Seattle, WA December 20, 2024 - The Seattle Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (Seattle JACL) announced a major donation of $625,000 to Keiro Northwest, the operator of Nikkei Manor Assisted Living facility as a part of a bequest it received in 2023 from the Shigeo and Toshiko Iseri Family Trust. “Nikkei Manor is an invaluable institution of our community,” said Kyle Kinoshita, Seattle JACL Chapter President. “They’ve been providing bilingual, affordable, and compassionate care for decades. We are proud to fulfill the wishes of the Iseri family to support Nikkei Manor’s steadfast commitment to serving our community.” Keiro Northwest is a community-based nonprofit organization in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District, dedicated to serving elders. Its assisted living facility, Nikkei Manor, is Seattle’s oldest Asian American Pacific Islander senior care facility. Seattle JACL and Keiro Northwest have deep ties. Seattle JACL members and leaders helped in the founding of Keiro Northwest in 1975, its capital campaign to build Nikkei Manor in 1998, and throughout its rich history of service. In 2023, the Iseri family, who resided in Michigan, bequeathed funds to Seattle JACL with the direction that half of the funds benefit a residence caring for aged members of the Japanese American community. The other half is to be used for Seattle JACL youth scholarships. Fulfilling an unmet need It’s often reported that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are the fastest-growing racial group in the United States. Over the next 50 years, the Diverse Elders Coalition reports the number of AAPIs aged 65 and older is expected to grow more than 350%, from 1.6 million to 7.3 million people. Despite this, there are inadequate health services that are culturally responsive to the diverse backgrounds of AAPI seniors. There are troubling disparities in health outcomes across different racial groups in the US. The rising affordability crisis of senior services, language barriers to receiving service, as well as stigma and isolation are all part of the puzzle. For the Japanese American community across the United States, demographics are older on average than the general population. This is even more so for those that are born in Japan. According to a 2019 Pew Research Study, 25% of all Japanese American Shin Nikkei (those born in Japan after WWII, many of whom were war brides) are 65 years of age or older, compared to 17% of the general population. After careful consideration, Seattle JACL singled out Keiro Northwest and Nikkei Manor for the award, acknowledging its efforts to provide high-quality, affordable assisted living services in a linguistically and culturally sensitive manner. Seattle JACL presented the check for the award in a small ceremony at Nikkei Manor on December 20, 2024. Seattle JACL presented the check for the award in a small ceremony at Nikkei Manor on December 20, 2024. L-R: Susan Okamoto Lane, Keiro Northwest Board Member, Kyle Kinoshita, Seattle JACL Board President, Amy Nguyen, Nikkei Manor Executive Director, Alicia Taniguchi Eng, Keiro Northwest Board Member, and Sheldon Arakaki, Seattle JACL Board Treasurer. Photo courtesy Seattle JACL. Keiro Northwest’s assisted living facility, Nikkei Manor, is Seattle’s oldest Asian American Pacific Islander senior care facility. Photo courtesy Seattle JACL. | 
