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Starting Your FCV Local Chapter

We are here to help.

You are welcome to apply for your local support group to be a FCV Chapter. We will be glad to help you get started and support you during the year. The services for national (and international) communication and support are provided by us for you through our volunteer work on the FCV website and the APV email support list. If you have a question at any time, please feel free to email me.

Guidelines

Our national organizational structure is informal; you may make your own local organization as formal or informal as you choose. We do ask that you designate one or two individuals to act as official contacts for the FCV website and to represent and speak for your group.

FCV chapters are organized and managed locally by adoptive families. Your local group may include families who have adopted from other countries as well as Vietnam (for example: groups designating themselves Families with Children from Asia) as long as you have members who have adopted from Vietnam and provide activities for them. Meetings are generally open to prospective adoptive parents, as well. Your local FCV chapter should be open to all families with Vietnamese children - chapters should not be affiliated only with a specific adoption agency.

FCV chapters are located around the United States, with affliated chapters in other countries. Members will generally drive up to one hour's geographic radius to reach a meeting. Chapters that are near one another often share activities.

Joining the National FCV:

To add your chapter to the FCV website listing, send an email to me, Allison Martin at 5martin@bellsouth.net . Please include your chapter name, state or province, chapter location/area, contact name and information, chapter description, and any other information you wish to have included. Feel free to update your listing anytime.

You are also welcome to announce your chapter formation (and activities during the year) on the Adoptive Parents of Vietnam (APV) email support list.

You will also wish to inform your local adoption agencies of your new group, asking them to refer prospective adoptive parents and adoptive families to you. More ideas for finding members and announcing your chapter are providing in this section: advertising your new chapter.

Chapter activities:

Most chapters start out meeting informally in members homes for pot lucks or playgroups. Often, as chapters increase in number, the frequency of meetings and the activities expand. You can elect a President, Vice President, etc. if you wish, or keep it casual. It is up to you and your group mates, as this will be YOUR support group. 

Tet (Vietnamese New Year) is our main yearly event for FCV. Information on the holiday and local events are provided each year on the FCV website and APV email support list. Many chapters add other cultural events during the year, forming ties with Vietnamese people and communities. However the central focus remains the family gatherings.

Check this section for ideas for activities for your new chapter.