ARP Support for Survivors Program

Laal joins over 40 community organizations serving Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Survivors in $13.2 million American Rescue Plan Initiative

ARP Support for Survivors Program supports culturally-specific, community-based projects supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault from Asian and Pacific Islander Communities in the United States and the Pacific.

Laal will be joining over 40 organizations, both nationally and locally, in an effort to provide culturally-specific, community-based support for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault from Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities across the U.S. and Pacific. The $13.2 million dollar initiative from the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) under the 2021 American Rescue Plan (ARP) will be the first time API-GBV will be distributing two years of funding to culturally specific organizations that serve sexual assault (SA) and domestic violence (DV) survivors in AAPI communities.

Under the ARP Support for Survivors Program, sub-grants will be distributed through the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Capacity Building Fund to assist organizations like Laal by providing DV and SA services in Asian/Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander (AANHPI), and Middle Eastern (ME) communities in the United States and U.S. territories.

At Laal, we are thrilled to be part of this collaborative effort that will undoubtedly advance our initiatives and create a profound impact on the lives of survivors. Together, we can foster healing and resilience, ensuring that survivors receive the comprehensive support they deserve. This collective endeavor signifies our unwavering commitment to championing social change and building a safer and more inclusive future for all. Laal has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Bangladeshi nonprofit organization to secure federal funding.

The ARP Support for Survivors Program will address the emergent needs of survivors and the programs that serve them, resulting from the COVID-19 public health emergency. The work will also promote strategic partnership development and collaboration in responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency on survivors of SA and DV.

“API-GBV is honored and proud to welcome organizations like Laal who are at the forefront of sexual assault and domestic violence work amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It is essential to have this kind of funding distributed to communities with organizations deeply rooted in their environmental and cultural awareness and expertise in supporting survivors,” said Monica Khant, Executive Director of API-GBV. “The AAPI community is often left out of the public narrative on sexual assault and domestic violence and through this important work we will have the opportunity to support organizations who directly support survivors in our communities.”

The organization was selected by a committee of peer reviewers with extensive experience in the domestic violence and sexual assault fields, and working in AANHPI and ME communities in the U.S. Funding provided under the ARP Support for Survivors grant will advance Laal's initiatives, including our Mental Health workshops and peer support groups, the Reproductive Justice Initiative Program, and Workforce Development. Notably, the program will offer comprehensive staff training and support. Recognizing the importance of the well-being of our staff, we have established a dedicated wellness fund to ensure their care, as they are the first responders in our organization.

Laal is among 15 organizations serving Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities and 14 organizations serving Middle Eastern communities, including projects focused on prevention, culturally specific services for Queer and Trans survivors, virtual services and data security, culturally rooted practices in healing and resiliency, and engaging men and youth. For a complete list of grantees, visit this link.

Laal provides resources Bengali womxn need to live healthy, engaged, joyful lives.

For more information, visit our website www.laalnyc.org