Message from our President

 

Welcome to the website of the Japanese American Association of New York, Inc. ("JAA").

It is my honor and privilege to greet everyone, and I wish all of you a safe, healthy and peaceful year. It is also my honor to serve as the new president of the Japanese American Association of New York.

 

JAA was founded 100 years ago to provide support to new Japanese arrivals in New York City. Over the years, our focus has shifted with the changing Japanese and Japanese American population, but our mission has remained the same -to serve the needs of our community. Today, the community is predominantly Japanese born.

 

We provide a wide range of services that include Social Services programs (twice a month luncheons, lunch deliveries and free legal and medical consultation), Apple Kids (workshops and events for newly arrived families with young children), scholarship awards for high school and college graduates, arts and cultural events, and the Committee on Aging Issues. We provide networking opportunities for entrepreneurs and sponsor fun events such as activities for Business Women's Committee, the Foreign Minister Baseball League and the Annual Golf Tournament. We are also actively involved with the worldwide community by raising funds for disaster relief and always seek opportunities to work with the Japanese international community.

 

Today, we live in difficult times with conflicts occurring in many areas worldwide, including Asia. At JAA, we seek to cooperate and work with our counterparts in the community such as other Japanese-based non profits, the Consulate General of Japan in New York, and the Japanese business community, all of which have given JAA tremendous support and encouragement. Continuing the initiatives of Ms. Susan J. Onuma, JAA will work with these entities to better address our community's needs. Perhaps in this small way, we can improve our corner of the world.

 

As we enter the next century, JAA encourages all of you to join our efforts. We plan to hold events and lecture series that are targeted at retirees, young entrepreneurs, established business owners and corporate managers and, of course, our future -the under 30 crowd as well as under 40. Please visit us at our office on 15 West 44th Street as well as our website at www.jaany.org . We hope you will be inspired to participate and give your time and energy.