SOCIAL SERVICES

KCSC provides comprehensive social services to low-to-moderate income individuals and families to promote self-sufficiency and be contributing community members. In order for the clients to access appropriate services, bi-lingual staff members assist them every step of the process from gathering required information, to filing applications and following up. KCSC provides comprehensive social services five days a week at our main office in Annandale, VA and at our branch office in Gaithersburg, Silver Spring, and Ellicott City, MD. The following services are provided:

• Social Security Benefits
  -Retirement  (SSA)
  -Spouse
  -Survivor
  -Disability
  -Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Medicare
  -Original Medicare (Part A & B)
  -Advantage Plan (Part C)
  -Prescription Plan (Part D) and Extra Help
• Medical Assistance for adults and children
  – Medicaid, QMB, SLMB & MCHP/FAMIS, Affordable Care Act insurance plans (Obamacare) 
• SNAP/FSP (Food Stamps)
• Property Tax Credits
• Energy & Rental Assistance Program
• Public Clinic Utilization and Medical Expenses
• Government Subsidized Low-Income Family & Senior Apartments 
• Mortgage Modification Referral (MD only)
• Information and Referral Services

Contact: Daehyeon Choi, 703-354-6345 (X117) 

KCSC is funded by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) to serve eligible Medicare beneficiaries, which include 65+ seniors and adults, aged 21-64, who are living with disabilities. Eligibility is based on the individual’s income and resource guidelines. This program’s goal is to help Medicare beneficiaries enroll into at least one of five “core benefits”, including: Medicare Part D Extra Help (Low Income Subsidy – LIS); Medicare Savings Programs (MSP); Medicaid; SNAP; and/or LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program).

For this program, KCSC has partnered with the Chinese Culture and Community Service Center (CCACC) and the Association for Vietnamese Americans (AVA) enabling KCSC’s BEC to serve and provide bilingual and bicultural services to Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese Medicare beneficiaries.

Contact: Daehyeon Choi, 703-354-6345 (X117)

Since 2016, the National Council on Aging (NCOA) has funded Korean Community Service Center (KCSC) and its subcontractors, Chinese Culture and Community Service Center, Inc. (CCACC) and the Association for Vietnamese Americans (AVA), to educate the Asian community about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). KCSC, CCACC, and AVA provide culturally/linguistically appropriate outreach and assistance to enroll/renew SNAP applications for Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese beneficiaries. The Senior SNAP Enrollment Initiative specifically focuses on eligible seniors, aged 60+, residing in the Metropolitan Washington DC area including: Montgomery County and Prince George’s County in MD, Washington DC, and Fairfax County, Arlington County, Prince William County, Loudoun County, and the independent cities of Alexandria, Fairfax City, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas City Park in VA.

For those who are eligible, the rates of SNAP participation in the Metro DC are relatively low, ranging from 37.8% for VA (coming in 28th place among all US states) to 40.3% for MD residents (coming in at 19th place among all US states). For households that fall below 200% of FPL, Maryland has the nation’s 8th highest food insecurity rate among those who are 60+ (18.69%). While hard data is quite difficult to aggregate, anecdotally, we know that the SNAP participation rates among the Asian population are even lower as a result of cultural and linguistic barriers and the stigma associated with using SNAP.

Many elderly Asians are isolated and lack access to benefits such as SNAP. A lack of awareness of available services and resources, limited English proficiency, and significant cultural barriers cause many immigrants to underutilize crucial public benefits for which they are eligible. Misinformation about eligibility criteria, privacy concerns, and insecurities about immigration status are also major obstacles to accessing SNAP.

KCSC’s Senior SNAP service provides ongoing critically needed community outreach and education to counter misinformation and help those who are in need and eligible to enroll in SNAP and reduce their food insecurity.

KCSC provides housing counseling services through our First Time Homebuyers Program. The goal is to help clients understand the steps needed to purchase a house successfully. Services include educational seminars, as well as one-on-one counseling, budget/financial analysis, housing analysis, discussion of alternatives, development of an action plan, and follow-up.  The service is free of charge for residents in Northern Virginia area, including Fairfax County, Arlington County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, and the City of Alexandria.

 

Contact : Ingook Park, 703-354-6345 (X123) 

KCSC’s Job Readiness Project is designed for Asian American job seekers who wish to increase their job readiness skills and know-how to equip them for employment in the metro DC area and help them plan for a US-based career.

KCSC’s Job Readiness Project helps participants improve their skills prior to (and after) employment. Services include career seminars, job preparation workshops, individual job counseling, and job readiness English classes and computer classes.

• Career Seminars: Human resource managers or experienced professionals in specific fields share valuable information and their experiences about their respective workplaces. The seminar will include an overview of company, information about the availability of entry level positions, application process, salaries and benefits, and opportunities for career advancement. KCSC works with companies such as Wegmans, METRO, FCPS-Transportation, US Foods and others.
• Job Preparation Workshops: Experienced trainers share tips and advice on cover letter/résumé development, work-place etiquette, and prepare for job interviews. Mock interviews are available, as needed.
• Individual Job Counseling: KCSC’s employment coordinators provide job seekers with customized and practical job search/ application assistance based on personal preferences, skills, and qualifications.
• Job Readiness English Classes: Professional English instructors tailor curriculum around the vocabulary and grammar needed to write effective résumés and covers, prepare for job interviews, and communicate with supervisor and co-workers. Lessons also focus on gaining insight into the standards and mores of the American workplace and learning the practical English needed for a job interview. (6-week program, Annandale location only)
• Job Readiness Computer Classes: Experienced computer instructors cover use of Microsoft Office Suite, including MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Participants also become familiar with how to conduct job search using the internet, learn advanced email skills, and understand how to use cloud-based services such as the Google Drive. Classes are conducted in English. (6-week program, Annandale location only)

KCSC also cooperates with the SkillSource One-Stop Employment Center in Virginia and Worksource Montgomery in Maryland. KCSC assist to initial screening to job seekers and refer to Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) program for job training opportunities. KCSC’s Job-readiness project is funded by Fairfax County’s Consolidated Community Funding Pool (CCFP) in Virginia and through Montgomery County funding in Maryland.

Contact: Jae Won Yang, 703-354-6345 (X112)