Who we are

Who we are

   We are Kandelia!

Kandelia, previously known as VFA, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization. We provide direct programs, opportunities, and tools to address systemic inequities so immigrant and refugee families and communities can thrive without having to compromise values, heritage or ethnicity. Leveraging our convener model and years of experience rooted in the Vietnamese community, we center youth in our work—championing and building them up so they can be their full authentic selves.

Our story

Kandelia was born over 40 years ago as the Vietnamese Friendship Association. Our goal was to support Vietnamese refugees moving to Seattle after the Vietnam war as people were seeking to provide opportunities for their families to survive and ultimately succeed. Due to the resilience, support, and success of the Vietnamese community, over the years, we evolved to serve all immigrant and refugee communities looking for the same goals.

The Vietnamese Friendship Association (VFA) is now known as Kandelia. Our new name honors our Vietnamese heritage and reflects what our families and students have experienced. Kandelias are a type of mangrove found in Vietnam and many other Asian countries. This mangrove creates seedlings that when ready, drop into the water. Seedlings can be transported great distances and survive in this transient state for up to a year. When it finds its new home, the kandelia will change its shape to plant itself into the mud. Once rooted, it will access nutrients to support its growth. To survive, it can change the density of its roots to adapt to its environment, but if the plant finds that it is not thriving in its location, it can uproot itself and float to another environment that it can find success in.

Click here to hear our story.

How we make an impact

Reducing the systemic equality gap

Inequity needs to be confronted at both an individual and systemic level. Our direct services address the issue at an individual level; our engagement, advocacy and education bridge the divides at a systemic level.

Direct on-site services

We meet youth and families where they are by providing in-school/on-site youth and family support programs and services that are culturally responsive and holistically enriching.

Youth success and life-readiness

By centering youth we are working at the most effective entry point to building long-term success for immigrant and refugee families and communities. We help them recover, stabilize, and thrive. We support their families and reduce the load they carry as cultural brokers.

A society where all are equal and valued

Participation and contribution to culture and society significantly reduces negative bias for immigrants and refugees. We provide avenues to participation while celebrating culture, heritage and ethnicity, and take steps to support equality in society.

Convener model

Our landscape view and partnership model enables us to engage and convene strong and stable partner experts to meet youth and family needs in the most efficient and effective way.

Community centered fundraising

We are committed to a community centered, relationship-based fundraising model which amplifies the voices and power of the communities we serve, our supporters, and our neighbors.

40-plus years of experience

Rooted in our work and impact with the Vietnamese community, we now leverage our experience to build up all refugee and immigrant youth, families and communities.

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    The most important thing is that they love us like family. It doesn’t matter where we come from or
    who we are. They don’t see that. They treat us all incredibly well and they are great, unique people.

    Luis Madrazo

    Your support can make all the difference

    3829B S Edmunds St Box 9
    Seattle, WA 98118

    info@kandelia.org
    206-760-1573
    Tax ID: 911122532

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    From Kenya to Seattle: Patrick’s Journey and the Impact of Community

    We met Patrick when he was 16 years old and had just moved to Seattle from Kenya. After enrolling at Seattle World School (SWS), he got connected with Kandelia and started building a community for himself here in Seattle. Now, as a soon-to-be graduate of the University of Washington, Patrick shares his journey, the support that helped him along the way, and his plans to give back to the Seattle community that he loves.

    Patrick’s journey to Seattle began when his mother, who had come to the U.S. as a refugee in 2008, sponsored him to join her in 2014. Adjusting to life in a new country came with its challenges and moments of discovery. For Patrick, one of the first surprises was the bathrooms. He laughed, recalling his initial reaction: “This is so sustainable! You just flush, just like that! This is so easy!”

    Although Patrick arrived with a basic understanding of English, he noted that many people often spoke too fast. “I knew how to say ‘hi’, ‘how are you?’, but sometimes I would miss what people were saying because they were talking too fast. I would struggle with complex words.”

    Patrick was able to enroll at Seattle World School, a public school designed for newcomers, which helped him get adjusted to a new life here. Starting his US education at SWS meant Patrick was surrounded by other students like him who were newly arrived, and who were also learning English. It also meant he found Kandelia, where he became involved in every program that he could: soccer, homework help, field trips, and Saturday school, to name a few. Patrick shared, “For me that’s how I connected to the school when I was here, is through Kandelia. Kandelia brings the community. Sometimes it's very hard to feel that belonging, but with Kandelia you feel like there is a sense of community.”

    Patrick quickly grew to love Seattle. "Oh my god, Seattle is my favorite! I love the rain, people hate the rain, I love rain. I think all four seasons are beautiful." he shared with us. "Seattle is just unique," Patrick says. "It feels like home, because it’s the home I’ve known since coming to the U.S." Patrick is a soon-to-be graduate from the University of Washington with a degree in Community Environment and Planning, an urban planning program that aligns with his passion for community engagement. His goal is to work for the Department of Transportation or in a role that allows him to focus on improving the community. “I love giving back to the community, working for the community, and seeing how we can make progress in Seattle, how we can help each other” he says. Patrick is already deeply involved in his community and currently volunteers with Kandelia in our Food Access Program!

    Amidst all the new experiences in the U.S., Patrick has held on to his Kenyan roots. Christmas is especially meaningful to him and his family, who cook traditional Kenyan dishes during the holiday season. "We love Christmas!" he says, smiling at the thought of the foods that bring his family together. "We cook a lot of Kenyan food during that time of year, like chapati and mukimo."

    Patrick’s journey from Kenya to Seattle has helped shape his passions and goals. As he looks forward to his future in Seattle, he is eager to continue making a positive impact on the community that has embraced him.