Mission and History

Founded in 1976, The Vietnamese Association of Illinois (VAI) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that focuses on serving diverse communities of all ethnicities and religions, fostering unity, and promoting Vietnamese American identity.


Since its founding, VAI has served thousands of Vietnamese Americans and other ethnic communities through facilitating resettlement and citizenship, building community, seeking employment, addressing healthcare issues, raising political awareness, providing educational opportunities, addressing multigenerational issues for seniors and youth, establishing and expanding businesses, and strengthening cultural heritage. Our impact began in Uptown Chicago and has since 2016 expanded to DuPage County via our satellite office.


The purpose of VAI reflects our Community and Service mission:
  1. To promote, support, and develop various cultural, social, and educational programs to serve Vietnamese Americans and other ethnic groups in Illinois.
  2. To help generate the mutual assistance spirit among Vietnamese ethnic group members.
  3. To foster closer relationships with various Vietnamese organizations in a common effort to serve the needs of Vietnamese Americans in the state of Illinois.
  4. To strengthen and perpetuate the unity and solidarity of the Vietnamese Americans residing in the state of Illinois