(H)API Hour for VietBAK (Viet Bay Area Katrina) February 9, 2006

($10 voluntary donation at the door)

Since July 2000, the (H)API Hour has offered young professionals a fun, casual and easy way to contribute to worthy causes. The group has raised more than $15,000 for dozens of organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Los Angeles.

This month we sponsor Viet Bay Area Katrina, a grassroots volunteer effort representing local Viet organizations and concerned community members coming together to raise funds and volunteer their services.

Approximately 55,000 Viet refugees and immigrants living in the Gulf Coast region continue to be affected by the hurricane -- losing their homes and their livelihoods. Although this national tragedy has generated an empathetic outpouring of generous donations and valiant volunteers, there still exists a grave shortage of support for low-income and immigrant communities. As winter continues, Viet communities rooted in the Gulf Coast are determined to rebuild and regenerate despite long-standing government and systemic negligence. They urgently need culturally- and linguistically-sensitive services and resources to help them succeed and flourish.

Viet Bay Area Katrina has sent a volunteer contingent to the Gulf Coast to provide aid and to hope to continue providing direct financial and volunteer assistance to our community in need.

For more information:
www.vietbayareakatrina.org

Special thanks to Albert Chen at Louie's Bar & Grill for allowing us to use his venue for the event!