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ISLAND LIAISON INC
Phoenix, AZ · EIN 471507140 · Form 990EZ · FY2022 · NTEE P20 · Human Services · Micro (<$100K) · www.islandliaison.org
revenue
$79K
expenses
$57K
net assets
$68K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

Island Liaison, Inc.'s mission is to serve as a resource for educational and cultural enrichment as well as health and government services locally to the Pacific Islander community in Arizona.

profile · synthesized from sources

Island Liaison Inc. is a nonprofit organization based in Arizona that supports Pacific Islander communities through education, cultural preservation, civic engagement, and access to health and social services. Founded in 2012 by Claudia Kaercher, the organization empowers youth, advocates for community needs, and provides resources to address disparities faced by Micronesian and Marshallese populations in the U.S.

named programs · 5 · from sources

what they call their work

APACE Academy
Summer leadership program at Arizona State University for high school students of Asian Pacific Islander descent, offering leadership training and college readiness education
Adoption Fraud Victim Support
Advocacy and humanitarian support for Marshallese women impacted by the Maricopa County assessor's illegal adoption scheme
Civic Engagement Program
Initiative promoting voter participation, census outreach, and community service among Pacific Islander residents
Community Support & Food Drives
Emergency assistance program providing food and support to Pacific Islander families affected by crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic
Empowerment Forum
Annual event for Pacific Islander youth and young adults focusing on civic engagement, college readiness, and financial literacy
activities · 5 groups

what they do

  • Youth Civic Leadership Development 4 activities
    • Youth Leadership and Educational Empowerment Programs
      Operates and supports the APACE Academy summer program, offering leadership training, educational empowerment, and cultural education for Asian Pacific high school students. This includes workshops on civic engagement, college readiness, and financial literacy for youth and young adults.
    • Youth Leadership and Educational Empowerment Programs
      Operates and supports the APACE Academy summer program, offering leadership training, educational empowerment, and cultural education for Asian Pacific high school students. This includes workshops on civic engagement, college readiness, and financial literacy for youth and young adults.
    • Youth Leadership and Empowerment Programs
      Operates and supports the APACE Academy summer program, offering leadership training and educational empowerment for Asian Pacific high school students. The organization also hosts forums and workshops for youth and adults focusing on civic engagement, college readiness, and financial literacy.
    • Youth Leadership and Empowerment Programs
      Operates and supports the APACE Academy summer program, offering leadership training, educational empowerment, and cultural education for Asian Pacific high school students, including visits to historical sites. Also hosts empowerment forums for youth and young adults focusing on civic engagement, college readiness, and financial literacy.
  • Youth Internship Placement 3 activities
    • Internship Programs
      Hosts students in internship programs across various academic disciplines, including Nonprofit Leadership and Management, Asian Pacific American Studies, Pre-Health, and Political Science.
    • Internship Programs
      Hosts students in internship programs across various academic disciplines such as Nonprofit Leadership and Management, Asian Pacific American Studies, Pre-Health, and Political Science.
    • Internship Programs
      Hosts students in internship programs across various academic disciplines, including Nonprofit Leadership and Management, Asian Pacific American Studies, Pre-Health, and Political Science.
  • Basic Needs Provision for Youth and Families 2 activities
    • Community Support and Aid
      Provides direct support to the community through initiatives such as delivering food to families affected by COVID-19, collecting school supplies for students in need, and assisting Marshallese women affected by adoption fraud.
    • Emergency Relief and Direct Assistance
      Provides direct assistance to community members in need, including delivering food to families affected by COVID-19, collecting school supplies for students, and assisting Marshallese women affected by the Arizona adoption fraud scheme.
  • Back-to-School Supplies Distribution 1 activity
    • School Supply Distribution
      Collects and distributes school supplies, filling over 250 backpacks for students in need.
  • Uncategorized 12 activities
    • Advocacy and Community Representation
      Participates in podcasts and other platforms to represent Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, raising awareness and advocating for their communities.
    • Advocacy and Representation
      Participates in media and community discussions to represent Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, such as appearing on the SPARK Podcast during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
    • Advocacy and Representation
      Participates in media engagements, such as podcasts, to represent Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders and raise awareness during events like Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
    • Civic Engagement and Education
      Provides resources and educational materials to increase community participation in civic processes, such as the 2020 Census.
    • Community Outreach and Resource Navigation
      Provides community outreach and Marshallese language interpretation services, helping Pacific Islanders in Arizona access essential health, educational, and government services. This includes providing census resources and educational videos to increase community participation.
    • Community Outreach and Service Navigation
      Provides community outreach and Marshallese language interpretation services, connecting Pacific Islanders in Arizona with essential health, educational, and government services. This includes providing census resources, educational videos, and direct assistance to families and individuals in need.
    • Community Outreach and Service Navigation
      Provides community outreach and Marshallese language interpretation services, connecting Pacific Islanders in Arizona with essential health, educational, and government services. This includes providing census resources, educational videos, and direct assistance to families and individuals in need.
    • Community Resource Navigation and Outreach
      Provides Pacific Islanders in Arizona with awareness of and access to available health, educational, and government services, including Marshallese language interpretation and community outreach.
    • Cultural Education and Preservation
      Offers cultural presentations and exhibits about Micronesia's culture and history to various audiences, including educational institutions, community groups, and corporations. This includes providing cultural exhibits like "Imagine Micronesian."
    • Cultural Presentations and Exhibits
      Provides cultural presentations and exhibits about Micronesia's culture and history to various audiences, including educational institutions, community groups, corporations, government entities, and festivals.
    • Cultural Preservation and Education
      Provides cultural presentations and exhibits about Micronesia's culture and history to various audiences, including educational institutions, community groups, corporations, government entities, and festivals.
    • Cultural Preservation and Education
      Provides cultural presentations and exhibits about Micronesia's culture and history to various audiences, including educational institutions, community groups, corporations, and festivals.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2022
revenue
Total revenue$79K
Contributions & grants$79K99%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$57K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$5K
balance sheet
Total assets$68K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$68K
2 years on record · 2021–2022 · YoY revenue +39.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2022

who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Miriam Aneo Director 2 $15K
Claudia Kaercher Executive Director 30 $11K
board members · 2
  • JakinDee Perez-Kosaka — Director
  • Joanne Rondilla — Director
relationships · 27

who they work with

  • APIA Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship Partner — Hosted the AAPI STRONG Legislative Conference attended by Island Liaison.
  • ASU Asian Pacific American Studies (APAS) program Partner — Provides community outreach to the program
  • Arizona Attorney General’s Office Government — Merci Hernandez serves as a Departmental Liaison with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, indicating an institutional connection.
  • Arizona Christian University Partner — Provides community outreach to the university
  • Arizona Secretary of State Government — Partnered with Arizona state election resources to provide voter information.
  • Arizona State University Partner — Collaborated on a summer program (ASIAN LEAD) for high school students.
  • Arizona State University Partner — Collaborated with Island Liaison on the formation and operation of the APACE Academy summer leadership program.
  • Arizona State University Partner — Multiple board members and staff are affiliated with ASU, including Xena Baza who works at the ASU College of Health Solutions and holds degrees from the university.
  • Asian Pacific Advocacy, Culture, and Education (APACE) Academy at ASU Partner — Provides community outreach to the academy
  • Asian Pacific Community in Action Partner — Collaborated to assist Marshallese women affected by the adoption fraud scheme.
  • City of Phoenix Diversity Program Partner — Requested a cultural presentation on Guam and Micronesia, which marked the beginning of Island Liaison’s activities.
  • Grand Canyon University Partner — Provides community outreach to their summer cultural program
  • Guam Visitors Bureau Partner — Provided assistance for the “Imagine Micronesia” presentation featuring cultural information on Guam, Saipan, and neighboring islands.
  • International Rescue Committee Partner — Collaborated to assist Marshallese women affected by the adoption fraud scheme.
  • Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) Arizona Chapter Partner — Engaged in community meetings with Island Liaison and Miss Marshall Islands.
  • Maricopa County Diversity Council Partner — Merci Hernandez was a former member, and the council was instrumental in initiating cultural presentations that led to the formation of Island Liaison.
  • Midwives Organization Partner — Collaborated to assist Marshallese women affected by the adoption fraud scheme.
  • Mountain Park Health Center Partner — Supported the 2019 Back-To-School & Sports Physicals Summer Program.
  • National ACE Partner — Recognized in association with Island Liaison's participation in the SPARK Podcast episode.
  • Pacific Island Knowledge 2 Action (PIK2AR) Partner — Co-participated with Island Liaison in the SPARK Podcast episode featuring Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.
  • Phoenix Asian Chamber of Commerce Partner — Engaged in community meetings with Island Liaison and Miss Marshall Islands.
  • Phoenix Chinese American Citizen Alliance Partner — Engaged in community meetings with Island Liaison and Miss Marshall Islands.
  • Phoenix Legal Action Network Partner — Collaborated to assist Marshallese women affected by the adoption fraud scheme.
  • SPARK Podcast Partner — Featured Island Liaison's president in its inaugural episode celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
  • Southwest Airlines Partner — Provided a cultural exhibit to Southwest Airlines
  • Walmart Partner — Hosted the SPARK Podcast episode through its National Director of Corporate Affairs Constituent Relations as moderator.
  • Xena Baza Partner — Board Secretary serving as contact for internship inquiries