• Providing Direct Assistance: Since June 1, 2010 BPSOS Biloxi and Bayou La Batre offices have assisted over 300 families with food stamp applications, BP claims, registrations for OSHA training, Vessel of Opportunity Program (VOOP) applications, unemployment benefits, Medicaid applications, and general translation and interpretation needs. For vessel owners who applied for VOOP to monitor and clean oil but have not been called for work, BPSOS staff are available to assist with contacting BP to check on the status of their applications. 
• Oil spill hits Gulf Shores and Orange Beach (Press Register)

• Food Bank: In partnership with the Bay Area Food Bank,BPSOS has so far distributed 23,000 pounds of food to more than 400 families in Bayou La Batre, Grand Bay and Irvington areas.  Residents in the area who are interested in receiving food may contact our Bayou La Batre office at 251-824-7004 for more information.
• Bay Area Food Bank gives 10,000 pounds of groceries to families hurt by Gulf oil spill (Press Register): this was last week statistics. Another 13,000 pounds of food were provided this week.
• Oil spill a 'slow moving disaster'; Bay Area Food Bank meets rising needs (Al.com)

• Partnering with Alabama National Guard and Emergency Management Agency to assist and expedite claims: BPSOS has partnered with Alabama National Guard and Emergency Management Agency, which is currently working out of BPSOS Bayou La Batre office, to assist Alabama residents to file claims for loss of income (including wages, any impacted private businesses-fishing, rental property, tourism businesses...etc) and property damage or loss, and/or expedite claims not being processed by BP.  Vietnamese translators are available on site to assist.

• Meeting with government officials: BPSOS Regional Director Grace Scire also met with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, and New Orleans Mayor Mitchell J. Landrieu to relay community concerns, including oil spill-related safety concerns, proper OSHA training, job training, impacts of the oil spill on the business community, and the large number of unemployed fishermen not getting called for VOOP. Various BPSOS staff have also participated in weekly conference calls with White House officials.

• Coordinating Bilingual National Media Coverage Of Gulf Coast Situation: In addition to round-the-clock engagements with national and local mainstream media, BPSOS Executive Director Dr. Nguyen Dinh Thang, who is currently on the ground in the Gulf Coast, has led a delegation of Vietnamese-language media from around the country, including Saigon Houston Radio, Saigon Dallas Radio, SBTN, Vietnamese American Television, to visit local communities and report on the people's struggles.
• Language barrier hinders claims process (Fox 10 TV)
• Gulf Coast's Asian Communities Hit Hard by Oil Spill (VOA)
• Người gốc Á vùng vịnh Mexico tiếp tục lao đao vì vụ đổ dầu (VOA)
• Vietnamese Shrimpers May Lose Way Of Life Again (NPR)
• Oil Spill Impacts Vietnamese-American Workers (NPR)
• BPSOS: Ngư dân Louisiana cẩn thận khi hợp tác với công ty làm đổ dầu (VOA)

• Co-Hosting Legal Clinics in New Orleans, Biloxi, and Bayou La Batre: In joint efforts with a coalition of community organizations and bar associations, BPSOS is sending Vietnamese speaking attorneys to conduct legal clinics in Biloxi on Friday 1-5pm and in New Orleans on Saturday 9am-1pm. A third clinic, hosted by BPSOS in partnership with Alabama Legal Aid Bureau, will also be held in Bayou La Batre on Sunday 11am-3pm. 
• Coalition of Non-Profits To Establish Volunteer Law Corps and Hold Pro-Bono Vietnamese-Language Legal Clinics For Oil Spill Disaster Victims in the Gulf Coast

• Informing and Mobilizing the Broader APA Community for Coordinated Assistance Effort: At the OCA National Convention in Houston, Texas this past weekend, Dr. Nguyen Dinh Thang participated in a discussion panel titled "The Gulf Coast Oil Spill and the Impact on the Southeast Asian Community," in which he addressed community leaders and professionals about the ongoing crisis and requested support from the broader APA community. Dr. Thang discussed the impacts of BP Oil Spill Disaster on the Southeast Asian American community in the Gulf region, efforts to educate and assist those being affected, and ways that the broader APA community may get involved in assisting these affected communities.

• Conducting town hall meetings in Biloxi, Mississippi, Bayou La Batre, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana: Two town hall meetings were held on Monday and Tuesday in Biloxi and Bayou La Batre respectively, with more than 110 community residents attending. Dr. Thang was present to inform them of most recent developments, including the $20 billion escrow account, how to prepare and gather appropriate documents for the new claim process, ESL and citizenship classes.  He also discussed the needs and issues the Vietnamese community is facing and how these issues and concerns will be addressed to appropriate authorities. Issues discussed include questions regarding BP's Vessels Of Opportunity program (many people have registered but have not been activated for duty, BP employing recreational boats versus commercial boats), language access issues (OSHA training not conducted in Vietnamese thus making unemployed Vietnamese fishermen ineligible), and long term effects to the fishing industry and local communities, etc. On Wednesday June 23, Dr. Thang also held another meeting with local fishermen in New Orleans, Louisiana to discuss similar issues and listen to their specific concerns.
• National organization helps Vietnamese fishermen deal with oil spill concerns (WLOX)
• Language barrier hinders claims process (Fox 10 TV)
• Boat People SOS visits Coast to look for answers (The Sun Herad)

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Founded in 1980, BPSOS is a national Vietnamese-American community organization operating at 18 locations across the United States and via four affiliated locations in Taiwan and Southeast Asia.  Our program areas include direct services, advocacy, media, community development, and research.

For more information about or to make contributions to our Gulf Coast project, visit www.bpsos.org.