The La Crosse area has been a caring and responsive community regarding the needs of the Southeast Asian refugees. Several agencies and individuals have willingly and voluntarily offered their time, resources, and efforts to help make the resettlement program a successful transition.

The first Southeast Asian refugees to arrive in La Crosse was in 1974. It was a Vietnamese family of five. Then in 1975, the first Cambodian family (of three) settled in this area. The first Hmong refugees arrived in June of 1976.

The first Hmong family to come to the La Crosse area consisted of four brothers. They had been sponsored by Good Shepard Lutheran Church in Viroqua, where the brothers lived until 1979.

The primary voluntary agencies responsible for initial reception and placement services for the refugees in the La Crosse are during the past 18 years have been; the Episcopal Migration Ministries, Lutheran Social Services, Catholic Charities/Diocese of La Crosse, and Church World Services.

During the next few years, the number of refugees from Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam continued to increase. By 1982, there were approximately 800 Southeast Asian refugees in La Crosse. This consisted of the following approximate numbers: 600 Hmong, 120 Cambodians, 55 Vietnamese, and 25 Lao. It was obvious to caring individuals that the needs of these people from Southeast Asia with vastly different cultures, lifestyles, language, education, etc., were not being met. In 1982, a group of agencies and individuals concerned about the resettlement of the refugees formed the La Crosse County Refugee Task Force. Leaders of the Hmong and Cambodian communities joined the Task Force and were instrumental in making the needs of the refugees known. Cheu Yang, a Hmong leader from Laos, and Sam Ghanty, a leader from Cambodia and a professor at UW-L, played key roles in establishing the need for culturally appropriate services for the refugee communities.

To meet the needs of the increasing refugee population, the La Crosse Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association (HMAA) was formed and incorporated as a non-profit, tax exempt agency in December of 1982. The mission of the agency is to serve as an educational and charitable organization assisting refugees adjust to life in the United States.

The HMAA began operations with volunteer staff (Hmong, Cambodian, and American) in December of 1982 in the basement of Our Saviors Lutheran Church, 612 Division Street. The HMAA maintained its existence with volunteer assistance until July 1983. At this time, a grant of $15,000.00 was received from the refugee office (now known as the Office of Refugee Services, Division of Economic Support, Department of Workforce Development, State of Wisconsin) in Madison. This funding allowed paid staff to be hired. The HMAA (with paid staff) was now able to begin promoting the mission it established as its foundation in 1982. The HMAA implements programs, advocate for appropriate services from other agencies, and coordinate refugee services.

The limited amount of funding the HMAA received in 1983 allowed for essentially only the basic survival services of translation and interpretation to be provided. However, the board and staff of the HMAA were not satisfied to limit the services when others were so drastically needed. Other funding was actively sought and additional programs developed.

Beginning with a grant of $15,000.00 in 1983, the HMAA in January of 2000 now operates on a budget of approximately $700,000.00 and provides a multitude of services. The Southeast Asian refugees and non-Southeast Asian refugees numbered 3,516.

The health needs of the increasing refugee population were of great concern to the HMAA. In February of 1984, the HMAA, in a coordinated project with St. Francis Medical Center and the La Crosse County Health Department, established the Indochinese Screening Clinic. Since that time, the HMAA has continually provided a full-time Bilingual Health Aide and supplies for the clinic. The funding for the HMAAs role in the clinic is granted from the State Division of Health in Madison. The clinic has met its mission and will be closed on September 30, 1998.

To obtain additional needed space, the HMAA established a branch office at St. Johns Reformed Church of Christ in August of 1984. Both the main office at Our Saviors Lutheran and the additional space at St. Johns were donated rent-free by the individual churches. However, both offices were very small and the HMAA was quickly out of space again.

In October of 1986, the HMAA had increased its budget enough so that rent could be paid. At this time, the HMAA combined both offices and moved to 326 South Seventh Street. This space provided five offices and a small conference room.

Once again, because of continued expansion, the HMAA offices were soon overcrowded. To satisfy the need for additional space, the HMAA moved to 2615 George Street in August of 1989, now the HMAA is relocated to 1815 Ward Avenue where the Hmong Cultural Community Center is located.

Several of the individual agencies, and churches, who were instrumental in establishing the HMAA have continued their support and encouragement. The HMAA is especially thankful and appreciative of Pastor Vern Rice and the congregation of Our Saviors Lutheran Church, and Pastor John Tyler, former Pastor of St. Johns Reformed Church of Christ, and the St. Francis Medical Center for providing free office space during the HMAAs early years. St. Francis Medical Center continues to donate space, rent-free, for the Indochinese Screening Clinic until its closing.

The La Crosse County Refugee Task Force merged with the HMAA Advisory Board in 1987 to form the Refugee Resource Board. The Refugee Resource Board is still in existence along with the Community Attitudes Task Force, Multicultural Youth Council, Employers Advisory Group, Elderly Advisory Council, Key States Initiative Interagency Coordination Group, Western Wisconsin Family Strengthening Initiative Regional Advisory Council, Legal Alien Hunger Committee, FACET Advisory Board, and HMAA Youth Council all sponsored by the HMAA.

During the past decade, the HMAA has emerged as a multi-cultural organization promoting appreciation for the diversity and advocating for the civil rights and culturally sensitive service for minority groups.

The HMAAs extend their heartfelt gratitude to the many caring individuals who have continued their support and belief in the HMAA and the Southeast Asian refugee communities. These individuals come from vast and differing backgrounds. They include: Americans of many nationalities born in the U.S., Hmong-Americans, Cambodian-Americans, Vietnamese-Americans, Lao-Americans, and many others.