About Us
Mission
Our mission is to promote the development, empowerment, and quality of life for Cambodian Americans in the Bay Area.
History
Cambodian Community Development, Inc. (CCDI) is a grassroots volunteer-based organization founded by a group of concerned community activists in 1997 to assist Cambodian refugees in the Bay Area. We are dedicated in assisting Cambodian Americans to overcome social, cultural, and economic barriers in order to obtain independence and self-sufficiency. Currently, the agency serves approximately 200 constituents per year in one or more of its programs. The following are some of CCDI's general organizational objectives:
- To provide linguistic and culturally appropriate services to our clients in a holistic manner
To increase access of government programs and services to our constituency
To promote the physical and mental health of our community members
To raise awareness of issues impacting our community and encourage civic participation
To promote cultural awareness and the retention of Cambodian arts and dance
To strengthen the ties between Cambodian parents and children
The CCDI office serves as a local drop-in center for hundreds of Cambodian immigrants needing assistance with citizenship, SSI, TANF, legal services, health and mental health, domestic violence, housing, and other issues.
Current Programs
Health Care Links: 
CCDI identifies Cambodian community members whom do not have health insurance and links them to the Healthy Families program and/or Medi-Cal. We also provide flu shots for children and seniors every year.
Legal Clinic: 
The Legal Clinic, which CCDI conducts once a month in collaboration with Asian Law Caucus, provides clients with information on naturalization, deportation, INS detention, public interest parolees, affidavits for support, family based petitions (for abused spouses), etc. Also, we partner with Bay Area Legal Aid to provide clients with information on CalWorks sanction, medical issues, SSI, etc.
Senior Support Service: 
CCDI provides health education, assistance in reading, and help in filling out paperwork. We raise awareness regarding services that are available to the Cambodian Community.
Cambodian Culture and Literacy Classes:
A continuation of our previous classes, students will have an opportunity to learn how to speak the traditional language of Cambodia, Khmer. This program is aimed at closing the generational gap between American-born Cambodian children and parents born in Cambodia.
Please Don't Stop the Music:
CCDI will be offering classes that teach kids how to play traditional Cambodian musical instruments. Cambodian art forms such as music are taught entirely by memory from generation to generation. Thus, traditional art forms such as music are in danger of dying out because so many musicians were killed during the Cambodian genocides. Even less exist here in the US. Cambodia is a country of rich cultural heritage, but that is often shadowed by it's violent past. CCDI seeks to change the perceptions about Cambodia from the community as well as our youth by teaching students traditional forms of music. The music classes will give an opportunity for students to not only learn to play those instruments, but perform at a community event.
Previous Programs
Wii Can Be Healthy Program:
Students whom attend a healthy eating class will have an opportunity to play Nintendo Wii afterwards. Asian children tend to be at higher risk of obesity-related health issues than children of other races. This program is aimed at promoting healthier eating and exercise.
CIRCLES E
mployment Program:
CIRCLES was a job readiness and employment program for limited English speaking CalWORKS recipients in collaboration with several other organizations including the Spanish Speaking Unity Council, American Viet League, United Laotian Community Development, and East Bay Asian Youth Development Corporation
Cambodian Culture and Literacy Classes:
This class, which took place twice a week, was developed to expose the younger generation to Cambodian culture and language so that they can better connect to their own heritage and that of their elders.
Staff and volunteers conducted workshops that explain to youth and adults the hazards of tobacco.
Citizenship Classes:
We provided citizenship classes twice a week as well as one-on-one in order to prepare naturalization applicants for the US Citizenship Test. We also provided one-on-one tutoring.