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ACC has served the Sacramento community since the early 1970s. Long on vision and strong on planning, ACC has enjoyed tremendous growth decade after decade. Next year, ACC will celebrate its 50-year anniversary. But its work doesn’t stop there.

On August 18, 2020, ACC rolled out its 2021-2025 Strategic Plan at a virtual town hall meeting attended by approximately 80 ACC staff, members of the Board, volunteers, and key stakeholders. This was the culmination of a one-day strategic planning retreat held last year on August 17th and twelve  meetings of the ACC Executive Committee and Executive Management team since then. 

Attendees of the strategic planning retreat worked collaboratively to develop the four key goals and then the ACC Executive Team and the Executive Committee developed the action plan and guiding principles to achieve them. The ACC Board of Directors approved the 2021-2025 Strategic Plan at the August 31, 2020 Board meeting with the theme of Honoring the Past – Transforming for the Future.  The Goals are:

Goal #1: To be a premier provider of community and residential services focused on creating meaningful life experiences for older adults and their families 

Goal #2: To develop a business model that spurs program growth and charitable giving, while ensuring high levels of quality services and financial stability 

Goal #3: To be the preferred employer of an engaged workforce by supporting professional development and the collective contributions of our staff 

Goal #4: To cultivate an organization-wide culture where volunteers and staff work hand-in-hand to fulfill the vision and mission of ACC Senior Services 

The COVID-19 pandemic and the country’s racial issues played a role in developing these goals. They have broadened our view of health and safety and our responsibilities to the greater community. ACC will remain clear-eyed and proactive about handling these and other exigencies that will come our way.

The 2021-2025 Strategic Plan will be guided by the following principles:

• Emphasizing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Ensuring Financial Sustainability
• Reshaping Services & Programs with Technology
• Reimagining Volunteer Engagement
• Enhancing Social Interaction 

The Five-Year Strategic Plan lists specific strategies under each goal. These include:

• Creating a holistic environment at ACC where clients, residents, families, volunteers and staff have opportunities to nurture their body, mind, and spirit 
• Promoting ACC in the community as a thought leader and trusted expert on aging issues and best practices 
• Increasing transportation services to older adults living in ACC residential communities as well as those living at home 
• Developing a plan to remodel the Care Center and/or build an additional post-acute facility to maintain ACC’s viability and improve the level of resident privacy and self-direction 
• Evaluating the efficacy of ACC adding or collaborating on affordable housing options for seniors 
• Continuing to integrate services throughout ACC, eliminate siloed thinking, and promote teamwork across program lines 
• Developing a robust Intergenerational Program, engaging the local community throughout all ACC divisions to enhance community service and connectedness 
• Establishing a viable fundraising and endowment plan to sustain current programs and enable future growth of ACC 
• Expanding the Career Advancement Program (CAP) to include all employees and develop additional modules to meet employee development needs 
• Developing and scaling ACC’s unique “Community of Caring” brand throughout the community 
• Exploring and developing options to attract and retain high quality staff 
• Cultivating an ACC Core Value-driven workforce including both staff and volunteers. 
• Promoting communication, mutual understanding, and respect among staff and volunteers 

Each of these strategies (and there are many more) has an action plan and owners assigned to them. ACC’s Executive Management Team will report quarterly to the ACC Board of Directors on the progress of the strategies and action plans.  The Strategic Plan will be reviewed annually, adjustments made as needed, and shared with the ACC Community.   

Amidst all this, ACC is prepared to adapt to future changes in the marketplace. The number of older adults and their life expectancy will continue to rise, driving more demand for assisted-living, memory care, and in-home services. More social services and life-long learning programs will be needed too. 

The Strategic Plan also calls for developing a strong culture of philanthropy and business innovation. The Big Day of Giving held in May raised a record-breaking $160,000, a clear indicator that the community is passionate about what ACC does. Jean Shiomoto, our Board Chair, believes that the challenge in the next five years is to create more opportunities for philanthropic donations and creating endowments that will lead to  new, impactful programs for seniors.

ACC’s stature in the community has risen over five decades. People and other institutions will continue to seek ACC’s views on a range of healthcare and social issues, especially those that affect underserved seniors and people of color. Because of this, ACC needs to move in the direction of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are no longer just serving the Asian community.

ACC is already seeing a more diverse workforce and client base, but there is more work to be done. The transformation will continue in the next five years.

Greetings, Friends of ACC. I want to give $10 million dollars to help continue funding the important and wonderful activities of ACC!!!!!!  

I hope this introductory sentence caught your attention to continue reading!!!! Yes, wouldn’t it be great if it were possible to make this statement come true???  

The Finance Committee would probably have a great time trying to determine how to invest the funds in a manner that would continue sustaining the operations and to help create more opportunities to further the mission of the ACC organization.

My name is Norman Fong. I have been asked to write a short message on “why I have volunteered to donate my time, effort and financial resources” to the “Asian Community Center of Sacramento Valley, Inc.”  

For me, it is very simple.  When I think about it, most people are usually motivated in life by one of two things:  FEAR or REWARD!!!

In my case, the reward is in the giving monetarily, as well as in donating my time and effort freely for a great cause.

As a former ACC President and former Board of Director member, I do have another reason.  I feel I have a vested interest in this organization to continue the legacy and to honor the many Founders.  People such as Chewy Ito, William Fong, MD, Phil Hiroshima, Esq., and many others who were the pioneers and visionaries, deserve to have their legacy expanded forward.   

I believed in ACC’s overriding mission to help the elderly in our community.  As a former health and medical care professional, I felt ACC’s goals resonated well with my career.  So, it was really a no-brainer for me to become involved.  As well, the friendships and relationships that I have developed as a result of working and volunteering with people at ACC have been rewarding over the years.  I give credit to the many volunteers who have demonstrated leadership tenacity and expounding on their visionary insights.  A few names come to mind to whom I want to give credit for challenging me by their example.  Folks like Winston Ashizawa, Wayne Shimizu, William Yee, Frances Lee, the Imagires, and many others have proven to be, and continue to be, dedicated volunteers committed to ACC for the long-haul.  I give them much respect and many kudos for their life-long service to ACC.  

Finally, for me, most importantly, by being able to give back to the community, I find it very comforting that I am able to do what I can for ACC.  I do feel a sense of pride.  I feel grateful and thankful for the opportunity over the years, especially during my most productive years, to have been given the chance to volunteer in many ways.  Helping elderly people, especially contributing to their well-being in the later stages of life, has provided me with a great sense of accomplishment.  I have heard some folks say “why not just spend more time just enjoying life” instead of always volunteering. Perhaps for some people that may be the case.  I believe each person needs to determine and allocate their resources and volunteer time as appropriate to meet their personal situation, balancing work life, family life, and personal life. 

Some people find joy in being in a community with other like-minded folks volunteering for a great cause such as ACC. I guess I happen to be in that group!!!

By Darrick Lam, ACC President/CEO and Jean Shiomoto, ACC Chair of the Board

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the ACC Care Center has worked diligently to follow the evolving guidance from local, state, and federal resources in order to maintain the safety and health of our valued residents and staff. ACC maintains robust infection control practices, a universal masking requirement, daily symptom screenings, and strict personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements. ACC also implemented visitation restrictions in accordance with regulatory guidance to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

Unfortunately, with COVID-19 numbers surging in Sacramento County and throughout California, ACC Care Center had its first resident with COVID-19 positive results in July. Subsequent to this, multiple residents and staff members also tested positive. We notified our residents, their family members, responsible parties, and primary physicians. We also notified our staff members and made a public statement on the ACC website on July 24. The residents who tested positive were safely transferred out to the hospital for follow-up. The staff members self-isolated at home under guidance from county health officials. 

No new cases have been reported at the Care Center since August 18, 2020, but intensive testing continues per County healthy guidelines. Along with the rest of the nation, ACC’s fight against COVID-19 will extend well into the future. Rest assured, our procedures for prevention and handling the recent surge are as strong as ever thanks to the leadership of our Medical Director, Dr. Scott Stringer. In fact, ACC has appointed Dr. Stringer to also be the Medical Director for Assisted Living at ACC Maple Tree Village and ACC Greenhaven Terrace. Your moral support and donations have helped Dr. Stringer and his team fight this unseen, uncanny enemy.

In the midst of all this, ACC has experienced many uplifting moments. To show our appreciation to our valued volunteers ACC held a Volunteer Lunch Delivery Event in place of the Annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon that is normally held in May. We delivered 150 lunches to volunteers at their homes in mid-July. Thank you to all the staff and, yes, volunteers, who made ACC’s Volunteer Lunch Delivery Event a success. Read Volunteer Appreciation story.

On Friday, August 14, ACC Care Center resident Mrs. Chang Hou celebrated her 101st birthday. With the help of Activity Director Debbie Williams, her family made a “window visit,” standing outside in 102-degree heat to sing Happy Birthday, hold up a giant sign, and talk to their mom through the glass. Mrs. Hou, whom her daughter Emily Chapman describes as strong and feisty, was visibly moved, as were the family members and staff who were present. 

Another centenarian, Maple Tree Village (MTV) resident Minnie Iseri, turned 100 years old. MTV staff arranged for her to celebrate her birthday with family and friends online via Zoom on August 29th.  Family from across the country and from Japan shared in this special celebration for Minnie. Minnie was amazed we could “call” everyone like that and she could see everyone. Minnie was able to converse with her family from Japan too.  It was cute to hear one family member say they would take a small virtual slice of cake.  Don’t we all say that in person! Sacramento City Councilmember Rick Jennings even presented her a key to the city. Happy Birthday, Minnie! Read Minnie’s story.

The paradox of social distancing is that people are becoming closer. Their feelings for each other and their drive to connect have become more important as we change how we interact during the pandemic.  At ACC, we have seen the best of our core human values emerge as people find new ways to connect with each other.

This Fall, ACC Programs is launching an initial offering of online classes and events. Many seniors embrace this, but according to our recent survey, 48% of respondents were “not sure” if they would participate in a new online format.  We saw at the recent ACC telethon, a new level of energy and creativity is building around online programs among staff and volunteers alike. We also know that not everyone can connect online.  Stay tuned as we work on content, and learning and connectivity strategies. 

ACC was scheduled to roll out its Five-Year Strategic Plan before the pandemic changed everything. This plan was the result of a retreat we had in August 2019 attended by more than 60 ACC volunteers including Board and committee members. Since then, we have reset the timeline and adjusted some of our goals to reflect the new normal caused by COVID-19.

In closing, we want to thank the ACC Community for remaining diligent against COVID-19, helping those adversely affected, and remaining optimistic that we will emerge from the pandemic stronger and better.

The original definition of philanthropy is “love of humanity.” The word was coined over 2,500 years ago by the Greeks in the tale of Prometheus. The tale goes like this – the tyrannical king of the gods, Zeus, wanted to destroy the primitive humans. Enter protagonist, Prometheus, who empowered the humans by giving them the gifts of fire and blind hope (aka optimism). Fire was symbolic of knowledge, skills, technology, arts and science; together with optimism, humans could use fire constructively to improve their conditions. What Prometheus loved was the human potential and what they could become with fire and blind hope.

Today, Merriam-Webster defines philanthropy as “goodwill to fellow members of the human race” and “an act or gift done or made for humanitarian purposes.”  Some of the most well-known philanthropists are Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller; but many of us are also philanthropists (on a much smaller scale, of course).  It was, in fact, a group of individuals who embodied both the historical and modern definitions of the word philanthropy that created the concept of ACC.

Philanthropy has been a part of ACC from day one when the organization was established in 1972 through the volunteer efforts of local community leaders.  ACC’s flagship building, the ACC Care Center, a 99-bed skilled nursing facility, is the direct result of philanthropic efforts that included the first capital campaign and countless volunteer hours dedicated to weekly bingo sessions to raise the initial funds needed for construction.  From here, philanthropic efforts expanded to include recurring fundraising events such as the beloved Care Center Fundraiser, Golf Tournament, Craft & Bake Sale, and, more recently, the Big Day of Giving.

Along with the expansion of philanthropic efforts came the first hire to support fund development, a part-time student who was tasked with basic donor and gift entry and acknowledgement.  A Fund Development Officer and full time Fund Development Assistant were later added.  Today, we have a fantastic team that has a tremendous amount of respect for the history of ACC yet is very optimistic about the future.  ACC was fortunate to find Phong Luu, Donor Services Manager, who was hired in November 2019.  Phong, a recent Bay Area transplant, came to ACC with many years of experience working in fund development for large private foundations and nonprofit organizations.  Thyan Pham was initially hired as an Executive Assistant in March 2018 but is in the process of transitioning to Fund Development and has assumed the lead role in coordinating the quarterly newsletters and direct mail campaigns.  Angela Roberts, whom many of you already know, has been helping out due to the recent uptick in Meals on Wheels by ACC donations; and Nina Fong, On-Call Fund Development Aide, rounds out the department.

Phong regularly poses the question, “What does philanthropy mean to ACC?”  Tangible examples include having the newest technology at the ACC Care Center like the GeneXpert Xpress, a device that provides testing with results within 20 minutes for multiple viruses such as COVID-19, Flu, RSV and Strep; the 3M Bair Hugger temperature monitoring system; a computer lab at the ACC Campus; library at ACC Greenhaven Terrace; or one-of-a-kind artwork at ACC Maple Tree Village.  In recent months, philanthropy has enabled ACC to provide regular wellness checks via phone calls from volunteers and has included extra hours contributed by managers at the ACC Care Center during staff shortages in order to provide the highest level of service to our residents.

However, both the past and the future of philanthropy at ACC extends well beyond the handful of examples I just shared.  Philanthropy at ACC provides the means to offer enhanced services to our seniors that go above and beyond expectations.  This is the magic and foundation of ACC.

I’d like to invite you to read a new recurring section in ACC News, “Your Contributions at Work,” where the most recent philanthropic activity will be shared.  It only seems fitting that if we dedicate a portion to each newsletter in recognition of our donors, that we share how those proceeds are being used.

ACC is extremely fortunate to have the ongoing support of monetary donations and volunteer hours from individuals, families, and corporations.  It’s these contributions that will not only sustain, but help shape the future of ACC and its community of caring.

ACC Fund Development Committee

• Debi Llata, Co-chair
• Winston Ashizawa, Co-chair
• Evelyn Chin
• Jean Chong
• Norman Fong
• Lori Lee
• Mike Marando
• Sylvia Tang
• Helen Yee
• William Yee
• Jean Shiomoto (Ex-Officio)