Grant Awarded to Boys & Girls Club for Hmong at Heart Program

The Oshkosh Area Foundation recently awarded a $5,000 Community Impact Grant to the Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh for the Club's Hmong at Heart family support program. The program's goal is to help preserve time-honored traditions of the Hmong community.

On Sundays from noon to 4 p.m the Club opens its doors for the Hmong at Heart program. Through collaborative efforts, this initiative assists more than 200 participants in navigating their way through, what are often, unfamiliar surroundings. The program enables participants to overcome barriers through citizenship courses, English language instruction through UWO and legal advice from Legal Action.

During the Sunday program, cultural and recreational activities also take place including Hmong and Thai dance performances featuring the “Shimmering Girls”, American and Hmong cooking and sports.

Hmong history has been passed from one generation to another. With help from Hmong at Heart, generations of Hmong are gradually assimilating into American society, while still retaining and passing on knowledge about Hmong culture.

In the past, the Hmong community has expressed that the lack of affordable and convenient places to gather was a hardship. The Club's Hmong at Heart program is free to participants and offers a place where the Hmong culture can feel welcome and actively share important cultural traditions. The youth that regularly attend Hmong at Heart are also Club members that can be seen at the Club during the week.

For more information on the Hmong at Heart program or for a complete schedule, please contact Lori at the Boys & Girls Club at (920) 233-1414.

As always, the Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh is a United Way Agency.

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