KAPS And KAC Washington Merge!

The dust has finally settled from the holiday season. We have been working hard and pushing forward with our agenda for 2008. This year brings a monumental change for KAPS, which was officially announced at our KAPS Winter Ball on Dec. 28. For those who were unable to attend, I will go over the new changes with you.
Over the last few months, the board members have been discussing ways to grow our organization, and more specifically, improve our organizational structure so that we are more efficient and successful. As some of you may know, KAPS has been an affiliate of the Korean American Coalition (KAC), which is dedicated to unifying and empowering the Korean American community through voter registration, civic education and participation, leadership development and advocacy. It is also important to note that the Washington chapter of KAC first started out as the Korean American Voters Alliance.
A suggestion was presented to combine forces with the newly-formed KAC chapter of Washington, especially since many of our programs overlap and complement each other so well. After many long meetings and thoughtful consideration, a unanimous vote was passed by both the KAPS and KAC boards to merge as one organization. We are now officially called: Korean American Coalition Washington.
This merger has many valuable benefits that will allow us to have a greater impact on our community. A few key benefits worth mentioning are:
Combined resources. Anyone who has volunteered for a nonprofit organization understands just how much time and effort it takes to keep an organization running smoothly. Our membership will increase, but this will result in better turnouts at events and meetings, as well as produce a larger pool for selecting candidates for board positions or to serve on any of the various committees. With a larger voice, we can demand more from our sponsors, which ultimately improves the quality of our programs.
Combined website. The work we are putting into the KAPS website will have a broader impact and larger audience as a result of this merger. The KAPS website is well on its way to achieving this and having KAC as a part of it will only further the mutual goals of connecting and uniting the Korean American community in the Seattle Area and nationwide.
New blood. Unlike other KAC chapters which have members of all ages and generations, KACWA is primarily comprised of an older first-generation crowd. This limits KAC's exposure and networking capacity to some degree. With the merger, it is foreseeable that the mixture of age and generations will add an improved perspective to many of the issues faced by KACWA and KAPS.
I could go on, but instead, I encourage you to find out more firsthand by attending a KAC board meeting, held on the third Monday of every month at the KAC office at Campus Office Park, 1611 116th Ave. NE, Bellevue. We are looking for leaders to step up and participate in the development stages of the merger. This is your chance to learn about all the details and open positions.
If you have any questions please feel free to email us now at info@seattlekaps.org. Our updated contact info will be announced next month.
It's been a rewarding experience serving as KAPS president for the last two years. I'm very proud and excited about the new changes and I hope that you'll join us!