Strengthening Pasifika Wellness in Clark County: SWACH Awards Funding to PICA-WA
The Pacific Islander Community Association of Washington (PICA-WA) is changing lives in Clark County—and SWACH is proud to stand alongside them. As part of our latest Collaborative Funding Model awards, SWACH has awarded funding to support PICA-WA’s Wellness Navigation program. This funding will help strengthen culturally grounded care and expand access to resources for Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NH/PI) families across the region.
Centering Culture in Care
PICA-WA’s Wellness Navigation program is rooted in the understanding that health is about more than doctor visits. It’s about food, housing, connection, safety, and culture—the full picture of what it means to thrive.
Through one-on-one support, elders programming, youth cultural engagement, and connection to basic needs, PICA-WA helps build pathways to wellness that reflect the realities and strengths of Pasifika communities. This includes: • Cultural Weavers – providing safe, affirming social space and care for elders
Cultural Roots – connecting youth and families to Pasifika traditions through dance, chant, storytelling, and more
Food justice – distributing culturally relevant foods to fight food insecurity in NH/PI households
Resource navigation – helping families access housing, education, employment, and healthcare with trusted, community-rooted support
Building Equity, One Connection at a Time
Pacific Islander communities in Clark County face some of the highest rates of poverty, food insecurity, and uninsured status in the region. During the COVID-19 pandemic, NH/PI communities experienced hospitalization and death rates up to 11 times higher than white populations. PICA-WA is on the front lines of changing those outcomes—and changing the systems behind them. Their team leads with lived experience, language access, and cultural fluency to meet community members where they are.
A Community-Led Vision
PICA-WA’s work is driven by the people it serves. From elders and youth to recent immigrants and longtime residents, the organization is led by and for the Pacific Islander community. Their programs are informed by data, stories, and values that reflect the needs and hopes of Pasifika families today.
SWACH is honored to support PICA-WA’s journey toward health equity and systems transformation. We look forward to the continued growth of this partnership—and the thriving communities it uplifts.
Learn more about PICA-WA’s work at: www.picawa.org
Explore all Collaborative Funding Model awardees at: southwestach.org/cfm