Vietnamese Social Services- Saint Paul, MN
Project Coordinator
The mission of Vietnamese Social Services of Minnesota (VSS) is to help facilitate the economic, health and mental health needs of refugees and immigrants while retaining their cultural identities. Originally founded in 1987 to serve Vietnamese refugees in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, VSS now serves over 4,500 immigrant/refugee clients from Vietnam, Karen, Karenni, Somalia, and others. As a state, Minnesota has provided a second home to many displaced persons from around the world, and VSS is a proud partner in that effort. We are very proud of the fact that most of the Vietnamese Americans who are thriving in Minnesota now were former clients at VSS. The populations of refugees has changed, but the adjustment process is a familiar one. We have built expertise in this process, but now we are engaged in planning for VSS’ next phase. We are very excited with this initial collaboration with VISTA as a partner in VSS’ development efforts of building its internal and external capacities. We are collaborating in activities such as strategic planning, fundraising, and program planning, among others. This process will help VSS continue to be a strong, valued, and respected service provider in the great State of Minnesota. Organizational Summary: Vietnamese Social Services is a direct service organization, serving low income families, welcoming newly arrived immigrant and refugees, and supporting youth, adults, and seniors on their journey as new Americans. Each year, we reach nearly 4,500 program participants. Most are Karen (65%) and Vietnamese (25%) refugees and immigrants. The remaining group (10%) is composed of Burmese, Somali, and Laotian. All are residents of the 7-county metro area.