Download pdf version.

• Advocacy: Grace Scire, BPSOS Gulf Coast Director, joined a delegation of community and nonprofit leaders in an advocacy trip in Washington DC, meeting with members of Congress as well as with senior officials in the Departments of Energy, the Interior, Commerce, Homeland Security, and the Council on Environmental Quality to advocate on behalf of coastal and inland communities.

• Gulf Visit and Meeting with U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus: In early August, BPSOS met with U.S. Navy Secretary Mabus, who is tasked by President Obama to oversee the restoration of the Gulf Coast from the Oil Spill, during his visit to the Gulf. We discussed community’s needs and challenges and overall plan for economic recovery of the Gulf Coast. We also requested that the community’s inputs and vision be considered and included in his “restoration plan.”
  

• Forming Partnership: Following the signing of MOU’s last month, NAVASA has officially moved into BPSOS-Biloxi office. This BPSOS-NAVASA merger of their Gulf Coast operations between the two largest national Vietnamese American community organizations bolsters the capacity to better serve the community. Additionally, Southwest Airlines has agreed to be our Gulf Coast Oil Spill Response partner, providing in-kind support in the form of flight vouchers for our staff and volunteers from around the country to travel to the Gulf region.
  

• Food Distribution in Alabama: BPSOS BLB has so far distributed a total of 65,000 lbs of food to more than 1,200 affected families.  This program has been very well received and the organization will continue assisting families who still struggle with daily needs. Department of Agriculture Under-Secretary Kevin Cannon recently visited the food bank and was impressed with how the community has been helping itself throughout the crisis.
  

• Father, daughter team helps oil victims (Fox 10 TV)
  
• Foodbank helps families affected by oil spill (WLOX-ABC 13)
  

• Providing Pro-Bono Legal Services in Alabama: Following previous successful partnership in holding a well attended legal education clinic in Bayou La Batre, Alabama Legal Aid Services and BPSOS have entered a service agreement so that the former will provide a full-time staff attorney to work in BPSOS-BLB office to provide pro bono legal assistance and services to community members. 

• Communication & Issue Assessment: This upcoming week, our Public Relations and Communications Manager Shandon Phan will be in the region to field the multiple requests from media personnel that our local staff receive each day and strengthen our regional communication network, which was established by BPSOS in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina with over 2,000 radio receivers distributed for free to community members in all three Gulf states. 

• Providing Direct Assistance:  Through our offices in New Orleans, Biloxi and Bayou La Batre, BPSOS continues to assist community residents on various services ranging from food stamp applications, unemployment benefits, BP claims, Vessels of Opportunity, immigrations, general translation and interpretation, Medicaid, Social Security Incomes and healthcare. Residents interested in getting Hazwoper training (40 hours class) in either English or Vietnamese in order to work under the VOOP program, please contact BPSOS-Biloxi office immediately for registration. Seats are limited.  

###

Founded in 1980, BPSOS is a national community organization operating at 18 locations across the United States. BPSOS empowers individuals, strengthens families, and builds communities through Direct Services, Advocacy, Media, Community Development and Organizing, and Research. For more information, please see www.bpsos.org.

Press Contact: Shandon Phan | 703-647-6462 | This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Share