Friends of Hue

Áo Dài Festival

FriendsofHue — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:55:06 +0000

Áo Dài Festival

Jenny Do and Dan Do, as part of Friends of Hue Foundation, founded Áo Dài Festival in 2011 to help celebrate Vietnamese culture, art, heritage, and fashion. Since 2024, the festival is no longer part of FHF and functions as its own entity under the Áo Dài Festival. However, FHF still promotes the event to help continue its legacy.

Since 2011, the festival has grown into a beloved event, with May 15th officially declared Áo Dài Day in San Jose in 2016. It showcases world-class Vietnamese artists and serves as a vibrant expression of identity, pride, and cultural connection, while also raising awareness of FHF’s mission and work.

Visit Áo Dài Festival’s Facebook page and Instagram to learn more about the program.

Festival Highlights

Celebration of Vietnamese Heritage
Elegant Áo Dài Runway Shows
Live Music and Cultural Performances
Immersive Cultural Experiences
Vibrant Community Marketplace
Family-Friendly Festival Atmospher

Áo Dài Festival 8: Garden of Dreams

Step into a world of beauty, culture, and celebration at Áo Dài Festival 8: Garden of Dreams — happening on May 24, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in San Jose.

You’re warmly invited to experience a day where Vietnamese heritage comes alive through flowing Áo Dài runway showcases by renowned designers, captivating live performances, and immersive cultural exhibits. Wander through a vibrant community marketplace, enjoy family-friendly activities, and capture unforgettable moments in a setting designed for connection and inspiration.

Whether you come for the fashion, the music, the culture, or the community — this is a space to celebrate identity, honor tradition, and share in something truly special.

Get your tickets: https://ADF8.eventbrite.com
Learn more: https://aodaifestival.net

Come celebrate, connect, and be part of the dream.

The Áo Dài Festival in San Jose is a vibrant celebration of Vietnamese culture, artistry, and heritage, co-founded by Friends of Hue. Since its inception in 2011, the festival has blossomed into a cherished community tradition, with May 15th officially recognized as Áo Dài Day in San Jose.

Bringing together acclaimed Vietnamese artists, designers, musicians, dancers, poets, and performers, the festival is a living tapestry of expression — where tradition meets modern identity, and generations are connected through shared pride and cultural memory. It stands as both a tribute to the past and a celebration of the present.

While not funded by Friends of Hue, the organization plays an integral role in shaping and sustaining the festival’s spirit — fostering community connection, amplifying cultural identity, and deepening awareness of FHF’s mission across Vietnam and the Bay Area.

CERT Participation

FriendsofHue — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:41:41 +0000

CERT Participation

FHF participated in the Vietnamese Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program, training community volunteers in emergency preparedness. The team was equipped to assist during natural disasters and continued to provide support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

CERT Training Skills

Fire safety training
Light search and rescue operations
Disaster medical operations
Team organization and psychology

Community Emergency Preparedness

The CERT program trained community volunteers with essential emergency response skills. Participants completed a comprehensive 7-session training program covering Disaster Preparedness, Small Fire Suppression, Medical Operations I and II, Light Search and Rescue, Psychology and Team Organization, and a Course Review with Disaster Simulation.

These trained volunteers were equipped to assist first responders during natural disasters and other emergencies, strengthening the overall resilience of the Vietnamese American community in San Jose.

Pandemic Response

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the CERT team adapted their skills to assist during the public health emergency. The team provided outreach and support to the community, leveraging their training in emergency response to help coordinate relief efforts.

The CERT program demonstrated the importance of community preparedness and the value of having trained volunteers ready to respond when disaster strikes.

Support This Program

While this program has concluded, your donation helps FHF continue serving our community through other vital programs.

COVID-19 Support

FriendsofHue — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 16:03:17 +0000

COVID-19 Support

FHF was considered one of the most active nonprofits in the Bay Area during 2020. As a COVID-19 Outreach Partner of the Santa Clara County Public Health Emergency Operation Center, FHF leveraged its strong presence and trusted voice in the community to mobilize support for those most affected by the pandemic.

FHF distributed over $60,000 in financial aid to San José residents and provided assistance for housing, unemployment, and small business loan applications.

Pandemic Response Impact

Over $60,000 in financial aid distributed
Over 100,000 PPEs provided to frontline healthcare workers
Over 20,000 hot meals served
Over 1,000 emergency kits supplied to homeless individuals
Food assistance for over 200 low income seniors
30-member Certified Emergency Response Team

PPEs for Emergency Workers

FHF teamed with Metta for Life Foundation to secure and distribute over 40,000 PPEs including hand sanitizer, N-95 and surgical masks, hospital gowns, facial shields, and diapers. In total, FHF provided over 100,000 PPEs — including more than 10,000 N-95 masks — to frontline healthcare workers in the Bay Area during the most critical period of the pandemic when there was a massive shortage.

Emergency Kits and Community Support

FHF supplied over 1,000 emergency kits to homeless individuals to keep them safe with funding from city and corporate grants. FHF also worked with local restaurants to secure hot meals for the homeless at various concentration points, including homeless encampments, in San Jose.

FHF’s 30-member Certified Emergency Response Team, trained and certified under the city emergency response program, provided ongoing outreach to support first responders and city emergency centers throughout the pandemic.

Food Assistance for Seniors

We also launched the Food Assistance for Seniors Program to provide relief to over 200 low income seniors who lacked access to food and financial support. FHF worked with Second Harvest Food Bank and several Asian markets to procure food and supplies for program recipients.

FHF served about 50 families weekly during lockdown with survival kits and meals. In addition, FHF served over 20,000 hot meals in collaboration with a faith-based organization.

Support This Program

While this program has concluded, your donation helps FHF continue serving our community through other vital programs.

Rent Relief

FriendsofHue — Sun, 22 Mar 2026 07:38:58 +0000

Rent Relief

The Rent Relief program assisted low-income households with past due payments accumulated during the pandemic, helping prevent families from becoming homeless during one of the most challenging economic periods in recent history.

FHF helped Vietnamese and other ethnic communities navigate the State and Santa Clara County Rent Relief system and submit applications, ensuring that language barriers did not prevent families from accessing the help they needed.

How We Support Our Elders

COVID-19 Rent Relief Support
Preventing Evictions and Homelessness
Helping Families Access Aid
Breaking Language Barriers
Restoring Stability for Families

Navigating the System

Many low-income families, particularly those in immigrant communities, faced significant barriers when trying to access government rent relief programs. Language barriers, unfamiliarity with the application process, and lack of documentation made it difficult for families to get the help they needed.

FHF stepped in to bridge this gap, providing multilingual assistance to help Vietnamese and other ethnic communities navigate the State and Santa Clara County Rent Relief system. Our team helped families understand their eligibility, gather required documentation, and submit their applications.

Preventing Homelessness

The primary goal of the Rent Relief program was to prevent low-income families from becoming homeless. By helping families access rent relief funds to cover past due payments, FHF helped ensure that families could remain in their homes during the pandemic.

This program was part of FHF’s broader commitment to housing stability in the Santa Clara County community, working alongside other housing assistance programs to create a safety net for vulnerable families.

Support This Program

While this program has concluded, your donation helps FHF continue serving our community through other vital programs.

Winter Jacket Drive

FriendsofHue — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:28:57 +0000

Winter Jacket Drive

The Winter Jacket Drive collected and distributed warm jackets to families and individuals in need during the winter months. This seasonal program ensured that vulnerable community members stayed warm during cold weather.

How We Support Our Community

Warmth Through Community Effort
Compassionate Grassroots Action
Supporting Vulnerable Communities
Volunteer and Donor Mobilization

Each winter, Friends of Hue organized a jacket drive to collect and distribute warm clothing to low-income families, seniors, and homeless individuals in the San Jose area. The drive brought the community together — donors, volunteers, and recipients — in a simple but meaningful act of warmth and care.

Collected jackets were sorted, cleaned, and distributed at community events and through partner organizations, ensuring that those most vulnerable to cold weather had what they needed to stay safe and warm through the winter months.

The Winter Jacket Drive exemplified FHF’s grassroots approach to community service — mobilizing volunteers and donors to address immediate, practical needs with compassion

Support This Program

While this program has concluded, your donation helps FHF continue serving our community through other vital programs.

Flood Relief – San Jose

FriendsofHue — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:54:15 +0000

Flood Relief — San Jose

In February 2017, the Coyote Creek flood struck San Jose, submerging hundreds of homes, displacing over 14,000 residents, and causing millions of dollars in damage. FHF was one of the first community-based organizations to respond to the flood with relief efforts.

Working alongside the Consortium Asian Americans Recovery Resilience (CARR), FHF provided food, emergency shelter, and recovery services to affected families, and continued outreach to affected communities for years after the disaster.

How We Support Our Community

Rapid Emergency Flood Response
Support for Displaced Families
Advocacy for Affected Communities
Access to Recovery Resources
Strengthening Future Preparedness

In February 2017, the Coyote Creek flood submerged hundreds of San Jose homes, displaced over 14,000 residents, and caused millions of dollars in damage. Friends of Hue, in partnership with the Consortium of Asian Americans Recovery Resilience, was among the first organizations to respond — providing food, emergency shelter, and direct assistance to affected families.

FHF also helped flood victims and their families pursue accountability from government entities responsible for flood warnings and community protection. The organization served as an advocate and resource navigator, ensuring that Vietnamese and other ethnic minority residents had access to recovery services.

Even years after the disaster, FHF continued to engage with affected communities — listening, learning, and working to improve disaster preparedness for future events.

Support This Program

While this program has concluded, your donation helps FHF continue serving our community through other vital programs.

Well with Cancer

FriendsofHue — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 13:54:54 +0000

Well With Cancer

The Well with Cancer Program was initiated by Friends of Hue’s beloved late Executive Director, Jenny Do, inspired by her own personal battle with cancer. Through her firsthand experience, Jenny recognized the challenges many Vietnamese families faced navigating the healthcare system — particularly language barriers, cultural stigma, and limited access to reliable information.

The program provided Vietnamese community members in the Bay Area with connections to medical resources, translation assistance, financial aid information, and emotional support networks. Through volunteers and community partners, patients and their families received guidance, companionship, and culturally sensitive support during a deeply difficult time. The initiative reflects Jenny’s legacy and Friends of Hue’s commitment to advancing health equity within underserved communities.

The Well with Cancer program provided support and resources to Vietnamese community members in the Bay Area facing cancer diagnoses. Friends of Hue recognized that language barriers, cultural stigma, and lack of information often left Vietnamese patients and their families navigating the healthcare system alone.

Through this program, FHF connected cancer patients with medical resources, financial assistance information, and emotional support networks. Volunteers provided translation services, helped families understand treatment options, and offered companionship during a deeply difficult time.

This program reflects FHF’s broader commitment to health equity — ensuring that Vietnamese and other underserved community members have access to the care and information they need, regardless of language or cultural background.

Support This Program

While this program has concluded, your donation helps FHF continue serving our community through other vital programs.

Santa Clara Housing Help

FriendsofHue — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 13:00:35 +0000

Santa Clara Housing Help

This guide provides updated information on housing assistance and homelessness support services available in Santa Clara County. It includes emergency shelter contacts, rent assistance programs, veteran and youth services, and key hotlines residents can call for immediate help. The resource is designed to help individuals and families quickly connect with the appropriate housing support and community services.

Friends of Hue partners with Santa Clara County to connect low-income Vietnamese and other ethnic minority residents with housing assistance programs. Our team helps community members navigate complex application processes for rental relief, emergency housing, and homelessness prevention services.

We serve as a trusted bridge between county resources and the communities that need them most — providing guidance in Vietnamese and other languages, assisting with paperwork, and ensuring that eligible families are not left behind due to language or cultural barriers.

Through this program, FHF has helped hundreds of Santa Clara County residents access emergency rental relief, temporary shelter, and long-term housing stability resources — keeping families housed and preventing homelessness.

Santa Clara County Housing Issues and Help Available (Updated 2026)

The Office of Supportive Housing (OSH) of Santa Clara County works to expand affordable housing and housing supports for extremely low‑income households and individuals experiencing homelessness. The goal is to help residents find emergency shelter, prevent homelessness, and access long‑term housing resources.

How to Find Shelter in Santa Clara County

Here4You Shelter Hotline – 408‑385‑2400 (9:00 AM – 7:00 PM daily)

Centralized county shelter referral system for families, couples, and individuals.

Call 211 – 24/7 health and human services referral line.
HomeFirst Homeless Outreach – 408‑510‑7600 | outreach@homefirstscc.org

Emergency Shelter Resources

CityTeam Rescue Mission

1174 Old Bayshore Highway, San Jose, CA 95112

Phone: 408‑288‑2153

Overnight emergency shelter for men. Check‑in begins at 5:30 PM (first‑come, first‑served).

HomeFirst – Boccardo Reception Center

2011 Little Orchard Street, San Jose, CA 95125

Phone: 408‑294‑2100

Emergency shelter for men and women. Check‑in begins at 3:30 PM (first‑come, first‑served).

LifeMoves – Georgia Travis House

Phone: 408‑271‑1630

Emergency shelter for women.

LifeMoves – Montgomery Street Inn

358 North Montgomery Street, San Jose, CA 95110

Phone: 408‑271‑5160

Emergency shelter for men. Program assessments Monday–Friday at 12:30 PM.

Salvation Army – Emmanuel House

405 North Fourth Street, San Jose, CA 95112

Phone: 408‑282‑1175

Emergency shelter for men. Suggested arrival time 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM.

Veterans Services

HomeFirst – Veterans Services

2011 Little Orchard Street, San Jose, CA 95125

Phone: 408‑510‑7522

Emergency shelter and transitional housing for veterans. Check‑in at 3:30 PM (first‑come, first‑served).

Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)

HomeFirst – 408‑510‑7572 (San Jose)

Goodwill of Silicon Valley – 408‑869‑9127 (San Jose)

Sunnyvale Community Services – 408‑738‑4321 (Sunnyvale)

Veterans Resource Center – 650‑566‑0240 (Menlo Park)

Youth Services

Bill Wilson Center

Youth services for runaway and homeless youth ages 11–17.

Intake Line: 408‑243‑0222

24‑Hour Crisis Line: 408‑850‑6125

Drop‑in Center: 693 South 2nd Street, San Jose, CA 95112 (opens daily at 9:00 AM).

Rent Assistance & Homelessness Prevention

Santa Clara County Homelessness Prevention System (HPS)

Website: preventhomelessness.org

Phone: 408‑516‑5100

Provides rental assistance, financial help, and case management for residents at risk of eviction or housing loss.

Additional Hotlines and Support

211 – Health and Human Services information line (available 24/7).

Homeless Helpline – 408‑793‑0550 (assistance outside San Jose).

Santa Clara County Shelter Team – 408‑278‑6420 (Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM).

Weather‑Related Shelter and Alerts

During severe weather, warming centers, cooling centers, and additional shelter beds may be opened across Santa Clara County.

Call 211 to find open warming or cooling centers.

Text BADWEATHER to 888777 to receive alerts about shelter availability and emergency resources.

Support This Program

Your donation helps us provide wheelchairs, walkers, home repairs, and companionship visits to elderly community members in Hue, Vietnam.

Flood Relief (Vietnam)

FriendsofHue — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 11:01:49 +0000

Flood Relief in Vietnam

Friends of Hue provides emergency relief to communities affected by severe flooding in Central Vietnam. We deliver essential aid such as food, clean water, and cash assistance, while also supporting long-term recovery efforts to help vulnerable families rebuild their homes and livelihoods.

How We Support The Community

Helping Families Rebuild Lives
Emergency Flood Relief Response
Food, Water, Cash Assistance
Long-Term Recovery Support

Central Vietnam is one of the most flood-prone regions in Southeast Asia. When devastating floods strike Thua Thien Hue and neighboring provinces, Friends of Hue responds with emergency relief — delivering food supplies, clean water, and cash assistance directly to affected households.

FHF has a long history of disaster response in Vietnam, dating back to the founding flood relief effort in 1999. Over the years, the organization has provided aid to hundreds of households across multiple flood events, helping communities not only survive the immediate crisis but rebuild their homes and livelihoods.

Beyond emergency response, FHF supports long-term recovery by working with local partners to assess ongoing needs and deliver sustained assistance to the most vulnerable families in flood-affected areas.

Support This Program

Your donation helps us provide wheelchairs, walkers, home repairs, and companionship visits to elderly community members in Hue, Vietnam.

Virtual Assistant Circle (VAC)

FriendsofHue — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 09:48:13 +0000

Virtual Assistant Circle (VAC)

Through this mission-driven model, partner companies receive reliable support while helping create meaningful employment and funding initiatives that uplift local communities.

VAC Highlights

Employment for Hue Professionals
Services That Support Communities
Mission-Driven Virtual Assistant Services

The Virtual Assistant Circle (VAC) is Friends of Hue’s social enterprise based in Hue, Vietnam. VAC provides partner companies with professional virtual assistant services — including data entry, customer service, translation, and administrative support — at competitive rates.

What makes VAC unique is its mission-driven model: partner companies receive high-quality, cost-effective services while committing to a tax-deductible donation to FHF’s programs. Every engagement directly supports the communities FHF serves.

VAC creates meaningful employment opportunities for Vietnamese professionals in Hue, empowering them with skills, stable income, and the dignity of contributing to a purpose-driven organization.

Support This Program

Your donation helps us provide wheelchairs, walkers, home repairs, and companionship visits to elderly community members in Hue, Vietnam.