Millions of people struggling to pay for food, housing, and healthcare are eligible for assistance but don’t know it or are deterred by the complicated enrollment process – this is especially true for many people across the City of Philadelphia.
The Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition (SEAMAAC) has more than three decades of experience supporting, serving, and advocating for immigrants, refugees, and other politically, socially, and economically marginalized communities in the Greater Philadelphia region. Philadelphia is home to over 26,000 low-income Asian Americans and SEAMAAC serves as a trusted resource for many who have been alienated from health and social services benefits due to language and cultural barriers, offering a variety of programs from English as a Second Language (ESL) to public benefits and health insurance education.
SEAMAAC members age 60+ can now receive in-person application assistance for a comprehensive suite of federal, state, and local benefits, tax credits, and services for which they are eligible through the PACE Application Center, operated by Benefits Data Trust (BDT) on behalf of the PA Department of Aging.
“SEAMAAC is excited to partner with BDT to improve the economic security of the families we serve,” said Thoai Nguyen, SEAMAAC’s CEO. “BDT’s proprietary Community PRISM software provides us with innovative technology that is connecting immigrants and refugee elders and their families to vital community resources.”
Removing language barriers and providing benefit education and enrollment assistance at a trusted community-based organization will help hundreds of people maintain economic stability, age in place, and adhere to their prescriptions.
Transforming Benefits Access
Transforming Benefits Access