“Lend A Hand (Vietnamese Youth Organization Foundation)” is a non-political organization solidly built based on volunteering. When we are volunteering, these needy children are in our minds, thoughts, and hearts. We know that every dollar made will be spent wisely toward these impoverished children. The respect and feelings one gets from doing the impossible to help these unfortunate children are simply indescribable.

The majority of Lend A Hand members are students from the Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions, a nationally and internationally recognized school for its academic excellence. Within Lend A Hand, 8 members have been accepted to an elite, early acceptance program to medical school with scholarships for college and medical school. We have 2 students in medical school and 1 student in graduate school. One of our members was named National Merit Scholar, a very highly respected academic scholarship for high school students. In addition, Lend A Hand is the creator of “The Road to Medical School” seminar benefiting students around the Houston area interested in medicine. We promote leadership skills in each of our members, as well as enhancing the knowledge of our Vietnamese culture.

Lend A Hand has done numerous things benefiting the Houston community. Lend A Hand teamed up with Phap Luan Lion Dance team and raised roughly $5,000 for Tsunami victims within one day. We also put out many efforts for “The Walk For Tsunami.” We contributed many daily used items to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina as well as volunteering our time to help fill out paperwork. Lend A Hand hosted a joint banquet with the collaboration of 10 other organizations around Houston including Hope Initiative and Good Tiding Charity to raise funds for Typhoon Xangsane and Typhoon Durian in Vietnam. We have personally traveled to and helped over hundreds of needy families and orphanages in the rural area near: Hue, Da Nang, Quang Tri, Long Hai-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Saigon, Tien Giang, Can Gio, Bien Hoa, Go Vap, Long An, My Tho, Long Xuyen, Can Tho, Ca Mau, Dat Mui, Kien Giang. We have even traveled to the mountain area of A. Doc and A. Luoi to help people that lives 500m above sea level. We have also provided over 1,000 full scholarships (with food & housing included for those who live far) for impoverished students in the rural area. We also funded 100% of the costs for two kids' open heart surgery in order to save their lives before it was too late.

Lend A Hand raises money through ways of performing the Traditional Lion Dance, Cultural Dances, Vietnamese/Chinese Martial Arts, and hosting annual banquets. Every single dollar made will benefit the needy children in Vietnam with clothing, shelter, food, education, and surgeries. Lend A Hand is not viewed as an organization, but as a family, to members in the group due to the sincere, honesty, and caring relationship toward each other. We believe that, together, we will help each other succeed through the rigorous road of becoming a professional in life as well as help many impoverished and less fortunate families back in our motherland.