Service Outcome and Impact
Dear Friends,
We are delighted to share with you some of the major impacts and undertakings you have enabled in 2024. We are pleased that our advocacy, education, and service in the past year enjoyed significant growth and strengthening while our response to emerging needs in the community has been enhanced. Our response to the complex global humanitarian crisis has been sustained. Notable progress has also been made in major initiatives to increase BACI’s operational capacity and development.
The following are highlights of outcomes and major impacts in 2024.
In 2024 alone, we assisted 6,080 individuals with Citizenship and English language training, naturalization applications, and immigration and legal services, as well as provided support in gaining employment and training, in mentorship and scholarships, and in college and university admissions. This makes a total of over 30,000 individuals served since 2011. All programs are designed to improve the lives of the people and to help individuals and families become economically self-sufficient, productive, and contributing citizens in society.
Furthermore, the Upward College Program (UCP) for high school students continued to maintain 100% admissions in postsecondary institutions for the students who complete the BACI program. In addition, we helped over 50% of current college students previously enrolled in UCP receive scholarships. This past year also saw the college going rate among Burmese-American recent high school graduates increase to 94% from 43% in 2014.
In response to emerging needs and crises, this year, BACI has continued to serve refugees and immigrant populations from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Haiti and many other countries around the world. In collaboration with partners, and guided by our founding vision, BACI has become a vital community resource hub in Indiana, assisting these populations and other underserved populations with comprehensive services with creative approaches.
As one of the first 20 Private Sponsor Organizations (PSO) nationwide in the Welcome Corps, BACI was also officially approved by the U.S. Federal Government in 2024 as a new Reception and Placement Agency, thus becoming the third Refugee Resettlement Agency in the history of Indianapolis. Through this initiative, we have mobilized and supported over 3,000 individual everyday Americans and Hoosiers to sponsor refugees from around the world reflecting the Hoosiers hospitality and the American leadership.
BACI programs generated 23,788 Volunteer Hours in 2024 with a monetary value of $796,075.00.
Guided by our strategic plan 2021-2026, the Capital Campaign has made major progress towards our Community Center vision of CREATING A HOME FOR ALL and campus to serve the community in more impactful ways.
Moving forward, we will be strengthening, enhancing and expanding our programs and services while materializing the community center in phases through mutually beneficial collaborative partnerships. With renewed commitment, we hope you will continue to stand with us as we put all our effort towards helping newcomers and members of our shared community to become economically self-sufficient, integrated, and productive citizens of our global society.
A very Happy New Year 2025!
Burmese American Community Institute