Indo-American Center (IAC)

The IAC is the oldest South Asian-focused organization in Chicago, Illinois. ³

Background

The Indo-American Center assists South Asian immigrants in their adjustment and socio-economic wellbeing. It provides direct services, education, and advocacy for South Asian immigrants that promotes literacy, civic engagement, meal services for older adults, health education, and a parent mentor initiative. ⁴

The group helps South Asian immigrants applying for government assistance, including Medicaid, food stamps, and the senior free ride program. ⁵

The Indo-American Center was established in 1990 by a group of immigrants to the United States. These founders wanted to respond to the needs within Chicago’s South Asian immigrant population. The founders included individuals from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. ³

The IAC is the oldest South Asian organization in the Chicago, Illinois area. ³ As of 2025, the organization’s website says that since its 1990 founding, it has served more than 45,000 clients from communities in the Chicago region. ⁶

After significant expansion, with an annual budget of more than $2 million, the IAC purchased a two-story building at 6328 N. California Avenue in Chicago in the mid-1990s. ³ The IAC operates multiple locations in Chicago and Des Plaines to better serve their community. ⁴

The IAC operates six key programs: Citizenship and immigration assistance, public benefits assistance, adult literacy program, seniors’ program, civic engagement, and community navigators. ³

The 2015 mission listed on the IAC tax return said, “promotion of South-Asians through services that facilitate their adjustment, integration and friendship with the wider society (and) nurture their sense of community.” ⁵

This mission language changed on the 2018 tax return to say “address the needs of South Asian immigrants as well as people from more than 30 nations the world over” and working to “foster appreciation for the diversity of culture and heritage” among the non-South Asian population of Chicago. Chicago City Wire reported that after the mission language change, government grants accelerated. From 2018 to 2022, IAC’s government-based revenue more than doubled since 2018, with government grants jumping from $408,509 to $974,771 over the four-year-period. ⁵

Initiatives

In 2022, the Indo-American Center reported to the IRS that it spent $618,014 on “civic and immigration services” that “integrates voter registration, mobilization, empowerment and education into our public benefits.” The organization continued that, “IAC’s immigration and citizenship program provides consultation on family-based U.S. immigration questions, assistance with applying for U.S. citizenship, assistance with completing select family-based immigration applications (and) deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) cases.” ⁵

The IAC says the South Asian population has grown by more 55 percent in Illinois since 2000, which is higher growth than other minority populations. Most of the growth was in the Chicago region. ⁶

In May 2024, the IAC announced it was working to close the wealth inequality gap among Asians, after data from the Pew Research Center found the wealthiest Asian Americans earn more than 10 times more than the poorest Asian Americans, making them the most economically divided racial or ethnic group in the United States. IAC’s focus on closing the gap included creating English language classes, social services, dance and yoga classes, financial literacy programs, book clubs, and legal support for immigrants. ⁷

In August 2024, the Indo-American Center, the Chinese Mutual Aid Association, and Apna Ghar announced a collaboration to establish the Pan Asian American Center. The effort had support from the Illinois Asian American Legislative Caucus. The goal for the new initiative will be to find physical space where Asian communities can gather and share services and resources for employment, health care, language, arts, culture, and immigration services. ⁸

Financial Backing

The Indo-American Center lists several donors as “partners” on its website. Most are nonprofit organizations, as well as private corporations. Several government entities are listed as “partners.” ⁹

The government entities include U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; the Illinois Attorney General’s office, the Illinois Community College Board, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and the Illinois Secretary of State. ⁹

The organization spent 70 percent of its revenue on salaries, or $1.45 million, according to Chiago City Wire. ⁵

In June 2023, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights donated $329,569 to the Indo-American Center. ¹⁰ The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights receives Illinois state taxpayer money through the Illinois Department of Human Services, then re-distributes it. In 2021, the ICIRR gave the IAC $378,311. ⁵

In December 2023, the Julian Grace Foundation contributed $53,500 to the Indo-American Center. ¹⁰

In September 2023, the Chicago Community Trust gave $38,500 to Indo-American Center. ¹⁰

In 2022, $974,771 of the IAC’s revenue, or 47 percent, came from government grants, the Chicago City Wire reported. From 2012 through 2022, the organization’s revenue surged by 350 percent, while government grants surged by about 900 percent, from $109,935 to nearly $1 million. ⁵

Illinois state government agencies have given $25.5 million in grants to the Indo-American Center, the Chicago City Wire reported. This included state funding for building a new IAC headquarters, to build housing for members, and to fix its HVAC system. ⁵

In fiscal year 2023-2024, IAC received $6.75 million in funding commitments from the state of Illinois. ⁵

In fiscal year 2024-2025, Illinois committed $18.25 million to IAC. Of that, $625,000 was promised for IAC operations and $17.63 million for IAC infrastructure, the Chicago City Wire reported. ⁵

From 2019 through, the IAC has received grants from the Illinois Secretary of State and Illinois Treasurer totaling $442,983. ⁵

Other state grants included $6 million from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the “Build Illinois Bond Fund” grants for “capital improvements,” $12 million from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity “Build Illinois Bond Fund” grants for “capital improvements” and “costs associated with the Indo-American Center,” and $5 million in grants from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity “Rebuild Illinois Projects Fund” for “costs associated with building affordable housing for seniors and other infrastructure improvements.” ⁵

Leadership

Anita Puri became the Indo-American Center executive director in August 2024. Puri previously worked for Whirlpool Corporation from 2021 to 2024. She was also previously an account director at Leo Burnett and held roles at Digitas and PepsiCo. She was also previously the chief marketing officer and chief growth officer for the Chicago-based non-profit Start Early. ⁵

Angie Lobo, the executive director of the Indo-American Center from November 2019 to August 2024, left the post to be director of scheduling and advance for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D). Lobo was previously a chief of staff to former Illinois state Rep. Julie Hamos (D). ⁵