IACS
COMMUNITY CENTER
KENT WA
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IACS CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR THE KENT COMMUNITY CENTER
DONATE TO THE IACS CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
The Indian American Community Services (IACS) has started a capital campaign to raise funds for our community center in Kent WA.
Forty years in community service
As we celebrate our 40th anniversary in 2025, our community and IACS is looking forward to breaking ground on the renovation of the IACS Community Center in Kent, WA with the dream of opening a 24/7 safe space for community members for connecting under one umbrella regardless of religion, language, caste and class.
Creating a space that meets programming needs
In 2022, IACS following several listening sessions with the community for over two years, purchased a 22,000 sq ft building located in Kent, WA, of which 12,000 sq ft is leased to a third party, and 10,000sqft will be renovated to a community center hub for all ages and races. The project will be broken into twophases. The purchase was funded 100% from the IACS Community Capital Campaign funded by the community stakeholders.
Phase I
Will include a major renovation of the current building converting it from its previous retail use space to a community space that will include wellness and art studios, early learning/tutoring room, digital literacy lab, banquet room, athletic hall,space dedicated to counseling and legal clinics, a childcare space, a commercial kitchen for community to gather, celebrate and connect
Phase II
Entails adding a second story to the existing building, which will include a dedicated play area in the terrace for toddlers, terrace garden for seniors for horticulture, meeting rooms for behavioral health providers, legal clinics, youth gatherings and potentially transitional housing for families and individuals in crisis.
IACS having a dedicated community center will allow us to expand services ranging from cultural activities, wellness, resource and navigation support services where community has opportunity to connect with each other. These programs will address the basic and urgent needs of the community while also providing early learning, childcare, youth service learning, tutoring, digital literacy, vocational training, legal support for domestic violence, mental health counseling, support groups, women’s career services, seniors support, wellness programs, community meals, social emotional programming, small business assistance, townhalls and cross-cultural gatherings. Our wide range of programs will serve toddlers, youth, young adults, adults, families, women, small businesses, workers and communities at large. With workshop rooms, wellness studios, recreational space for youth and adults, early learning and digital literacy labs, mental health and legal clinic rooms, the new community center is expected to increase the number of people served by almost four time by year three of operations.
Proposed Design Features
The proposed plan is for the construction of a new building within the existing building’s footprint which will include the following features:
- Art Gallery
- Performing Arts Hall/Banquet Room/Youth Gathering Space
- Welcome Center/Desk
- Community Mural
- Guftagu Cafe
- Commercial Kitchen
- Wellness Studio
- Digital Literacy Lab
- Early Learning Lab
- Mental Health Counseling/Legal Clinics
- Community Garden
Our updated proposal reflects how a newly designed building can accommodate the interests of the tens of thousands of community members who engage in the cultural center’s activities each year by creating a new building that will replace the aging one which currently houses the cultural center.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - FAQs
What is the significance of the vision for the IACS Kent Community Center? Why Kent?
The IACS Community Center in Kent will allow us to provide much needed support services as well as offer a safe, inclusive space for community to connect 7 days a week.
IACS conducted a focused two-year feasibility study to understand community needs and IACS’s own growth plan.
Our study showed that there was a resounding ask from the community for a permanent space that is safe, inclusive, affordable and one that addresses basic, urgent and emergent needs for youth, new parents, families, small businesses, workers and seniors. Crisis survivors can reach out in times of need for not only support but also discover community connections.
While IACS operates pop up centers in East and North King County, we find that very often our youth and other programs run out of space during weekends, or experience limitations in the use of rental spaces. This points us back to this need for stable permanent space.
IACS conducted its due diligence in exploring locations based on access, cost and other important factors. Based on these factors, we selected Kent as a central and affordable location which is accessible to community members, service workers and our small businesses.
What is the IACS capital campaign?
IACS has purchased a physical space in Kent in 2022 to provide a safe, inclusive space for our community's seniors, families, youth and women who can now easily access all support services, and resources. This center will also provide opportunities for small businesses to access technical assistance, training and marketing opportunities. Very importantly, a stand alone dedicated space offers us more effectiveness with urgent crisis services like free legal clinics, mental health services, counseling, support groups, including emergency services like housing, rent, childcare and food assistance.
The space itself needs significant remodeling to begin the community center operations.
These improvements include:
- Community gathering space
- Early learning center
- Small business hub - technical assistance, e-commerce training, relief assistance
- Youth gathering space
- Therapy rooms
- Wellness Studio
- Offices for legal & mental health services
- Commercial kitchen, etc.
IACS Community Center Phase 1 improvement budget is expected to be around $9.5M. IACS has raised $6M of its capital budget and hopes to raise $3M from our funders and community donors in 2025-2026.
IACS plans to announce a bug shift in our Capital Campaign post Milan 2025.
Please Note: In order to donate or pledge towards specific spaces and naming rights or to customize your donation, please reach out to executivedirector@iaww.org
