For Immediate Release | Contact: Shandon Phan, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

February 03, 2010, Falls Church, Virginia – BPSOS enters its 4^th decade of operation with a new name, new mission, and new priorities.

Formerly Boat People S.O.S., the organization has changed its name to BPSOS to reflect its new mission, which is to “empower, organize, and equip Vietnamese individuals and communities in their pursuit of liberty and dignity.”

“The new name BPSOS connects our inspirational founding, core values, and record of service to the Vietnamese American community during the past thirty years with a new strategic vision of development for the next decade,” said Tuyet Duong, BPSOS’ Board Chair.

With the new mission, BPSOS will reach beyond refugees and immigrants with needs and tap into Vietnamese Americans with resources, talents, and commitment to community service.

The year 2010 marks the beginning of BPSOS’ 4th decade of existence, which coincides with 35 years of the Vietnamese American history. Since its founding in 1980, BPSOS has not only brought tens of thousands of refugees, immigrants and persecuted political dissidents to freedom in America, but also contributed to the development of the Vietnamese American community.

“With our history of service, our team of capable and dedicated leaders, and a well organized network of branches across the U.S. and internationally, we aspire to transform the Vietnamese American community into one that is strong and influential and that can exercise its collective strength responsibly and contribute effectively to positive changes in America and in Vietnam,” stated Dr. Nguyen Dinh Thang, Executive Director of BPSOS.

The new 10-year strategic perspective is comprised of four key components:

• Foster a new culture of philanthropy that addresses the critical and long-term needs of the Vietnamese American community as well as the development of civil society in Vietnam;
• Engage community members from all sectors, each contributing in his/her own way, and mobilize their support behind specific initiatives;
• Organize the community into organizations and grassroots networks; and
• Train effective and ethical community leaders. 

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 Founded in 1980, BPSOS is a national Vietnamese-American community-based organization operating at 17 locations across the United States and two locations in Southeast Asia.The nonprofit’s program areas include direct services, advocacy, media, community development, and research. For more information, visit www.bpsos.org.