Historical Background
Saint Anselm's Cross-Cultural Community Center, located in Garden Grove, California, was created in 1976 as St. Anselm's Immigrant and Refugee Community Center. The organization was formed to provide English classes and other services to Vietnamese refugees who arrived at Camp Pendleton. The services include assistance with housing, legal problems, physical and mental health, disabilities, employment, family problems, and community education. Other services include mentoring, health education and advocacy, women's issues, services for the elderly, and searches for lost or estranged fathers. The organization serves as an open door for information and assistance. St. Anselm's hosts fundraising dinners, art exhibits, and silent auctions to generate funds to keep their program going.
St. Anselm's was incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1980 and expanded its programs to accommodate new waves of Southeast Asian refugees, boat people, political prisoners from Vietnam, and Amerasians. St. Anselm's changed its name in 1993 to St. Anselm's Cross-Cultural Community Center to reflect the broadening of its services to a more diverse clientele and the addition of new services including citizenship classes.
The Amerasian program at St. Anselm's was one of sixty programs established by the 1987 American Homecoming Act to provide services for children who were born to American fathers and Vietnamese mothers during the Vietnam War. The Amerasians faced many challenges growing up, including being fatherless in a patrilineal society and being victims of cultural shame and extreme social harassment. Most were denied education and a sense of identity and self-esteem. St. Anselm's Amerasian program was one of the largest programs with a staff of seven to serve about 2, 000 Amerasians. The program offered by St. Anselm's attempts to reduce these deficits with a holistic approach to services.
From the guide to the Saint Anselm's Cross-Cultural Community Center records, 1986-2002, (University of California, Irvine. Library. Special Collections and Archives.)
