Adelphi, Maryland—Boat People SOS-Maryland (BPSOS-MD) was recently awarded several grants to support a number of key community programs. The programs include: community assets building services to assist low-income Vietnamese immigrants achieve financial self-sufficiency, assistance to families to purchase their own homes, and educational activities for youth.

The Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs awarded BPSOS-MD $25,000 to implement a community assets building program for underserved families in the County. Activities will include educational workshops, personal counseling, tax assistance, and financial management education.

With $20,000 from the Prince George’s County Department of Housing and Community Development, BPSOS-MD established a program to assist low-income Vietnamese American families in Prince George’s County purchase their first homes. It will begin July 2004.

Finally, the Montgomery County Community Foundation awarded BPSOS-MD $2,500 to support its Educational and Recreational Activities for youth program. The program provides after-school and summer activities to children and youth in Montgomery County.

Responding to enormous needs in the community, Boat People SOS established its Maryland branch office in April of 2001. Over the past three years, BPSOS-MD’s various programs have provided English as a Second Language and computer instruction to over 150 students, helped 250 low-income taxpayers claim over $300 thousand in tax refunds and tax credits, trained 35 volunteers to serve as tax assistors, developed services for 80 seniors and torture survivors, offered immigration services to 700 families, and served 42 at-risk youth.

For additional information, please contact Kim Dung Nguyen, branch manager, by telephone at (301)439-0505 or by email at KimDung.Nguyen@bpsos.org [1].