June 22, 2010

30th Anniversary Festival & Community Resource Fair

Proudly sponsored by: Citi Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Earthquake and Structures, Inc. (ESI) The San Francisco Foundation

Lao Family Community Development, Inc.

Lao Family Community Development, Inc. 2325 East 12th Street, Oakland CA 94601 t: 510.533.8850 f: 510.533.1516 www.lfcd.org

Dear Friend of Lao Family,

Welcome! We are excited that you have joined us today as we commemorate Lao Family’s three decades of helping refugees, asylees, immigrants and other groups leave behind war, violence, poverty, and injustice in exchange for vibrant communities, strong families, and healthy and prosperous lives. Born from the Struggles of One Group, Growing to Provide Hope to Many Lao Family began when a small group of diverse tribal refugee families from Laos established regular meetings in a small apartment in Richmond, CA to help each other make the difficult shift to life in America during the late 1970’s. Early on, Lao Family learned that community action, civic participation, and strong partnerships based on shared values were crucial to realizing permanent transformation. As the world’s conflicts affected other nations, we opened our hearts, minds, and arms to communities such as the Vietnamese and Cambodian in the 1980’s, followed by Afghani, Bosnian, Russian and Ukrainian in the 1990’s, and expanding to include Latinos from Mexico, Central and South America, Africans and African-Americans and other diverse US nationals in the 2000’s, and today the Burmese and Bhutanese. During the last two years, we have experienced tremendous growth and diversity in service demand, growing from 10,000 to 15,000 clients annually. We have diversified our programming, funding, and management capacity to meet the challenges of the new service demands ranging from foreclosure assistance, provision of community meeting space, and job assistance unlike anytime before. We have truly become a diverse family speaking as many as 28 languages and reflecting the faces of the world right here in Northern California. Strong Partnerships Addressing Diverse Community Needs We have collaborated across sectors with government officials, public agencies, corporate and philanthropic partners, non-profit organizations and businesses, and a network of grassroots Mutual Assistance Associations (MAA’s) to build a full range of activities to address the multiple barriers that our clients face. With our partners’ investment and collaboration, we have grown to meet each new challenge as it arises, whether it is health scares, gang violence, welfare reform, new influxes of unexpected refugees, or economic crisis that threaten the well-being of our communities. Building a Brighter Future for the Next Generation We know we have made progress in positively impacting the lives of our community members. We witness it in former clients who have attained higher education, a fulfilling career, a safe and affordable home, a happy family, and a solid nest egg. Refugees, immigrants, and other disadvantaged groups are achieving high social goals and becoming naturalized citizens and active voters. Throughout the Bay Area and California they are becoming successful business owners and have begun to create jobs. We still believe in the American Dream because we have seen our clients improve their lives by seizing opportunities through hard work and good citizenship. We are ready to work together to plan and build a brighter future for our children. From our distinguished guests here today, we ask for your support and assistance in our efforts. Together we can become a vocal and visible force for progress in our communities while preserving the richness of our culture and identity. Your presence here today demonstrates that together we have the will and the way. Thank you for your support. Sincerely, Chaosarn S. Chao Kathy C. Rothberg Koy S. Jay Nai H. Phan President/ CEO and Co-founder Executive Director Board Co-Chair Board Co-Chair Lao Family Community Development, Inc. June 22, 2010

Welcome!

3:00pm Opening Remarks

Lion Dance National Anthem by Trevor Arceneaux Kathy Chao Rothberg, LFCD Executive Director Koy Jay, LFCD Board Co-Chair Kouichoy Saechao, President of IMANC/Board Chair LIMCA Dr. Shur Vang Vangyi, Former Executive Director, Lao Family Community, Inc. of Santa Anna

3:30pm Elected Officials

Iu Mien Blessing Ignacio De La Fuente, Oakland City Council Member Jean Quan, Oakland City Council Member Pat Kernighan, Oakland City Council Member Don Perata, Former California State Senator Wilma Chan, former Board Supervisor and CA Assemblywoman

4:00pm Lao Family Clients

East Bay Academy Children’s Dragon Dance Lao Family Clients’ Personal Stories

4:30pm Community Leaders

East Bay Academy Children’s Billy Jean John Tran, AC Social Service Agency and Refugee Forum David T. Lee, Chairman, IMANC, Portland, OR Roman Ramaso, Slavic Assistance Center-Sacramento Ananta Gurung, Bhutanese American Community Center Emilia Otero, Rising Sun Entrepreneurs

5:00pm County Perspective

Dance-A-Vision Entertainment, LLC., a hip-hop/jazz/afro performance Grupo Azteca Dance Performance Yolanda Baldovinos, Agency Director, Social Service Agency

5:30pm State and National

Refugee Leadership

Milton Yee, CA Refugee Program Bureau Eskinder Negash, Director of US Office of Refugee Resettlement

5:45pm Burmese Karen Cultural Dance, Bhutanese Cultural Dance, Vietnamese Dance Awards Presentation, Nai Phan, LFCD Board Co-chair

6:00pm Dinner Served/Raffle/Other Entertainment,

Lao Family Community Development’s 30th Anniversary Celebration Program

Eskinder Negash is the Director of Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), within the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ORR provides people in need, including refugees, asylees, Cuban/Haitian entrants, victims of human trafficking, unaccompanied alien children, and survivors of torture, with critical resources to assist them in becoming integrated members of American society. Since the formation of the Office of Refugee Resettlement in 1980, ORR has provided benefits and services to many of the 3 million refugees who have resettled in the U.S.

Mr. Negash brings nearly 30 years of experience working on behalf of refugees and immigrants, and managing non-profit social service agencies. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Negash served as the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the US Committee on Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), a non-governmental, not-for-profit international organization dedicated to addressing the needs and rights of persons in forced or voluntary migration worldwide. USCRI aims to advance fair and humane public policy, facilitate and provide direct professional services, and promote the full participation of migrants in community life with a network of through 35 social service agencies across the U.S. and overseas.

Before joining USCRI, Mr. Negash served as Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of the International Institute of Los Angeles for 15 years. Founded in 1914, the International Institute is a non-profit, public benefit organization whose mission is to help immigrants and refugees adapt to a new culture and become self sufficient. The International Institute’s programs include immigration, legal assistance, refugee resettlement and employment, pre-employment training, CALWORKs employment program, childcare, early childhood education, senior citizens’ services, and child nutrition programs.

Mr. Negash served as a board member with several non-profit organizations, including two years as chair of the Joint Voluntary Agencies Committee of California, chair of the California State Refugee Advisory Council, board member of Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), and chair of the Finance Committee.

Mr. Negash is a graduate of California State University, Los Angeles, CA.

Keynote Speaker- Eskinder Negash

Greeting Letter from Oakland’s Mayor

Resolution from Sacramento Mayor and City Council

Resolution from Sacramento Board of Supervisors

Greeting Letter from Assemblymember Swanson

Resolution from CA Legislature Assembly

Greeting Letter from Congresswoman Lee

Proclamation from Alameda County

Lao Family Community Development, Inc. is a

nonprofit community development agency founded in

1980 by a diverse group of tribal refugees from Laos. It

began as a Mutual Assistance Association (MAA) with

the goal of helping fellow community members rebuild

their lives in the Bay Area after escaping the political

and social upheaval that ravaged their homeland.

Today, 30 years later, we have grown from the three-

bedroom apartment in Richmond, CA, where we were

founded to a 30,000 square foot headquarter in the

San Antonio/Fruitvale district in Oakland and two

satellite offices where we serve Sacramento and

Contra Costa Counties. We are a diverse 50-person

organization serving over 15,000 clients each year in

28 languages. We offer assistance with economic

development, employment, housing, ESL classes,

financial and homeownership education, foreclosure

intervention, small business assistance, tax

preparation assistance, youth and senior programs,

Overview of Lao Family

special crime victim assistance, and cultural and

social adjustment for new immigrants and refugees.

We deliver our services in an integrated manner,

addressing clients’ needs from a comprehensive and

multi-angle service approach, partnering with many

in house programs and third party organizations.

Over the past three decades, our programs and

services have expanded and diversified to meet the

needs of the broader community, but our mission

remains true to the spirit of our founding:

We build healthy communities by helping

individuals and families achieve self-sufficiency.

Guatemala

Eritrea

Bosnia

Romania

United States

Columbia

Ukraine

1997 LFCD builds brand new 5,000 square foot com-munity and small business center in San Pablo.

1993 LFCD buys 2.5 acres of land in San Pablo, CA to build a 32 unit affordable housing devel-opment.

1996 US passes Welfare Reform requiring all immigrants and refugees to be-come citizens in order to receive public benefits.

1996 Lao Family operates 20 ongoing Citizenship ESL classes for immi-grants and refugees.

1992 LFCD receives first youth grant from City of Oakland and helps 1500 youth find summer employment.

1997-2004 LFCD leads a coali-tion of 13 agencies to provide ESL and Citizenship educa-tion and naturaliza-tion services across California.

1997-2009 LFCD serves as lead agency for CalWORKs in Alameda Coun-ty.

1977-1978 Lao Refugees meet in a 3 bedroom apart-ment in Rich-mond, CA to help each other find jobs, hous-ing, etc.

1980 Lao Family Com-munity of Bay Area (LFCBA) is formed under the umbrella of Lao Family Commu-nity Inc.

1982 LFCBA leads 500 people to Sacramento to ask lawmakers to include grass-roots groups in resettlement efforts.

1980 The Refu-gee Act was passed to systemati-cally resettle refugees in the United States.

1970-1975 Vietnam War escalates throughout Southeast Asia. The first Lao refu-gees arrive in the Bay Area.

1968 Two provinces in northern Laos are invaded by Com-munist forces, and tens of thousands flee through the jungle to Mekong River area.

1958 The “Secret War” begins in Laos between Communist forces from Vietnam and the Lao army with support from the US.

Eritrea

Bosnia

Romania

Russia

China

Burma

Vietnam

Laos

Iraq Bhutan

Cambodia

Afghanistan

Armenia Ukraine

1985 Lao Family Opens Oakland Office and receives grants from California and Ala-meda County for ESL and Social Ad-justment

1986 Lao Family starts to provide Employ-ment, ESL, and So-cial Adjustment ser-vices to new Afghan refugees in South Alameda County.

1990 State transfers management of resources to counties. LFCD gets contracts for Employment, OJT, and ESL.

1992 LFCD buys old church on 23rd Ave and Foothill Blvd in Oakland. Creates new of-fice and class-rooms.

1990 Lao Family Com-munity of the Bay Area (LFCBA) branches off to form new non-profit, Lao Family Community Development, Inc. (LFCD)

1983 LFCBA establishes first office in Rich-mond with a $5 tele-phone and a $25 typewriter from the Alameda flea mar-ket. Volunteers take turns to open office.

2000 LFCD leads CA Refugee Healthy Marriage Coalition with Sacra-mento Lao Family, Cambodian Assoc. of America in Long Beach, and Slavic Assistance Center and Vietnamese Community Develop-ment Inc. in Oakland.

2005 LFCD Open satellite office in Sacramento to serve Hmong, Rus-sian and Mien refugees.

2007-2008 LFCD buys dilapidated property in San Pablo to build new communi-ty center. Purchases 30,000 sqft former warehouse to expand main office in Oak-land.

2010 LFCD celebrates our 30th Anniversary.

2000 LFCD partners with EBALDC (and later EARN) to launch IDA matched sav-ings program.

2009 LFCD launches Building Bridges project to help newly arrived Burmese/ Bhu-tanese refugee population.

Comprehensive Services

Lao Family offers a comprehensive menu of workforce

development services that helps individuals secure and

retain employment and achieve self-sufficiency quickly.

Our Affiliate One-Stop Business & Career Centers in

Oakland and San Pablo provide an extensive range of

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and Employment

Development Department (EDD) services for those

seeking employment. Since our founding in 1980, we've

worked with, EASTBAY Works, CalWORKS, WIA Adult

Title I, Refugee Cash Assistance and General Assistance

Recipients. We also provide tax credit application

assistance to small and medium size businesses.

Job Training and Placement

Multi-lingual employment counselors evaluate and

provide customized support to job seekers with

language/cultural obstacles, limited education/job skills,

and experience. Support includes job-readiness skills,

coaching and problem solving around job-related and

family issues.

Job Readiness Training

We offer individualized job readiness training to help

clients gain an understanding of the soft and hard skills

necessary to successfully obtain and keep a job. Topics

include: work culture and ethics, interview techniques,

dressing for success, and basic computer skills. Clients

also learn how to create resumes, and seek and apply for

job openings, and are linked to Vocational and ESL

classes and the community college system, if needed.

Adult Employment

Financial Coaching

The Financial Coaching Program has expanded Lao

Family’s asset-building program by providing free one-on-

one coaching and counseling to assist low-income

families build assets and wealth. Through one-on-one

meetings with a financial coach, clients self-identify

financial goals such as establishing credit, reducing debt,

and saving for retirement and homeownership.

The financial coach works with clients to develop a

written action plan and supports them as they work

towards reaching their goals. The Financial Coaching

program seeks to:

Empower low-income clients to define financial goals for themselves and attain those goals

Change clients’ financial behaviors

Increase clients’ financial literacy

Improve clients’ financial condition

Build clients’ assets and wealth

Provide resources and referrals to clients

Act as a support to clients as they work to achieve their financial goals

Financial Education

Lao Family’s Asset Development Department provides

financial education through financial literacy workshops

and one-on-one financial counseling. The financial

education curriculum includes budgeting, money

management, building and repairing credit.

Financial Education

Multilingual Homeownership Center

Lao Family’s housing counseling services provide group

and one-on-one rental and first time homeownership

counseling. We work closely with non-profit developers,

city and county agencies, and select for-profit developers

to help our clients access affordable housing, mortgages

and financial products that are appropriate and

affordable for low-income individuals and families. Our

housing counselors provide pre-purchase workshops in

Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Spanish, and English.

Foreclosure Intervention Services

The housing and credit crisis has brought a marked

increase in demand for foreclosure counseling and

intervention services. We follow Neighborworks’

National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program

guidelines. Our highly individualized, language-

appropriate services range from exploring realistic

solutions with borrowers to reviewing and revising

household budgets to negotiating with lenders to modify

loans. Our foreclosure services provide homeowners

with unbiased, honest information about their options to

address their mortgage difficulties. Participants also

learn how to work with their bank or servicer, what the

foreclosure timeline is, and how to avoid scam artists

who promise to help homeowners in distress.

Housing Services

Lao Family’s Individual Development Account (IDA)

program enables refugees and asylees to establish

matched savings accounts and build assets which can be

used toward education and job training, first-time home

ownership, a car purchase, or small business

development. IDA participants learn about the US

banking and financial system and make monthly deposits

and attend financial education and asset specific

trainings,

In 2008 we launched a new partnership with the City of

Oakland to also serve low-income adults in Oakland.

Individual Development Accounts

Lao Family offers a variety of multilingual Social

Adjustment and Cultural Services that help new arrivals

with extremely limited English-speaking abilities

transition in their new lives in the United States.

These services include interpretation, translation,

immigration, and administrative support to help families

write letters or fill out forms to access low-cost utilities

and other crucial services such as:

Providing information about U.S. systems—from

public transit to paying bills to accessing financial

institutions

Enrolling children into the local school district

Helping individuals secure low cost or free healthcare

and a full-range of social services

Social Adjustment and Cultural Education

Learning English is the single most important step an

immigrant or refugee can take towards social and

economic self-sufficiency in the United States. It is

fundamental to finding, keeping, and excelling at a job,

daily functioning, and joining mainstream civic life.

Lao Family has provided survival level, basic, and

Citizenship ESL classes since the early 1990’s. At the peak

of our program, we filled 20 ESL Civics classes per week,

with each class containing a minimum of 30 students.

We partner with other experienced ESL providers to offer

courses customized to meet today’s situations and

clients’ needs including meeting the specific educational,

career, practical and cultural needs of students, and

deliver them in a supportive environment where

students also have access to a comprehensive set of

educational and self-sufficiency services that will help

them meet their responsibilities as new US citizens.

Many of our clients come from very rural agricultural

backgrounds with oral traditions and cannot read or

write in their own language, or are literate in languages

that do not share the Roman alphabet, so ESL education

is tailored to the needs of these clients starting with oral

learning techniques while simultaneously teaching

beginning ESL literacy, and moving through to more

advanced conversation-based program.

At a time when adult ESL programs across the state are

experiencing budget cuts, Lao Family is exploring new

ways to grow our program to meet the needs of our

clients.

English as a Second Language & Vocational ESL

Since 1996, LFCD has offered Citizenship Education and

Naturalization Application Services. From 1994 to 2005

when state funding expired, LFCD provided these services

to 600 to 850 individuals on an annual basis, and worked

with subcontractors to serve thousands of others. We

estimate our program directly assisted over 10,000

individuals in California. Even after funding expired, LFCD

continues to provide ESL education and naturalization

application assistance to 250 - 300 people a year.

Citizenship & Naturalization

The "Hand-to-Hand” Collaborative Home Visit Program

funded by First 5 Contra Costa County (CCC) partners

Lao Family with Aspiranet/Welcome Home Baby, Bay

Area Community Resources, and Neighborhood House

of North Richmond. Hand to Hand offers a

comprehensive home-visit program to help hard-to-

reach-and-underserved low-income Asian and African-

American expectant parents, families, and newborns

from West Contra Costa County (zip codes 94806,

94804, 94801) and helps them to raise healthy children

in a caring, loving, and safe home. Hand to Hand works

to engage and establishes connections built on trust in

order to:

Effect a positive, healthy pregnancy and birth

outcome

ntroduce parenting education through one-on-one

and peer support

Help shape nurturing relationships between parents

and children

Promote and transmit literacy in the family’s home

Create successful linkages to other family-

strengthening services and community referrals.

Hand to Hand Home Visit Program

The California Refugee Healthy Marriage Project is a

statewide collaborative project led by Lao Family and

involves three refugee community-based organizations

including Cambodian Association of America, Slavic

Assistance Center, and Vietnamese Community

Development, Inc. Previously a fourth organization was

also involved that served Sacramento’s Hmong

community. With a goal of promoting the maintenance

and preservation of stable marriages and family units in

the refugee community, the California Refugee Healthy

Marriage Project uses the Power of Two curriculum to

deliver culturally-sensitive education workshops and

activities to families struggling with the unique challenges

of integration and acculturation.

The California Refugee Healthy Marriage Project offers

assistance to couples (including pre-marriage) and families

that focuses on:

Developing, building, and maintaining strong and

satisfying marriages

Developing effective communication skills for anger

management, conflict resolution and negotiation skills

Marriage- and family-strengthening activities

Family financial literacy, management and budgeting,

and asset development

Effective parenting techniques and raising children in a

positive environment

California Refugee Healthy Marriage Coalition

Community estimates identify at least 450-500 Mien

seniors in Oakland who arrived with their families in the

early 1980’s as the last wave of post-Vietnam War

refugees. All with little or no English-speaking skills and

struggling with acculturation, these seniors are socially

isolated with only their immediate family and other Mien

community members available for support.

The Southeast Asian Seniors Program offers support and

resources to Lao, Mien and Vietnamese seniors to

promote their mental and physical health and address

the need for a social and emotional network to help

them feel connected to their communities as well as to

their increasingly Americanized families. Services

include:

Structured activities and local field trips

Educational workshops such as on how to open a

bank account, use public transit, register to vote, or

crime prevention

Celebrating special events such as Lao and

Vietnamese New Year

Intergenerational activities such as a luncheons with

their grandchildren

Social adjustment and translation/interpretation

services

Brown-Bag Program with the partnership of the

Alameda County Community Food Bank

Individual counseling and referral services.

Seniors

For 25 years, Lao Family’s Asian American Special Victim

Assistance Program, in partnership with the Governor’s

Office of Emergency Management Service, has been

providing responsive support to limited English-speaking

Southeast Asian crime victims in Alameda and Contra

Costa Counties. Helping new arrivals to rebuild their lives,

we expanded these services to Sacramento County in

2008. Bi-lingual counselors work closely with victims to

file crime reports and witness statements, process

paperwork with law agencies, and ensure the immediate

needs of the children and families of victims are

addressed. We have operating agreements with Contra

Costa, Alameda, and Sacramento County District Attorney

Offices and other community based organizations.

Specific services include:

Court-related support

Crisis prevention and intervention

Emergency services

Translation and interpretation

Assistance securing State compensation for victim’s family

Counseling services

Criminal justice support and advocacy

Community outreach and crime prevention education

Resource Referrals

Victim Assistance

Each year during the tax season, hundreds of individuals

and families come to Lao Family’s three offices for help

filing their taxes through the Volunteer Income Tax

Assistance Program (VITA). As partners with United Way

of the Bay Area and the Earn It! Keep It! $ave It!

program, our IRS-certified tax preparers assist low-

income families in several ways:

Help families identify and file tax credit claims, such

as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for those

earning low-to-moderate incomes, and the Child and

Dependent Care Tax Credits for those paying others

to look after their children or other dependents.

Help tax clients and new savers open a savings

account using their income tax and EITC refunds as

their initial deposit. This also provides an

opportunity to help guide positive money

management habits for the future.

Help tax clients access asset-building programs and resources available on-site such as the Individual Development Account (IDA) and Financial Education programs as well as through referral partners.

This program helps families save their hard-earned

dollars by identifying all they credits they qualify for and

avoid excessive tax prep fees and predatory tax return

advance loans with high interest rates. As well, it offers a

great opportunity for families to jumpstart their IDA and

other savings goals.

Tax Preparation Assistance

Lao Family has successfully served at-risk youth since 1982. In Oakland, we manage a year-round Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Youth Program, which delivers one-on-one employment and educational services for low-income youth. In 2009, we expanded the Year-Round Program to Sacramento. Our Summer Youth Employment Program serves 14-24 year olds in Oakland & Sacramento. Services include life skills training, occupational training, academic tutoring, college preparation, and real-world work experiences, all with a goal towards:

Increasing the likelihood youth graduate from high school or obtain a GED

Encouraging youth to pursue post-secondary education, either through vocational training programs, community or four-year colleges

Increasing the likelihood for sustained employment by building job readiness skills and financial literacy

Building leadership and civic participation, and increasing confidence

Since 1995, WIA Youth Program participants and youth program staff have coordinated the Annual Southeast Asian Youth Leadership Empowerment Conference each summer. Attended by over 100 youth of all ethnic backgrounds each year, the conference helps participants develop and put into practice leadership skills, identify academic and career goals, and access resources to direct them towards a successful future after high school. The conference offers an exceptional opportunity for a large, cross-cultural group to participate in open-minded exchanges of issues that can impact them today and tomorrow.

Youth Employment

My name is Toccara Grubbs. I’m 28 years old with a 4

year old son named James. I’m originally from San Fran-

cisco, but have been house hopping around the Bay

Area. I attended college at CSU, Sacramento. I dropped

out of school for financial reasons and moved back to

Richmond, CA to help out a family member.

Before I came to Lao Family, I was having problems

finding a job. I lost my previous job as a cake decorator

because it was beginning to be too physically demand-

ing for me and was taking a toll on my body. So I decid-

ed to seek employment in another field I had skills in,

the office. I had all the skills needed to obtain an entry

level office position, however no work experience.

I was in the CalWORKS Welfare-to-Work program. I

couldn’t find a job in the two week time span required

by the program so I was referred to Lao Family’s office

in San Pablo, because I had the skills but not the experi-

ence. There was no reason for me to take classes on

skills I already had.

I was placed into the CalWEX program and introduced

to Ms. Oleta Cook. I sat down with Ms. Cook and ex-

plained my situation. She explained the process of the

program, requested a copy of my resume and told me

TOCCARA GRUBBS

Client Profile

she would contact me when she is able to find a com-

pany for me to volunteer with. The next day I received

a call from Ms. Cook about an interview for an office

position in San Pablo.

After the interview I became a volunteer for Aspiranet’s

Hand-to-Hand program to help organize and assist in

the office in any way. After volunteering for about 2

months I was asked to be a temporary Admin Assistant

until their Admin Assistant returned from maternity

leave in 2 months. After the 2 months, Asprianet decid-

ed to extend my temp position. Then they extended it

again, then again, until finally towards the end of the

year I was asked to be a Part-time Admin. Assistant for

Aspiranet’s Hand-to-Hand program.

My life has gotten better. I was able to get out of the

CalWORKS program, pay off some of my debt and buy a

used car to help me run errands and transport my son

to preschool and child care. I have a flexible schedule

that allows me to go back to school and continue my

education. For the future I hope to have a Full-time

position as an Executive Admin Assistant or Office Man-

ager. I would also like to be able to afford my own

apartment and enjoy the time that I have with my son.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to show the skills that I

had and to prove that I could do the job and exceed

their expectations when given the chance.

I appreciate that there is an organization like Lao Family

that allows people who have the skills to shine and

show companies that they are overlooking hard-

working and determined people just because there

resumes don’t show specific work experience. I am also

very thankful that Aspiranet was willing to take a

chance with me. I hope I have opened the door for peo-

ple with similar situations.

Toccara at a Hand to Hand parent and child engagement event

how to greet people in an American way and talk in the

American style, and use different office equipment.

Finally when I graduated from the English center, I was

required to leave that Office Assistant position, and I

needed to find another job. I must have tried finding a

job by myself for three months before coming back to

Lao Family to seek help. When I came back, I met Yamu-

na, who was responsible for the refugee program.

When I talked to her, I found out that Lao Family was

hiring for a social adjustment or employment counselor

from the Bhutanese community. Per her suggestion, I

applied and was called for the interview, and I got it!

Now, I am hoping to go back to college, but I never want

to leave the job I have now! My goal since I was a child

was to serve the community. At Lao Family I can serve

my people and other people. Before I came, I didn’t

know anything. But now I am getting very much famil-

iar. I know how to talk to people and work with every-

thing that is given to me. With this knowledge I can give

orientation workshops to the people, and develop case

notes, and help them make a resume and get a job.

I feel very lucky when I see my seniors, brothers and

other relatives. There are at least 30,000 Bhutanese ref-

ugees who came to the USA, none of them have a job

like mine. My hope for those people is that they can

improve their lives and get a job that they want. I am

lucky because my job is to help them find it!

BHIM TIMISINA

Staff Profile

I was born in the southern Bhutan, a small country lo-

cated between India and China. Most southern Bhu-

tanese are Nepali speakers, and in 1990 the govern-

ment of Bhutan started evicting Nepali speaking Lhot-

shampa people out of the country because of fear of

upraising against the monarchy and rising concerns and

awareness of human rights among the illiterate people.

They tried to expel the Nepalese speakers to try to cre-

ate one nation with only one people. The Bhutan army

came to many southern Nepalese families’ houses and

made them sign papers and leave the country forceful-

ly. Our parents, along with approximately 100,000

Nepalese-speaking Bhutanese needed to flee the coun-

try. I was 7 years old. We camped at a refugee camp in

Eastern Nepal.

We spent about 18 years in the refugee camp. What

can I say? Life in the camp was totally sad- I mean mis-

erable! People in slums have a better life than people in

the camp. At least they have the right to move around.

Refugee people have to depend on someone else for

food, clothing, and shelter. It’s like life in prison. In

2007 when the US government decided to bring in

about 60,000 Bhutanese refugees, my family agreed

and accepted the option and we agreed to resettle in

America, because I learned that America is the land of

opportunity.

It wasn’t easy. During the time when we arrived, the

USA was greatly affected by the economic crisis. We

were supposed to be helped by *another agency+ to

find a job, and emergency shelter and food, but the

organization was greatly affected by the economic cri-

sis, they could not help us find employment.

I started walking around to find another career center

in my residential area. In January 2009 I heard about

Lao Family from my friend, and that they could help us

find job and had computers we could use. They helped

me develop my resume, and took me to some inter-

views..., but during the interview, I couldn’t really un-

derstand what they were saying, so I realized I needed

to study a little more English. *Lao Family staff+ suggest-

ed I go the English Center (a partner of Lao Family’s). I

completed 8 months English course at the English Cen-

ter. During that time, I got the opportunity to work

there as an office assistant through which I learned

Bhim teaches refugees how to prepare for employment.

Ph

oto

by Ju

dy G

iou

1980’s The Early Days

First Crim

inal Justi

ce worksho

p

1982 demonstration in Sacramento

Community Meeting

1980’s The Early Days

1990s– Building Leadership

Greeting wit

h the Cambod

ian Prime

Minister

Greeting Cam

bodia’s Prim

e Minister

New San Pabl

o Office

National con

vening of Mu

tual Assista

nce Associat

ions serving

refugees. Fu

nded by US O

ffice of Ref

ugee Resettl

ement.

Receiving Ap

preciation f

rom State

Refugee Prog

ram Bureau

National con

vening of Mu

tual Assista

nce Associat

ions serving

refugees. Fu

nded by US O

ffice of Ref

ugee Resettl

ement.

2000s– Serving New Communities

Tribun

e Arti

cle

25th Anniversary

2001– Yo

uth Conf

erence

IDA Program founde

d in 2000

Making Connections Oakland

2000s– Serving New Communities

2001– Yo

uth Conf

erence

Making Connections Oakland

Hand t

o Hand

2004 Senior Open

House

SANRC– Before the clean up

Architectural plans for new Oakland

Community Center Youth Center

Design Char

rette

2010– Community Input Meeting

2010’s– A Vision for

Neighborhood Community Building

San Pablo Community Center before

renovations

Lao Family continues to move forward

finding new and innovative ways to

transform blighted neighborhoods into

vibrant communities where families and

individuals can connect, learn and grow.

Join us in envisioning a brighter, healthier

future for our children.

Youth Center

Design Char

rette

(Since 2002)

Amy Lieu

Alejandra Guillen

Alexander Banh

Alfonso R. Murillo

Alison E. Young

Alzata Henderson

Andrey Pryadko

Anh Hong Lam

Anh Le Phan (Lyndi)

Anhtram Nguyen Tran

Aye Aye Thaw

Azer Tankovic

Ballav Poudyel

Bhim R. Timsina

Brian Adkins

Bryan S. Kirkpatrick

Bunreth Ou

Candra Harvey

Carolina Aguyo

Caroline D. Hong

Cha S Xiong

Chan F. Saechao

Chan T. Tern

Chanorn Lee

Chaosarn S. Chao

Chau M. Cao

Cheng S. Saechao

Cheo F Lee

Chery Cheung

Chinh M. Cao

Chio S. Saephan

Chouan Sengsiri

Christina H. Luu

Claudia Lepe De Rosales

Dana L. Ecelberger

Dene D. Souvannasane

Don W. Curtis

Dorely Bernardez

Dorothy Paul

Dung K. Nguyen

Dung L. Ly

Edvin Vehabovic

Evelyn M. Pena

Fahm S. Saechao

Fatima H. Bailey

Francoise G. Chao

Frank Binder

Genella T. Lintao

George So

Gloria E. Vargas

Grana Haidari

Hieu T. Nguyen

Irma D. Beltrain

Jacqueline Rickman

Jasmine R. Edwards

Jennie Mollica

Jennifer R. Mayman

Jianping Yi

Jin Hua Su

Joanna Arhon

John C. Chao

John Sooksampan

Jorge Ramirez

Joyce Pisnanont

Juana E Tang

Judy N. Chan

Kao C. Saephanh

Kao W Saevang

Karen K. Lee

Kate Saechao

Katherine F. Foley

Kathy Chao

Kedija Abdu

Ken Wu

Kent Kinh Trinh

Kentra S. Fuqua

Kevin Khoa Nguyen

Khamdaeng Ounniyom

Khanmalee Rattanasith

Kiersten A. Figurski

Kim T. Ly

Ky Sundara

La Thongvanh

Lai C. Saechao

Lai Hinh Saelee

Larisa Samoylovich

Latonya L. Young

Laura Godinez Avalos

Laura J. Mcnair

Laura Lepe

Le T. Duong

Linda N. Chao

Luis I Del Muro

Mai N. Tu

Mai T. Quach

Maichew Chao

Marcos S. Uribe

Maria D. Campos

Mariatu A. Sesay

Martha Rodriguez

Mary A. Fuller

Marzia Mujaddide

Meemee Khine

Meghana S. Kamdar

Meuy C. Saelee

Meuy J. Saechao

Meuy Phan

Meuy Y. Saephan

Michael J. Goldberg

Mina H Tonnu

Mounghinh Saechao

Muang C Saephan

Muang L Saechao

Muang S. Saechao

My M. Tran

Nagwa K Salih

Nai H. Saelee

Naiyian Saelee

Nancy E. Yamamoto

Naomi P. Wood

Napaporn Limopasmanee

Narine Avagyan

Nga T. Dang

Oleta Cook

Oun Khamvanhthong

Pheakthra K. Yim

Phi C. Le

Phillip Hong

Phung T. Le

Pilar Beccar Varela

Qu Santikham

Quinetta D. Lewis

Rajendra K. Lama

Ratt Chanthavong

Ray T. Soungpanya

Rita Jones

Salai Tluang Vellian

Samantha B. Miller

Samuel V. Mora Sr

Sary Tatpaporn

Sarah A. Benjamin

Sean P. Coffey

Sharhonda T. King

Sinian X. Keramati

Sitha Sim

Su G. Dung

Susan E. Smith

Sylvia Kong

Tafoo Saechao

Tanya Voqui

Teresa Nguyen

Thai Vue

Thanh L. Ahlfenger

Thao H. Pham

Thao T. Tran

Thong Ly

Thuan T. Nguyen

Tien X. Vo

Tikillah T. Reynolds

Tom T. Doan

Tori E Barnes

Tracie N. Wilson

Tracy M. Vo

Vanna Khamvanthong

Vanphone Anlavan

Vern Choy Phan

Vilai Phuthama

Waverley C. Lee

Wern Z. Phongsirikul

Wilfredo E. Briones

Xiomara Abdellatif

Xue E. Liang

Yamuna P. Poudyal

Yao F. Saephan

Zabihalla Sidiqi

Zhanna Marchak

Thanks to all Lao Family Staff, Past and Present

Thanks to all Board Members and Advisors, Past and Present

Current Members:

Nai Hang Phan, Co-Chair

Koy S. Jay, Co-Chair

Seng Lor Saelee , Secretary

Sharon Chao, Treasurer

Fou One Phan

Federal Agencies Federal HHS/ACF/Children's Bureau Federal HHS/ACF/ORR Federal-HHS/OCS/Economic Development Federal HHS/URCED/OCS Federal Housing and Urban Development Dept. State Agencies CA State Department of Community Service CA State-Governor's Office-Cal EMA CA State-Department of Education CA State Department of Health CA-State Department of Labor-EDD CA State-Department of Social Services County Agencies Alameda County Community Food Bank Alameda County Public Health Dept. Alameda County Social Service Agency Alameda County Waste Management Authority Contra Costa County Employment and Human Service Dept. Contra Costa County CDBG First Five Alameda County First Five Contra Costa County Sacramento Employment Training Agency City Agencies City of Richmond City of Oakland Oakland Private Industry Council City Of San Pablo Oakland Housing Authority Private/Corporate/Family Foundations/Others Alba Witkin Trust Funds Annie E. Casey Foundation Aspiranet, Inc. The Asian Foundation The Asian Pacific Fund California School Age Consortium CANFIT

The California Endowment The California Reinvestment Coalition Chevron Corporation Citigroup Foundation Consumer Action Community Health for Asian Americans (formerly APPS) East Bay Community Foundation East Bay Asian Local Development, Inc. Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Foundation Fannie Mae Foundation Freddie Mac Friedman Family Foundation Fruitvale Elementary School Individual Donors Janus Foundation JP Morgan Chase Lease Purchase Solutions Foundation LISC Bay Area National Congress for Community Economic Development National Council of La Raza NCDI Making Connection Oakland Oakland Association of Realtors Oakland Ready to Learn Oakland Unified School District Orange County Asian Pacific Islander Community Alliance SH Cowell Foundation San Francisco Foundation Sierra Health Foundation State Street Foundation STAND! Against Domestic Violence Thomas J. Long Foundation U.S. Bank Foundation United Way of Bay Area Urban Strategies Youth Uprising Van LobenSels/RembeRock Foundation Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation Walter & Elise Haas Foundation Washington Mutual Bank Foundation Wells Fargo Foundation

Thanks to Donors and Partners, Past and Present

Government $ 2,325,745

Foundations 575,167

Individual Donors 22,606

Rent, Interest, Misc, and In-kind 157,798

Total $3,081,316

Income Expenses Program $2,568,420

Management and General $309,719

Total $2,878,139

Net Surplus $203,177

For information regarding Lao Family Community Development, Inc.'s completed financial statements for Year Ending December 31, 2009 audited by Keller and Associates, LLP and Form 990, please contact Lao Family's Executive Director.

Statement of Financial Position (Year ending Dec 31, 2009)

New York Life Is Hiring

Managers and Agents

New York Life Insurance Company, a Fortune 100 Company

and the largest mutual life insurance and financial services

company in the United States, is hiring partners and agents.

The Company provides comprehensive, continued training,

competitive compensation and benefit, and strong support

to the sales force. Candidates should be fluent in English,

have strong interpersonal skills and be able to furnish us with

proof of their ability to lawfully work in the U.S.

If you are interested, please contact: Cindy Ngai

Address: 1300 S El Camino Real #400

San Mateo, CA 94402

Tel: 650-278-2889 (c)

650-513-3206 (o)

Fax: 650-358-9808

E-mail: ccngai@ft.newyorklife.com

EOE M/F/D/V

Congratulations on the 30th Anniversary of

Lao Family Community Development!

It is a great source of pleasure and pride for you to

have reached this milestone in your long history.

We wish LFCD continued prosperity for another 30

years and are extremely proud to be a supporter of

your mission which impacts lives on a daily basis.

Dallas Hewett

Non-Profit & Private Practice Leader

Snapp & Associates Insurance Services

Stride Center

Reliatech

Special Thanks to our Generous Sponsors

Platinum Sponsor

Anonymous

Gold Sponsor

Community Leaders

Community Sponsors

Aerotek OneCalifornia Bank

Sou Lee at New York Life

Community Supporters East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC)

The Stride Center / ReliaTech Snapp & Associates

The team at www.psprint.com for customer services that goes above and beyond. Judy Guiao and Breck Sargent for their beautiful photographs of our clients

All today’s speakers and performers for their kind support. All Lao Family Staff and Volunteers who worked so hard on this event

All our individual donors who make our work possible!

Additional Thanks