CAPI fulfills its mission through three integrated departments (Employment and Training and Social Services and Cultural Education) and a growing number of strategic partnerships and collaborations. The agency is staffed by 32 diverse employees who collectively speak 10 languages, and offer many valuable services from five different Minneapolionis locats. CAPI is governed by a diverse eight member board of directors, which has provided capable leadership to a growing $2 million agency budget. Of the 3,500 individuals served annually, approximately 60% are Southeast Asian and 40% are East African. A summary of CAPI’s primary activities, partnerships and accomplishments includes the following:


Employment & Training


MFIP Program – provides intensive case management training, placement and retention services to approximately 250 mostly Hmong and East African participants on public assistance.

Refugee Employment Program – provides training, placement and retention services to 450 SE Asian and African refugees (in collaboration with Good Will Easter Seals and African Assistance Program).

Project Regina Training Program – provides a unique 35 hour/week training program that combines work-specific ELL instruction, training and subsidized work experiences to prepare and place 52 mostly limited English-speaking women on public assistance into the workforce.

English Language Learning (ELL) Classes help 150+ participants improve their English skills. Classes are offered at the Lehman Center and CAPI, in partnership with the Minneapolis Adult Literacy Program.

Transportation Services shuttle 20-30 participants daily to and from CAPI ELL and training activities.

Financial Literacy Program provides one-on-one financial literacy training and assistance in opening bank accounts to 75+ newly employed and “unbanked” immigrants and refugees

A Wage Subsidy Initiative develops 70+ subsidized employment experiences for MFIP participants that are served by eight different Hennepin County MFIP provider agencies.

Soft Skills/Customized Training – Employment readiness workshops, a weekly Job Club and periodic customized trainings (with employer partners) prepare 52 participants with limited English-skills and work experience for entry level food service, hospitality, healthcare, and light manufacturing jobs.

A Job Coaching initiative and a 9-Station Computer Lab provide valuable support and assistance in preparing for and securing employment.

Regina Designs is a social enterprise that creates opportunities for Project Regina training graduates to earn income by doing home-based contracted sewing piecework.


Supportive Services & Cultural Education


Food Shelf – the state’s only Asian-specific food shelf serves an average of 1,211 low income individuals (280 families) each month. CAPI is a member of the Emergency Foodshelf Network (EFN).

Refugee Settlement Services – provides comprehensive case management services to 60+ recent arrivals annually in collaboration International Institute and Habitat For Humanity.

Health Education & Access Services – provides a monthly immunization clinic at CAPI that serves 240 individuals per year, and offers support to individuals in securing healthcare coverage and connecting/navigating with local healthcare clinics.

Elder Caregiver Program – in collaboration with Elder Care Partners, supports 45 Hmong adults who struggle to care for their elderly parents while managing their own families.

School Navigation Project – in partnership with North Community High School and a 5-agency consortium led by Pillsbury United Communities, CAPI has deployed a full-time Navigator at North High to encourage greater Hmong parental involvement in their children’s education while also raising awareness of mental health concerns within the Hmong community.