Make $200K, give away $106,000

The Bolsavik once briefly mentioned that the UVSA of Southern California (Union of Vietnamese Student Associations; Vietnamese: Tong Hoi Sinh Vien) is a well-regarded community groups, nicely endowed thanks to the success of its Tet Festivals.

The UVSA’s success breeds detractors. Jealous “leaders” of the community tried to paint the UVSA as not actively helping out with their protests. The UVSA’s press release now features a yellow band with three red stripes.

Anyway, so every year the UVSA — which is an umbrella organization of the Vietnam Student Associations at colleges and universities in Southern California — organizes the Tet Festival in Garden Grove, and then donates back 50% of all its profit.

The UVSA has a 5-year contract with the City of Garden Grove which expired with the Year of the Rat 2008′s festival in February.

This year, according to a press release put out by the UVSA, they donated $106,000. Over the five-year life of the contract, the UVSA has donated more than $800k.

For the list of all recipients of grants from UVSA since 2004, click here for the PDF. If you’re familiar with the names in Little Saigon, you’ll see that it represents a pretty good cross-section of community groups in Little Saigon, from old-time military groups to service organizations.

Here’s the text of the press release:

UVSA GIVES BACK $106,000 TO COMMUNITY

Garden Grove, CA – Today, the Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Southern California (UVSA) announces the recipients of “UVSA Tet Festival 2008 Community Assistance Fund.”  A total of $106,000 was given out to 96 community organizations throughout Southern California (see list attached).

Since 1982, UVSA has been organizing the Tet Festival in Little Saigon, providing an opportunity for the Vietnamese American community in Southern California to celebrate the Vietnamese Lunar New Year.  In 2002, UVSA established a Community Assistance Fund whereas 50% of the net proceeds from each year’s Tet Festival would go back to the community by means of grants.  All non-profit, non-political organizations are eligible to apply for this grant, with priority given to organizations which serve communities in Little Saigon and throughout Southern California.  From 2002-2008, UVSA has given back more than $806,000.

Each year, the Tet Festival draws in about 100,000 visitors throughout California and the United States with more than 300 vendor and sponsor booths.  More importantly, the festival emphasizes on promoting Vietnamese culture and tradition with special features such as Vietnamese cultural village, traditional royal court procession, Vietnamese wedding, and cultural performances.  Over the course of six months, more than 200 volunteers and 30 community organizations came together to put on this 3-day event that has truly become a community festival.

For many years, the Vietnamese American community has been discussing about the need for a community center in Little Saigon.  This year, in addition to allocating 50% of net proceeds from the Tet Festival to the Community Assistance Fund, UVSA has decided to donate $30,000 from its own operational budget as seed money to go toward the funding for this community center. 

Since 2002, UVSA has been hosting Tet Festival at Garden Grove Park and the current 5-year contract between UVSA and the City of Garden Grove has expired with Tet Festival 2008.  UVSA has entered into the process of renewing the contract with the City of Garden Grove and we hope to have the continued support of the city and the community.

As a non-profit, non-partisan, community-based organization, UVSA was founded in 1982 as a mean for youths to organize socially and politically within the local community.  UVSA exists to advocate for the educational, social, political, and cultural welfare of the Vietnamese American community.  Currently, UVSA represents VSAs from 13 universities and 20 high schools throughout Southern California.  For more information, visit our website at www.UVSA.org.