Eleven families from the Iu Mien refugee community in Oakland enrolled in FII -Oakland. Most were members and/or volunteers at LIMCA, the Lao Iu Mien Culture Association. The greater community consists of about 600 other families and had been in Oakland for more than 20 years. The 11 families enrolled in FII-Oakland were focused their children's education, homeownership, and strengthening their community.
After violence erupted between two rival gangs of Iu Mien youth, the community came together and realized that its youth were losing their connection to their heritage. The community began bringing together youth and elders to give the youth ways to learn about and take pride in their culture. The 11 FII families decided to use their position in FII to help keep their community intact. Each of the 11 FII families put $240 toward buying a 12-passenger van that they then donated to LIMCA. The van they helped purchase is used to transport community members to activities and special events. The van is also used to transport the Mien elderly, who are often confined to their homes and who have a hard time using public transportation because of their age and the language barrier, to LIMCA.