CACF was founded in 1986 by a group of concerned social service providers about the City’s inability to serve the rapidly growing numbers of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) children and families. CACF was initially run as a volunteer operation, became incorporated in 1992, and hired its first executive director in 1995. Today, CACF is still the only organization of its kind as the nation’s only pan-Asian children and families’ advocacy organization bringing together community-based organizations as well as youth and community allies to fight for equity for AAPIs.

CACF is building a community too powerful to ignore. One where the challenges of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community are understood and addressed. They fight to ensure that the AAPI community has equitable access to education, healthcare, and supportive services they need to thrive. Their vision is that all New York City children and families are safe, healthy, and able to reach their full potential.

At CACF they are relentless fighters for equity. They smash the model minority myth and break the cycle of poverty in the AAPI community by: listening to the community and identifying their needs; uniting their diverse community and allies; fighting for equitable access to quality education, funding, and services; and training the next generation of leaders for their community. They build community to create a larger, more powerful voice that demands to be heard.