YMCA Vietnam
If you are a Vietnamese-American, it's very likely that the YMCA has touched your life or your family's -- perhaps without your realizing it.
As more and more South Vietnamese became refugees of the war in the late 1960s, YMCA World Service came to their aid in refugee camps and resettlement villages. Volunteers emphasized rehabilitation services for the war-weary, homeless, young people.
After seven years, a million refugees became two million, requiring an emergency effort. YMCA World Service established the Indo-China Emergency Fund to help finance this huge undertaking. Volunteers worked to feed the many lost and orphaned children.
At one point, a thousand children were cared for in an abandoned warehouse. Phu Van was a typical camp temporarily housing over 32,000 refugees, and the YMCA established a grade school there for over a thousand children.
Four main locations in the U.S. were set up to handle the swell of Vietnamese refugees. Elgin Air Force Base in Florida was typical. The YMCA processed almost every refugee coming in. At all locations, it established courses, such as home economics, handicrafts and learning about American culture. If you were a refugee, you probably began learning English from a YMCA volunteer teacher.
To relieve the boredom of camp life for youngsters, the YMCA organized recreational programs, entertainment and many other events. At Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, refugees watched movies in a makeshift 1,000-seat theater. A circus was brought in to entertain at Camp Pendleton, California.
A major problem was finding the required sponsors that would enable the refugees to permanently enter American life. The YMCA began a drive throughout its branches to aid in this effort, and many local YMCAs themselves became sponsors. Perhaps a YMCA sponsored you or someone you know.
YMCA World Service is ready to serve whenever needed. Staff and volunteers continue the legacy of compassion for others, supporting the needs of people around the world, to reach their fullest potential.