In the wake of both Hurricane Katrina and Rita, many of the 30,000 Vietnamese in the Gulf Coast region are still seeking timely help and information from mainstream relief agencies -- both private & public.

What we are doing:

• in our 14 branch offices: help evacuees access FEMA Assistance and connect them to local benefits & resources.

BPSOS offers the following services at our disaster relief centers:

• Benefits Assistance: Assist evacuees with claims with FEMA, unemployment, social security, food stamps and SBA loans
• Housing Assistance and referrals: Assist evacuees with housing vouchers, translations of forms and interpretation, and assist evacuees with navigating FEMA policies
• Legal Assistance: Connect evacuees to local resources and attorneys, and on a case-by-case basis provide direct immigration legal services through a qualified staff attorney
• Emergency Assistance: Provide some limited direct assistance in the form of transportation tokens, clothing, supplies, and other goods as needed