Friends Of Vinhson Montagnard Catholic Orphanage & Mission-Vietm

I was researching charities for the orphaned children of the Highlands in Viet Nam. I read quite a bit about this group and then called the phone number listed on their website. I reached their President Patrick Leary, who was driving on his way to an engagement. He was so forthcoming with information about everything the group is doing to help many Montagnard children at several orphanages. He was wonderful to talk to and I hung up feeling really positive about the charity. I emailed with Board Member Quac-Kahn Nguyen who told me of a teen girl at one of the facilities who was in need of a bike for getting around. He instructed me in how I could donate to this specific cause. Once I did, he shared with me videos of the beautiful young lady and her brand new bicycle. I have since recommended this group to friends who have also donated to this very worthy cause and have received great feedback. I wish there were a thousand groups just like this one.

I heard about FVSO in 2018 from my neighbor in Auburn, CA and decided to go on a trip to visit the orphanages organized that was by a board member. We visited all of the orphanages and I was very impressed by the dedication of the sisters working in the orphanages and all of the accomplishments made possible by the money and resources FVSO provides to the children -- securing the land/buildings to provide a safe environment, clean water, a dental program for all the children and staff, special projects such as a bread maker to supply the orphanage (and also sell to the public to bring in money). It is a challenge to do this in Vietnam. The board members even pay for their own travel expenses. I'm now a donor and know the money is a good investment in these children.

I've been contributing to this charity since I learned it existed. I served two tours in the Central Highlands as a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam war and loved my exposer to the Montagnard Children. My cousin use to send me dolls that I gave to the little girls came to play on our helicopter who greatly appreciated them. Now I give money to help support the orphanages that minister to these wonderful children.

What they do for young people is heart moving and inspirational.

I have personally visited the Vinh Son Orphanages and have seen what a great job the sisters are doing in caring for the children as well as how they benefit from the financial help from Friends of VSO.
Friends of VSO helps immensely with major infrastructure projects as well as with funds for the children's education and other needs.

For over 15 years I have been a monthly donor to the Friends of Vinh Son Orphanages in Kontum and Pleiku, Vietnam. There are 7 facilities that provide care for over 800 Ethnic Children. I have been so impressed with the work of the Sisters of Miraculous Medal and the FVSO Board of Directors. The facilities are well run and clean. The children are happy, healthy, and well educated. I have had the opportunity to visit the facilities 6 times, each time sharing in their laughter, games, songs, and dances. This is an exceptional organization. I encourage all to donate. The children's futures are brighter because of the dedication of the Sisters and the FVSO Board of Directors........JL

I've been a donor to this charity for about 15 years and could not be more proud of them. I did two tours in Vietnam, primarily in the Central Highlands. I had plenty of interaction with the
Montagnard people. We owe their loyalty to our cause a debt that hasn't been repaid. This charity
is helping to balance the scales.

FVSO uses what I give to achieve amazing things for the children. The keep me updated with a monthly newsletter and with an annual repot on projects budgeted a d funds committed. Their officers visit the orphanages at least annually, and report on those visits and on any on the-spot distribution of funds for unexpected projects.

This organization does so much, for so many, with so little. They make sure every dollar is stretched for maximum benefit to give these kids a place to learn, live and be safe. When you see their faces, read their stories you'll feel the love and joy in their lives.

I was first exposed to this organization during my second tour of duty in Vietnam. I have followed their progress ever since and am continuously impressed with their accomplishments. I highly recommend this organization for your support.

I have been a supporter of Vinhson Montagnard for over a year and have found it to be one of my most fulfilling charitable efforts. It is a welcome event to receive the monthly newsletters from the sisters at Vinhson. They demonstrate great love for the children in their care and try to provide as many opportunities as they can. They seem to do so much with the resources they have. It is wonderful when from time to time the older kids who have moved on come back to share their successes in the world.

I encourage everyone to take a closer look at the life-improving work the sisters are doing and to consider adding their support to help these special kids.

I have talked to the officers of this charity and they pay all their own expenses. Everything collected goes right to the orphanages. I went on a 2+ week trip to Vietnam in March, 2023 and was able to visit 2 of the orphanages. They are clean, well run, and the children are healthy, happy, and getting educated. I was totally impressed. This is a great charity and deserving of your support!!

Well-managed group of orphanages that work to be self-sustaining with the help of the children. The efforts of the staff show good use of the money donated to them They are an inspiration.

The management of Friends of Vinhson support to the orphanages reflect a high return on the donations. The Board of the charity returns to Vietnam to see the results of the efforts, The board members pay for their trip, not the charity.

Friends of Vinhson Montagnard Catholic Orphanage & Mission (FVSO) is as close as it gets for a nonprofit to optimize making a step-change difference with its moderate resources. FVSO Board members are "all-in" with regular on site assessments of FVSO funded project status at the multiple orphanages in Kontum and Pleiku Provinces Vietnam; travel expense for these visits is out-of-pocket, not booked to the non-profit. FVSO publishes a fully transparent monthly newsletter to report project status to donors. Donors like myself who had the privilege of interacting with Montagnards during the Vietnam conflict have a deep respect for their culture; FVSO donors have a strong motivation to advocate for giving orphaned Montagnard children a "hand up" with projects that FVSO implements and manages.

I have supported Friends of Vinhson Orphanage for several years. They do so much with so little, and have changed the lives of children who live there by providing a restorative gift of health and hope for these kids.

They do so much where the need is great. Also, they work closely with the local service providers. The children they work with are the ones looked down on by many Vietnamese. Without the help of this organization most would never have an opportunity for education and further education.

having served in the Vietnam war as an advisor member of US Army Macv Team 24, we worked closely with our Montagnard Scout companies in the central highlands. They were loyal and effective allies. Then we left them to their own devices and the collateral damage to their culture and families. FSVO has been effective in aiding their orphaned children still victimized by the war over fifty years later.

Check out their website to understand the role FSVO contributes to the this worthy cause and please donate and support this important organization

As a Vietnam veteran I have been very interested in the situation and conditions of orphanages and the care of the children who were left behind or who are children who were and are victims of the conflict in Vietnam from over 50 years ago. I was fortunate to come into contact with and even visited several of the orphanages-VSO-1 in Kontum and Sao Mai in Pleiku. I became aware of the administrative structure that the FVSO has set up to assist and fund the various orphanages and the overall running and functioning of the orphanages by the Catholic nuns and employees that work to make the FVSO such a strong and supportive organization that functions in support of the 7-8 Vinh Son Orphanages. I am continually amazed at the dedication and organization that the FVSO Board and officers bring to the support of FVSO. This organization has undertaken and achieved remarkable results. They truly deserve a 5 star rating!
George W. Schad, COL, USAF, ret

In 1963 I was assigned to an Army Aviation unit. One of our missions was to support the Montagnard settlements out of Kontum . When the opportunity came to support the Sisters and the Orphanages, I found thru research, that FSVO is probably the most honest and truly non-profit organization in existence. And I research them as

Friends of Vinhson is a very well run nonprofit with essentially no expenses or overhead. Nearly all funds are directly benefiting the orphans. The end result are healthy young Montagards who are educated and encouraged to obtain advanced educations and job skills. I served in the town where the orphanage is located during the Viet Nam war and returned to visit some of these facilities in 2010. In addition to yearly contributions, I have included the Friends of Vinh Son in my will

FVSO is an exceptional, non-profit charitable organization.

It has been our privilege to know, follow and learn about FVSO for several years and the magnificent work that they do in Vietnam, for Montagnard orphans in the highlands of Vietnam. Patrick O'leary and his group have gone far beyond what is expected of any non-profit organization, in order to accomplish, in their charter, the support and help in raising hundreds of orphans, starting from the day they are born, until they leave the orphanages, as responsible adults in their own right. Without FVSO's unrelinquishing support to seven Catholic orphanages in the Ple iku and Kontum regions of Vietnam, these children would never survive their current lowered station in life and actually have any future in life. We have never seen any charitable organization that has done more with less, while continuing to plan and provide for the future survival of the children, the orphanages and the continuing FVSO mission.

Without any reservation or exception, FVSO deserves the support of anyone searching to find a most worthwhile non-profit charitable organization, in which to donate their support to a highly worthy human effort and cause, in helping to leave this life better than which they found it.

Don and Mary Crumbley

FVSO has helped hundreds of orphans and economically disadvantaged children for nearly 20 years. Every dollar donated goes directly to the needy as Board members pay all administrative expenses of the organization.

I have been supporting this charity for many years and am leaving it a sizeable amount when I die. It is amazing the good work they have been doing all these years and that the board pays all of it's own expenses All the money donated goes to help the orphans. The best charity around, in my opinion. .

Well it all started when I was in Vietnam in 1968/1969, I was stationed in North Pleiku, 1st Log. I would go out to the Montagnard village and visit with the people of the village. That's just 1 thing that I done on a regular basis, the other thing I done on other days (When I wasn't driving Convoys,etc.) I would go down to the Pleiku Orphanage and spend time with all the kids, man what fun that was. They would come running up to me and hug me, even the Sisters of the Orphanage would give me hugs, I looked forward to going there on my off duty time. I could go on and on, what a really nice treat it was. Glenn DeVolder

I run a non profit Schools To End Poverty (STEP) Inc. and do a lot of charity work in Vietnam. We are also both combat veterans of the Vietnam War. Vinh Son needed swings at one of their orphanages and we donated them with pleasure. I have been to their Vinh Son orphanages and the work they do as a group is amazing. The leadership is top notch and has a hands on approach and boots on the ground to ascertain if the program is going well and what is needed to keep the orphanages going. Hats off to them.

Howard Goldin, co-founder and chairman of www.schoolstoendpoverty.org

As a Christian, Vietnam veteran, retired CPA, I have confidence in what the leadership of Friends of Vinh Son Orphanage has and is accomplishing with my donations. I look forward to all mailings from FVSO as they do their best to keep all donors abreast of events and needs of the orphanages.

I am very proud to be part of a nonprofit organization that is bigger then me.

A. Bruce Carri

My husband and I have been supporters for 15+ years, and can see the very positive impact this organization has had on the children through their regular newsletters. When FVSO first started, the orphanages were challenged to meet the basic needs for these children. Every year, the FVSO Board along with the nuns, have very thoughtfully continued to build on providing foundational items that allow these orphanages and overall care for the children to continually improve. These are things like providing clean water, new dormatories, crops, chickens, pigs, regular visits by dentists that examine/care for each child, as well as scholarships for higher education. The health, well being and sustainability of each orphanage and child has truly gotten better every year right before our eyes. We would rate FVSO higher than 5 stars, if that was possible!

Great organization helping the kids of Vietnam who live in dire circumstances without outside help and support. Officials of VSO donate their own time and travel expense in support of the VSO mission . They see to it all funds collected are used in an efficient manner to support the welfare of children living in the various orphanages run by the Nuns. Their continued support is essential to the future of these orphanages and residents.

Wonderful organization caring for these Central Highland kids in Pleiku and Kontum. I was stationed there in 1968-1969. The Montaignard people were very loyal US servicemen in Bietnam.

For over 20 years a group of Americans have been supporting Montagnard orphans in the Kontum Province in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. They support 7 orphanages with nearly 800 children and caregivers with food, purified water, medicine, education, and shelter. The charity does an excellent job and every penny that is donated is spent on the children. All administrative costs are paid for by the volunteers

Approximately six hundred and fifty children, mostly orphans, are provided food, medicine, supplies and other miscellaneous support through the Friends of Vinhson Montagnard Orphanage. Without this support, most of the children would go hungry and remain uneducated.

Supporters and many donors travel to Vietnam to visit the orphanages, ensure that donations are used in designated purposes and interact with the Catholic Sisters and children.

We have been contributing to Friends of Vinh Son since 2007 and find them to always be concerned about doing all they can to help the children in Vietnam. They have proven over and over again that they are passionate about what they do.

Founding President in 2005, begining our efforts in 2001. I believe we have made a great difference in many Montagnard childrens lives and will continue to do so. Great Board of dedicated people trying to help those lft behind and in so much need.

The Montagnards of Vietnam may be among the poorest of the poor. As indigenous people they are a minority and their exemplary service with American forces during the Vietnam War has left them in the lurch with a government that does little to assist them. The Friends of Vinh Son have supported the 800+ orphans at six sites around KonTum and another site in Pleiku dating to at least 2005. Some children have grown from infancy to becoming college graduates because of the care provided by the nuns in charge of their welfare. Hundreds, perhaps even thousands of donors, have supported the orphanages to ensure that basic needs for food, shelter, medical care and education for innocent victims of circumstance can be met. My provision of support and my volunteerism as a Vietnam veteran has enabled me to give back to a people who served us well. My support has been a small means to help change lives for the better and to change the world for the better. You too can do the same with your support of these gentle people who have earned the respect of even those who never served in Vietnam. Every dollar received from donors helps to meet the needs of the children and their caregivers. Board members and officers fund operational costs separately and in full so that every contribution received from donors is utilized directly for the care of the children of Vinh Son. Your contribution will change lives and will be greatly appreciated.