ASAFSF is a registered, non-profit, community-based, volunteer organization.
To increase awareness of domestic violence and provide supportservices to victims of domestic violence in the South Asian community in Arizona. To emphasize the importance of a safe family environment ASAFSF Activity Log. Arizona South Asians For Safe Families (ASAFSF): a 501 (C) (3) organization was established in October, 2004. Currently, ASAFSF is run by a team of committed and trained volunteers.
Some of our services include:
• Support: A toll-free and secure Helpline in operation since November 2006 has received more than 400 calls on the toll-free line from survivors, local shelters, prosecutors’ offices and DV organizations, both in-state and outside. Every new call brings follow-up calls and requests for referrals. ASAFSF has handled more than 1675 service-related queries via e-mails since August 2006. This is only a very low estimate of the requests we handle because many requests for service are not via the Helpline or e-mails; we communicate in a variety of ways, keeping in mind that electronic communication is not always secure. On average, we are concurrently serving 4 survivors and their families.
• Direct Services: Includes financial assistance for child care, rent, lawyers’ fees, transportation, emergent personal needs. Our family advocates accompany and support victims and their dependent children to courts, medical appointments, lawyer appointments and much more. Victim abuse ranges from mental, verbal, & financial abuse to severe physical abuse. Confidentiality has to be maintained for victims’ and advocates’ safety.
• Training: ASAFSF organizes general and culture-specific and legal advocacy training for members and volunteers. Direct Service providers must have DV 101-40 hours training. Modified training is available for volunteers in non-direct service areas.
• Parenting Support Team assists victims of abuse to readjust to positive parenting.
• Community Outreach: Major community outreach events are held each year. Chai Chat (Tea with ASAFSF) is a community driven grassroots outreach project since 2007. It focuses on small groups hosted by community members. Conferences, panel discussions, etc. are a few of our other activities.
ASAFSF relies on partnerships with community members and organizations for support of its programs and activities.
• Alliances & partnerships: Local: Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence (AZCADV), Asian Pacific Community in Action (APCA), National Advocacy and Training Network (NATN), Community Information and Referral (CIR), Community Legal Services (CLS), Family Advocacy Center (FAC), Refugee
DV Committee. National: Asian & Pacific Islanders Institute on Domestic Violence (APIIDV), CA; Legal Momentum, DC; Maitri, CA; Manavi Inc., NJ; Narika, CA; South Asian Network, CA. ASAFSF is on the National listserv of Asian, South Asian, and national Domestic Violence related organizations.
• Financial Support and Spnsorships: Contributions from community members in and out-of-state, grants and sponsorships fom Arathi Foundation for Arts, Arizona Women’s Partnership (AZWP), Indo-US Foundation, Lincoln GIVES Community grant, Rajasthani Association of Phoenix, and Valley India Times.
ASAFSF needs increased funding and volunteers to support the above programs. Please donate generously, so we may better serve the community. Your donation might be 100% tax deductible; please check with a tax consultant. Thank you.