What is the East Meets West Foundation trying to accomplish in Vietnam?
The East Meets West Foundation partners with the people of Vietnam to help eradicate poverty and help the poor and disadvantaged achieve self-sufficiency. EMW operates a grassroots program, mostly in rural areas. We offer poor people the kinds of help they most desperately need to build their own future.East Meets West invests in education, health, and has a very large clean water program. We build a lot of schools, provide scholarships for kids from very poor families, provide safe drinking water (every dollar spent on safe water saves $10 in health care costs) and focus our medical programs on children.On the other hand, we are working in partnership with Atlantic Philanthropies to build some key elements of Vietnam's health and education infrastructure. This includes hospitals in Da Nang, Hue and Dong, for example, as well as libraries, university buildings and other projects. These facilities are some of the building blocks for modern educational and health systems in Vietnam.

Why do individuals support these development programs in Vietnam?
The people who are part of the East Meets West community have different motivations. Some of us are Vietnam veterans, and we feel a strong sense of obligation to help out a country that was devastated by the war. Others are attracted by the fascinating culture, the charming people, and the beautiful landscape and want to be involved any way that they can. Many are motivated by a simple desire to help out, and others are impressed with the energy and entrepreneurship of the Vietnamese people.

Where do you get your funding?
The East Meets West Foundation has two separate divisions, one that focuses on small-scale grassroots projects like building homes, saving children's lives through heart surgeries and projects to provide safe drinking water, and the other that builds large infrastructure projects like libraries and hospitals. The funds for the grassroots projects come from a wide range of sources including veteran's organizations, Rotary Clubs, private foundations such as Atlantic Philanthropies, and individuals. One of our most important goals over the next few years is to increase the number of individual donors engaged in supporting project work in Vietnam. Almost all of the funding for the large projects comes from a foundation called Atlantic Philanthropies.

How much of your budget goes directly to project work in Vietnam?

According to the our 2006 audited finances, 92% of our operating budget goes directly towards program expenses. For every $1 given, 92 cents goes to our work in Vietnam, a very impressive figure not achieved by many charities. In the same way that a private company invests in equipment in order to expand, the East Meets West Foundation is investing in the necessary systems, publicity materials and outreach efforts to expand our community of supporters. We want you to become part of the family too!

Who is on your Board of Directors?
The East Meets West Foundation is governed by a volunteer board of directors elected for staggered 3 year terms. Click here to meet our board.

How large is your staff?
You can meet all our staff here on our website. Click here for our staff listings.

What role does the Vietnamese government have in East Meets West's humanitarian work?
East Meets West works in cooperation with the Vietnamese government. We seek approval for our projects from the government of Vietnam because they oversee civic and regional planning. The Vietnamese people and their government- local, regional, and national- are responsible for maintenance and sustainability of our turn-key projects once they are completed. For on-going programs like our scholarship program, the dental clinic, and the orphanages, we usually partner with a civic organization such as the Red Cross, the National Women's Union, the National Organization for Study Promotion and social service agencies equivalent to the Department of Health and Humanitarian Services in the United States.

Does the U.S. government have a role in East Meets West?
At present, the East Meets West Foundation has one project in development, the Kon Tum Boarding School project, that is supported by funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Our Village of Hope was also initially built with support in part by a grant from USAID.

Can I volunteer for East Meets West?
If you are a dentist or other medical professional, we do have volunteer opportunities. Click here for more information. We do not have a program for general volunteers but you can find lots of information about volunteering opportunities in Vietnam here. If you have a lot of generous friends and want to volunteer to contact them for us, we definitely want to hear from you.

If I make a donation, is it tax deductible?
East Meets West is a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization and donations are often tax deductible as allowed by law. Gifts of stock and securities are also welcomed. Click here to find out more about donation information.

Do you accept donations of used clothing, toys, books, medical equipments, computers or other things that might be useful for the Vietnamese people?
Generally, we do not. Shipping and customs tariffs are very expensive. We prefer to purchase locally which helps support the Vietnamese economy.

I'm a veteran. Can I go to Vietnam and visit your projects?
Most definitely. East Meets West encourages veterans to visit. Vietnam is safe, friendly and the people are especially cordial to Americans and service veterans. If you find yourself Da Nang, we encourage visitors to visit our office and EMW programs and projects. We also offer an exclusive giving circle for veterans interested in giving back to Vietnam. Visit our Veterans Circle page.

Can East Meets West help me arrange my trip?
We don't do that on a general basis, but we can put you in touch with a travel agent.

How can I get more information?
We are availably by email or phone. Please send general requests to info@eastmeetswest.org or call to speak to EMW staff at 1-800-561-3378 within the U.S.