Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association Inc

THE ASSOCIATION OF VIETNAMESE AMERICANS (AVA) IS DEDICATED TO ADVANCING THE VIETNAMESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN THE WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA. AVA'S THREE PRIMARY GOALS ARE TO: 1. EMPOWER FAMILIES AND SENIORS BY PROVIDING LINGUISTICALLY AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE DIRECT SERVICES AND ACCESS TO GOVERNMENTAL AND PRIVATE PROGRAMS; 2. ADVOCATE FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC EQUALITY BY BUILDING AWARENESS, CAPACITY AND SOLIDARITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY; AND 3. UNIFY MULTIPLE GENERATIONS OF VIETNAMESE AMERICANS BY PROMOTING CULTURAL TRADITIONS, HISTORY, ART AND LANGUAGE.

DIRECT SERVICES:AVA SEEKS TO EMPOWER LOW-INCOME FAMILIES AND SENIORS THROUGH DIRECT SERVICES AND BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE PROGRAMS. SUCH SERVICES INCLUDE TRANSLATION ASSISTANCE AND IMMIGRATION SUPPORT. ONE SUCH PROGRAM IS THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (ACA) OUTREACH PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES EDUCATION AND ASSISTANCE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS REGARDING ENROLLMENT INTO AND RENEWAL OF HEALTH CARE INSURANCE COVERAGE UNDER THE ACA.ADDITIONALLY, AVA SPONSORS THE GOLDEN AGE OF SENIORS (GAPS) PROGRAM, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO HELP VIETNAMESE SENIORS LEAD HAPPY AND INDEPENDENT LIVES BY MAKING SURE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, SOCIAL SERVICES, AND RECREATIONAL RESOURCES THAT THEY OTHERWISE MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO DUE TO LANGUAGE BARRIERS.

EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AWARENESS: ONE OF THE MAJOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY AVA IS THE VIETNAMESE PARENTING ENRICHMENT PROJECT (VPEP). VPEP IS A PROGRAM THAT WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOW-INCOME PARENTS TO ENSURE THE WELL-BEING OF THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. AVA'S GOAL IS TO EMPOWER PARENTS TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. A WELL ESTABLISHED BODY OF LITERATURE SUPPORTS THE IDEA THAT WHEN PARENTS ARE INVOLVED AND ENGAGED IN THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION, CHILDREN HAVE HIGHER GRADES, INCREASED MOTIVATION, BETTER SELF-ESTEEM, DECREASED SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND GREATER ENROLLMENT RATES IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION (COLLEGE). HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PARTICIPATION AMONG LOW-INCOME VIETNAMESE PARENTS IS POOR. THIS PROGRAM BRIDGES THE PROBLEM BY STRENGTHENING FAMILIES' CAPACITIES AND FOSTERING STRONGER EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR CHILDREN. AVA PROVIDES BI-WEEKLY HOME VISITS THAT FOLLOW A STRUCTURED CURRICULUM FOR PARENTS. THE CURRICULUM COVERS SUCH THINGS AS HOW TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR CHILD'S TEACHER, HOW TO READ AND UNDERSTAND REPORT CARDS, HOW TO PROMOTE HEALTHY DIETS AND BEHAVIORS, AND HOW TO SUPPORT HEALTHY SANITATION PRACTICES. FURTHERMORE, AVA HOSTS THREE PARENTING WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.ADDITIONALLY, AVA HOSTS TWO ANNUAL EVENTS. THE FIRST IS THE LUNAR NEW YEAR (TET) FESTIVAL WHICH PROMOTES THE VIETNAMESE CULTURE AND UNITES THE VIETNAMESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY THOUGH EDUCATIONAL AND INTER-GENERATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS. THE SECOND IS AN ANNUAL SUMMER ACADEMIC COMMUNITY PICNIC DESIGNED TO UNIFY MULTIPLE GENERATIONS OF VIETNAMESE AMERICANS BY PROMOTING CULTURAL TRADITIONS, HISTORY, ART, AND LANGUAGE, IN ADDITION TO BUILDING AWARENESS, CAPACITY AND SOLIDARITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.