Indian American Community Services to open Kent Community Center

Indian American Community Services (IACS), the longest-serving Indian immigrant organization in the Pacific Northwest, welcomed community members, local leaders, and civic partners to a blessing ceremony on Sept. 7 at the site of its future Kent Community Center. The event blended interfaith blessings, cultural tradition, and shared vision, honoring the collective effort that made this space possible and setting intentions for the generations it will serve. The Kent area is home to one of the fastest-growing South Asian populations in the region and has long been a focal point for IACS’s pop-up programs and community partnerships.

“This Center is being built with and for the community — Indian, South Asian, and beyond,” said Lalita Uppala, Executive Director of IACS. “It will be a space where seniors find connection, families access support, youth step into leadership, workers and small businesses access assistance and neighbors gather around shared purpose. The gathering of community that we experienced at the ceremony reflects the spirit of belonging and care that will live in this Center for decades to come”

Founded in 1984, IACS has grown from a volunteer-run cultural group into essential community infrastructure and a trusted provider of wraparound, culturally responsive services that range from youth leadership and women’s career training to senior wellness, small business assistance, legal aid, and mental health support. The organization serves thousands across the region each year.

In 2022, after more than two years of listening sessions with the community, IACS purchased the 22,000 sq. ft. building in Kent to establish a permanent, inclusive space for culturally responsive services and community gathering. The Kent Community Center will significantly expand access to mental health care, legal support, childcare, early learning, digital literacy, small business development, and emergency assistance, all under one roof.

The purchase was funded entirely through the IACS Community Capital Campaign, a grassroots effort supported by community stakeholders. The Phase I renovation is projected to cost $9.5 million. IACS has already raised $6 million toward that goal and is actively engaging funders, donors, and partners to close the remaining $3 million gap by 2026.

With the support of Congressman Adam Smith and Senator Patty Murray, IACS received a $2.2 million federal grant through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Economic Development Initiative. These funds are helping IACS move forward with creating a permanent community center in Kent.

“We’re not just renovating a building, we’re nurturing a vision,” said Krishnan Menon, Board President of IACS. “This Center will be a place where the full spectrum of community life is supported— from crisis response to connection, from career support to celebration. The blessing ceremony captured that energy and showed the momentum that is building.”

The Kent Community Center will be built in two phases. Phase I will transform the first floor into a community hub with spaces for wellness, early learning, tutoring, therapy, legal support, family gatherings, and a commercial kitchen for shared meals and small business use. It will also feature a business hub offering technical assistance and digital tools. Phase II will expand on this vision, with details to be shared at a later date. The Center’s design reflects the vibrancy of the community, with plans for the Chatur Chai Café, a performing arts and banquet hall, digital and early learning labs, counseling and legal service rooms, and outdoor gardens and art spaces for intergenerational connection. Functional and inspirational, it will serve both the thousands already engaged through IACS pop-up services and local organizations seeking accessible space for gatherings and programs.

When the Kent Community Center is fully opened in fall 2026, IACS expects to quadruple the number of individuals served by year three of operations.

“As Council President, it is an honor to join the blessing ceremony for the IACS Community Center,” said Satwinder Kaur, Council President, City of Kent. “This Center represents more than a building — it is a permanent space for connection, healing, and opportunity for generations to come. For over 40 years, IACS has been a trusted partner, and this new Center will serve not only Indian and South Asian communities, but all who call Kent home.”

From small business owners to survivors of violence, from young children to elders, the IACS Kent Community Center will be a place for people across generations and backgrounds to feel seen, supported, and connected. Sunday’s Blessing Ceremony affirmed that this work is already underway.

IACS invites the community to help bring this vision to life. To learn more about the Kent Community Center or contribute to the capital campaign, visit www.iacswa.org/kent-center.