Communities around the world have long and deep traditions of supporting individuals, families, organizations, neighborhoods and communities. Zakãt is the Islamic practice of charitable giving based on communal responsibility for the poor. Giri is the Japanese sense of obligation to support those who are less fortunate. It’s a huei in Chinese, tong-tine in Cambodian, hui in Vietnamese, geh in Korean—any way you name it, it’s a Giving Circle, where everyday people like you come together in living rooms, church basements or even the local bar to pool money together and then use it to empower others.
Our National Giving Circle Network has supported over 500 diverse issues and causes, which include:
- Supporting AAPI youths, ages 13-21, who identify as LGBTQ in Washington DC;
- Empowering victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse in the Hmong community in Milwaukee;
- Confronting the prejudice that arose towards Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian communities after 9/11 through the medium of theater in New York City
For more information about the projects and organizations that our National Giving Circle Network have supported, contact us at alex[at]aapip.org