PRNS is proud to serve seniors from all walks of life — no matter their race and ethnicity, age, gender identity, income, ability, or culture. The City of San José is home to a vibrant Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community within a diverse population of older adults, many who rely on PRNS programs and services like the Senior Nutrition Program.

Following a recent string of xenophobic attacks, older Asian community members in the Bay Area are advised to stay alert and take precautions to stay safe. Below are resources* developed by AAPI community partners and agencies:

• Report an act of violence: Here is a tool developed by the Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council, Chinese for Affirmative Action, and SFSU’s Asian American Studies Department, to report acts of violence against AAPI communities at:
  • stopaapihate.org/safety-tips-english/
  • Site is also available in other Asian languages, such as Chinese, Vietnamese and Tagalog: www.stopaapihate.org.
• Access database of hate crimes: Reports related to hate crimes against AAPI communities can be accessed at www.asianpacificpolicyandplanningcouncil.org/stop-aapi-hate-reports/.
• Learn the difference between Hate crime vs. Hate. incident: A PSA video from the Santa Clara County Office of the District Attorney explains what is a hate crime and who to contact at www.sccgov.org/sites/da/Pages/hate-crime-PSA-video.aspx.
• Learn how to combat hate and harassment: Online trainings and resources on how to end harassment and what to do as a bystander can be accessed at www.ihollaback.org/bystanderintervention.
• Bystander Intervention Training: Online workshop to bring awareness and training to your community members so that they can help de-escalate incidents of verbal harassment. To book a workshop, visit https://ca.cair.com.
• Japantown Foot Patrols: San Jose’s Japantown community formally launched citizen foot patrols Monday in hopes of preventing future attacks on Asian Americans. Volunteer by sending an email to japantownprepard@gmail.com.

Here are some precautionary safety recommendations to keep in mind from the Stop AAPI Hate Initiative: 

• Avoid carrying large amount of cash on person at all times.
• Recognize your surroundings by being aware when on foot.
• Shop with a family member of loved one.
• Lock doors once inside your vehicle.
• Avoid leaving valuables inside your car at all times.
• Locate exits and entrances while grocery shopping.
• Notify family members or loved ones of plans in advance.

To report crimes and/or suspicious activity, you can call the Santa Clara County’s Anti-Hate Hotline at 408-279-0111. In all cases of emergencies, you can also call 9-1-1.

We appreciate the County of Santa Clara Social Services Agency, Older Adults Technology Services and Yu-Ai Kai Senior Center for sharing these resources for us.

*Disclaimer: All listed online resources are provided for residents to take part. The City of San José is not affiliated with any of the listed organizations and all questions regarding resources should be directed to their webpage.