OUR STORY 

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The Asian and Pacific Islander Task Force (https://wwwocapitaskforce.org/) was established in July 2020 by a group of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) community leaders and non-profit organizations. At the time, AA and NHPI coalitions including Meet & Eat (an informal monthly gathering of AA and NHPI community organizations, college and university departments) and LOVE (Love Our Vulnerable Elderly) were meeting to address the needs of AA and NHPI communities prior to and during the pandemic. The community groups saw the acute impacts of COVID-19 and anti-Asian violence on AA and NHPI communities, especially among older adults and service workers. In response, Korean Community Services and the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance organized a group of health and social service organizations to form the OC Asian and Pacific Islander Taskforce (APITF) to coordinate COVID-19 education, outreach, testing and vaccination efforts. 

In 2022, through the Orange County Health Care Agency’s Equity in OC Initiative (https://www.equityinoc.com/) and under the initial leadership of The Cambodian Family (TCF) and subsequently co-leadership with Vital Access Care Foundation (VACF) through the California Accountable Community for Health Initiative starting 2023 (https://www.cachi.org/), the APITF expanded to include 19 community-based organizations that serve Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and Middle Eastern and North African communities throughout Orange County. Four years after its founding, APITF continues to grow its network of participating organizations and community members. We aim to elevate community voices, engage multi-sector stakeholders, and create sustainable and transformational changes in Orange County, California.