San Jose flood relief efforts boosted by $5 million donation

The San Jose Flood Victims Relief Fund received a much-needed and much-appreciated $5 million donation earlier this week from Los Angeles County businessman Kieu Hoang, CEO & chairman of Shanghai RAAS Blood Products. Hoang, a Vietnamese refugee, is also the owner of the Napa Valley-based Kieu Hoang Winery.

“Mr. Hoang’s extraordinarily generous gift will make an enormous and immediate difference for the hundreds of flood victims who’ve been forced from their homes as a result of this disaster,” said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo. “I will always remember how thousands of donors and volunteers came together in a time of crisis to contribute their time, energy and money to help our neighbors get back on their feet.” With a net worth of $2.8 billion, Hoang, who is included on Forbes Billionaires List, was on-hand Wednesday for a news conference with Mayor Liccardo and Councilman Tam Nguyen, whose district includes the Rock Springs neighborhood, which sustained some of the more significant damage in the Coyote Creek flooding.

The gift reflects a joint effort between Mayor Liccardo, Councilmember Nguyen and Chieu Van Le, co-founder of Lee’s Sandwiches, who has been a long-time friend of Mr. Hoang and helped connect him with city leaders and the relief effort.

“I’m humbled by the kindness of Mr. Chieu Van Le and the generosity of his good friend Kieu Hoang who reached out to me yesterday to help the flood victims,” said Councilmember Nguyen. “And I am pleased that the Mayor has been prepared to accept this wonderful donation from Mr. Hoang and will see to it that his wish be fulfilled and that the victims will be helped in a timely manner.”

The San Jose Flood Victims Relief Fund, established Liccardo and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, has been created to provide identified non-profit organizations with funding to facilitate intake, screening and assessment of displaced flood victims and offer emergency financial assistance to support housing stability and other immediate needs. Direct financial assistance can include temporary rental subsidies, hotel vouchers, work-related tools or equipment, vehicle repairs or replacement, home furnishings or other immediate needs support. Priority will be given to vulnerable households that have been either temporarily or permanently displaced from their homes.

“Mr. Hoang’s extraordinarily generous gift will make an enormous and immediate difference for the hundreds of flood victims who’ve been forced from their homes as a result of this disaster,” said Mayor Liccardo. “I will always remember how thousands of donors and volunteers came together in a time of crisis to contribute their time, energy and money to help our neighbors get back on their feet.”

Hoang’s seven-figure gift, along with a $10,000 donation from the Santa Clara County REALTORS® Foundation presented earlier this week and thousands of other generous gifts received to-date, to boost the San Jose Flood Victims Relief Fund to more than $6 million. Emmett D. Carson, Ph.D., CEO and president of Silicon Valley Community Foundation expressed his appreciate to all donors saying, “The outpouring of community support for those whose lives have been affected by last week’s flooding has been tremendous. This newly announced gift – combined with the many donations from Silicon Valley residents and companies who were moved to help – will bring much-needed assistance to those who’ve been harmed by the flood.”