Welcome to the twelfth and final week of our campaign highlighting essential workers.    

For our final essential worker feature, we spoke to Albert Li, Multi-Social Services Coordinator at Brooklyn Community Services. Albert helps community members access crucial resources and services such as health care and food assistance. Below, Albert shares what led him to work with CPC and the challenges he’s faced helping people access online resources during the COVID-19 crisis. 

The following excerpt is from a conversation between Albert and Chris Kuo of the CPC Leadership Council.

Chris Kuo, Leadership Council: Could you tell us about your background?  

Albert Li, Multi-Social Services Coordinator: When I was young, I was very sick and my parents didn't know how to apply for Medicaid. So growing up, I wanted to help as many people as possible. 

I moved here with my family and started working with CPC around Chinese New Year in 1999. I started off at CPC’s Hospitality Career Training Program. After three years, I transitioned to Brooklyn Community Services as Multi-Social Services Coordinator. I help community members apply for health insurance and food stamps. Our main goal is to keep them healthy. Many community members face a language barrier. Though they may speak some English conversationally, they don’t know how to navigate the web of resources available. Everything is online now, but many of our members are older and not so tech savvy. It’s very difficult for new immigrants to apply for benefits, so they come to CPC.

Share Albert's story using #EssentialWorkers and #AlwaysEssential.

​Whether working from home or within our neighborhoods, essential workers are supporting a strong recovery for those who are too often overlooked, underrepresented, or underinvested in.

Essential Worker Quick Facts

 Black, Latinx, and Asian people make up
more than 70% of the city’s essential workers.

Human services workers are essential workers.

New York City contracts have not set rates that accurately reflect 
human services workers' commitment to essential work.

All of CPC's staff are essential workers. 

Tweets You Can Use To Share #AlwaysEssential Posts:

Help me lift the voices of #EssentialWorkers. Like and share this post to stand in solidarity with human services workers. #AlwaysEssential bit.ly/cpc-always-essential

#EssentialWorkers risk their health and their families’ health to serve others through COVID-19. As New York begins to recover, orgs like @cpc-nyc will be among the ones helping the hardest hit New Yorkers put their lives back together. Support them here: bit.ly/cpc-covid-19-relief-fund #AlwaysEssential

About CPC
The Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) is the nation's largest Asian American social services organization. Founded in 1965, CPC aims to promote the social and economic empowerment of Chinese American, immigrant, and low-income communities of New York City.

華人策劃協會(華策會)是全美國最大的亞裔美國人及太平洋島民社區服務機構.成立於1965年,華策會專門為紐約市的華裔美國人,移民,和低收入民眾提供金融權力和社區服務.