Adult Stability– LACM’s largest program offers financial, employment and housing counseling, tax aid, parenting and advocacy services, assisting almost 600 families annually to increase self-sufficiency. LACM also refers clients with gambling addiction to culturally appropriate service providers.

Lao arrived in the US as refugees from the Laotian Civil War (1954-1975) that killed or displaced over half a million people and left Laos more heavily bombed than all of Europe in WWII. 

While Lao have made many gains in rebuilding their lives in the US, research conducted by the Asian American Justice Center in 2006 shows that educationally the Lao community lags behind 7 other Twin City Asian American groups including Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, Korean, Asian Indian, Filipino and the Japanese.  Compared to all Twin City adults, we are significantly behind, and the gap continues to grow.

Just 17% of Lao adults have a 2-year college degree or better compared to 43% of all Twin City adults. Further, 42% of Lao adults have less than a high school education as compared to just 9% of all Twin City adults. Our significant educational attainment disparities- high school dropouts and lack of college creates long-term and immediate strains on key services and impacts community growth.