Our Mission & Values
Our Mission & Values
Mission
We remove barriers to opportunities so immigrant and refugee communities can flourish without compromising values, heritage or ethnicity.
History
Kandelia, formerly known as the Vietnamese Friendship Association (VFA), was launched in the 1970s to support Vietnamese immigrants and refugees by responding to short-term resettlement needs. Over the years, we expanded to meet the needs of all immigrant and refugee communities by focusing on youth development, education and whole family support in order to help our communities thrive. Today, we provide direct programs, opportunities, and tools to address systemic inequities so that immigrant and refugee families can flourish without having to compromise their values, heritage or ethnicity.
Values
Inclusion
- We embrace diversity and believe all people have value and the right to belong.
- We are committed to active listening and being open to questioning our assumptions in order to include a diverse set of voices and viewpoints.
Heart
- We measure our success, not by the boxes we tick, but by the real difference we make in people’s lives. And we have fun along the way.
- We act with care, empathy, and kindness for each other and those we work with
Equity
- We believe in just and fair inclusion, working toward all people reaching their full potential.
- We identify inequities and take responsibility for addressing them.
Relationships
- We build strong connections with each other, our partners, communities and the people we serve.
- We act in the spirit of collaboration and understanding to break down barriers and work together for the common good.
Excellence
- We strive to be the best we can be in all we do, while being vigilant in knowing that each individual is also responsible for the success of the whole.
- We apply discipline, organization and professionalism to our daily work together.
testimonial
“I was 13 years old… English, I knew just the basics like ask somebody’s name. When I was here I had an opportunity to communicate with other people and they push me to speak in English. Now I think that I have 4 years and my English is growing everyday.“
–Juan Carlos Vasquez
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
programs
Stories from our Community
Read about the folks in our community who have shared their stories and experiences with us.
Patrick's Story
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.
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