· Siblings
· Parents
· Legal guardians
· Caregivers
· Spouses or domestic partners
· Other family members who are part of a multi-generational household
Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to:
· Medical, counseling related expenses
· Funeral/ burial
· Relocation/housing support
· Loss of wages
· Property damage
· Safety (purchase of items such as additional door locks, bars on windows)