NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN TASK FORCE CHAIR GRACE LEE AND ASSEMBLYMEMBER NILY ROZIC PRESENT $589,061 TO SOUTH ASIAN COMMUNITY IN QUEENS

(By our staff reporter) New York — Recently, the New York State Assembly Asian Pacific American (APA) Task Force Chair Assemblymember Grace Lee and Assemblymember Nily Rozic announced $589,061 in state funding for the South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS), a leading South Asian American community organization in Queens. This award is a part of a historic $30 million investment in Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) New Yorkers in the FY 2025-26 State Budget, secured for the third consecutive year by the APA Task Force. "The APA Task Force has worked tirelessly to ensure that the state budget prioritizes Asian American communities that have historically been overlooked. I am proud to have led the effort to secure this year's historic $30 million investment for Asian American organizations, which includes this crucial grant for SACSS," said Assemblymember Grace Lee, Chair of the APA Task Force.

"This funding is vital and will directly support SACSS's trusted work as a leading institution empowering South Asian and immigrant New Yorkers in Queens." “SACSS has been a lifeline for countless families in Queens, especially those navigating food insecurity, language barriers, and limited access to essential services,” said Assemblywoman Nily Rozic. “This investment ensures they can continue meeting the needs of South Asian and immigrant communities with dignity and care. I’m proud to support SACSS’s integral mission and the communities they uplift every day.” The South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS) is a community-based nonprofit that serves more than 300,000 underserved New Yorkers each year. Its mission is to empower South Asians and other immigrant communities. Founded in 2000 to address the significant barriers New York City’s rapidly growing South Asian population faced in accessing social services, SACSS has since become a trusted institution for more than one million New Yorkers. The organization opened the city’s first South Asian food pantry in 2016 and, in 2021, launched a new community center in the heart of Flushing, Queens. "SACSS is truly grateful to the New York Assembly APA Task Force and Assembly Member Grace Lee for continuing to advocate for Asian communities and for organizations such as ours that provide critical services such as healthcare access, food security, senior services, mental health programs, connection to benefits and workforce development initiatives,” said Sudha Acharya, Executive Director of SACSS.

“Special thanks to Assembly Member Nily Rozic for her long standing support and unwavering commitment to SACSS and for always being there for us. This grant will strengthen SACSS' programs and ensure a healthier and stronger future for the communities we serve."