Past Events

Boston Shines

A city-wide clean-up initiative, Boston Shines is now called Love Your Block. Historically, VietAID participated in Boston Shines as a volunteer group, rallying together staff, youth participants, and seniors to help make its surrounding neighborhoods clean. Projects often included beautification through planting, trash pick-ups, and other sites have involved painting. VietAID’s involvement in Boston Shines was a part of furthering our mission of building a stronger community, and we are proud to continue our involvement with the new initiative, Love Your Block, as an ongoing effort to make Dorchester and the greater Boston area a vibrant and thriving community.

My Gala

The gala was a celebration that highlights and pays homage to the story of how refugees and immigrants aspired to the ‘American Dream’ and then helped others along the way. In Vietnamese, America is called “Mỹ,” or beautiful country. To celebrate this, VietAID named the annual event, Mỹ Gala, as a tribute. The gala served as an opportunity to celebrate community members and leaders from across Greater Boston who have contributed unwavering support and service. It often featured dynamic performers and honored awardees, including Van Lang School, which helped thousands of students develop Vietnamese language skills and celebrate Vietnamese culture; Urban League, which provided jobs for thousands of seniors across the city; and individuals such as U.S. Navy retired Captain Paul Jacobs, who commanded the U.S.S. Kirk that rescued over 30,000 Vietnamese refugees after the Fall of Saigon in 1975.