BILOXI, MS April 1, 2008 — After more than two years of helping 800 Mississippi families cope with Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath, the Biloxi office of Boat People SOS (BPSOS) is wrapping up its key role in the Katrina Aid Today (KAT) program.

“We were established here in Biloxi in February 2006 after Hurricane Katrina, in response to the enormous needs of the community in general, and Vietnamese Americans in specific,” said Daniel Q. Le, KAT lead case manager. “We began by providing immediate relief through individual case management, and since then we have been helping families achieve long-term recovery by guiding them through red tape to obtain the resources they need.”

Katrina dealt a stunning blow to the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2005, leaving approximately 60,000 homes either destroyed or damaged, devastating the area’s economically vital fleet of shrimp boats, and shattering the livelihoods of countless residents.

BPSOS became a member of KAT in December 2005, joining a consortium of 10 social service and voluntary organizations funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) using international donations, and led by the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).

Services offered through the Biloxi KAT program, which will officially close its doors with the conclusion of its funding on March 31, 2008, have included help with FEMA registration and appeals, healthcare, translation and interpretation, advice on legal and insurance claims, and financial assistance for home and shrimp-boat repair via the Long-Term Recovery Coalition (LTRC). BPSOS-Biloxi will continue to offer money management counseling under the Road to Independence through Savings and Education (RISE) program, as well as other services dealing with domestic violence, ESL and computer classes, and the Health Awareness Program Initiative for Immigrants (HAPI) and Survivors of Torture Empowerment Program (STEP).

“It has been a tremendous honor to serve the families, both Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese, who came to us after the disaster,” said Le. “And we could not have accomplished what we did without the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross, Harrison County LTRC, Rebuild Jackson County, the Hancock County LTRC, International Relief Development, Pass Road to The Future, and many other organizations.”

“Disaster recovery requires long-term commitment and collaboration from all agencies, from nonprofits, faith-based groups, volunteers, and local, state, and federal governments,” added Le. “As an LTRC member, we’ve appreciated making a difference in the lives of up to 2,500 folks.”

“KAT’s legacy is a better framework for facing future disasters in areas with high concentrations of Asian Americans,” said Dr. Nguyen Dinh Thang, executive director of BPSOS.