named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Agent Orange and Intergenerational Health Effects
Examines scientific evidence linking dioxin exposure from Agent Orange to birth defects and genetic damage in the children of exposed individuals, challenging official narratives and advocating for broader recognition of multigenerational harm.
Scientific Reanalysis Initiative
Re-evaluates historical government studies on radiation and chemical exposure, highlighting suppressed findings and promoting independent epidemiological analysis to inform public understanding and policy.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Toxic Chemicals and Plastics Reform 4 activities
- Advocacy for Agent Orange awareness and reliefHas led an ongoing advocacy campaign since 2005 to raise awareness about the impact of Agent Orange, including organizing photo exhibits, funding magazine advertisements, supporting documentaries, securing celebrity involvement, and generating media coverage in outlets such as the New York Times and Vanity Fair.
- Challenging corporations through public advocacyChallenged Dow Chemical through a public campaign that included promoting a "Sue me" video clip and encouraging public dissemination to raise awareness about corporate responsibility for Agent Orange.
- Facilitating support for Agent Orange victimsFacilitated private financial contributions to charities supporting Agent Orange victims and supported the development of educational websites and resources related to Agent Orange.
- Public education and awareness campaigns on environmental pollutionSubmitted essays to major media outlets and supported publications to raise public awareness about cumulative genetic degradation from environmental pollution, including Agent Orange and broader chemical exposure issues.
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Veteran Story Preservation & Public Education 1 activity
- Hosting public events and benefit gatheringsHosted public events including a 2024 presentation at Fulbright University in Saigon featuring Agent Orange survivors, a 2012 benefit event in Pittsburgh, and gatherings to honor long-term support for healing the wounds of the Vietnam War.
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Public Awareness and Educational Outreach 1 activity
- Maintaining online educational resourcesHosts and makes available essays and book reviews by Dr. Brandon Reines on Agent Orange and related topics through its website to support public education.
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Residential Care for At-Risk Youth 1 activity
- Operating residential care homes for homeless children in VietnamOperated eight homes, two farms, and a technical-training center in Saigon and DaNang between 1968 and 1976, providing care for approximately 2,500 homeless street children, including through the Shoeshine Boys Project and a hostel established at Pham Ngu Lao Street in 1968.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Human rights advocacy for imprisoned Vietnamese individualsConducted a six-year advocacy campaign from 1990 to 1996 that led to the release of two former Shoeshine Boys Project colleagues, Doan Thanh Liem and Do Ngoc Long, who were detained as political prisoners in Vietnam.
- Research on environmental health impactsConducted statistical research to identify genetic and reproductive health impacts from environmental exposures, including providing formal proof of genetic damage at Love Canal and re-analyzing data from Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors to show excess reproductive wastage from low-dose radiation exposure.
- Reuniting with former beneficiaries and project staffConducted postwar trips to Vietnam in 2001 and 2007 to locate and reunite with former homeless children ("bui doi") and their families, and hosted a reunion for former Shoeshine Boys Project staff in 2024 to reflect on their work and create a memory scrapbook.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$68K
Contributions & grants$68K100%
Program service revenue——
Investment income$30%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$63K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$14K
Grants paid out$9K
balance sheet
Total assets$17K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$16K
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +105.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DICK HUGHES | EXECUTIVE DI | 20 | $14K |
board members · 1
- ALAN C BROWN — DIRECTOR
relationships · 23
Who they work with
- Circle Museum Partner — Visited by To Thanh Trung (Bi) during his trip to upstate New York.
- Co Quan Bao Tro Tre Bo Vo Project Partner — Collaborated with former staff and director of this project during postwar trips to Vietnam.
- Colin Farrell Partner — Arranged visit by actor Colin Farrell to Agent Orange victims and centers in Viet Nam to raise awareness.
- Denise Bibro Fine Arts Gallery Partner — Hosted a major photo exhibit on Agent Orange organized by Loose Cannons Inc.
- Douglas Durst Funder — NYC developer who authored a support letter and email detailing the purpose of the 2024 trip to Vietnam to assist Agent Orange survivors.
- Dow Chemical Partner — Target of public challenge to initiate legal or restorative action regarding Agent Orange
- Dr. Brandon Reines Partner — Collaborates with Dr. Brandon Reines to publish his essays and book reviews on Agent Orange and related scientific topics.
- Fulbright University Partner — Hosted a public event featuring Agent Orange survivors during the 2024 trip.
- Fulbright University Partner — Hosted a public presentation featuring Agent Orange survivors in collaboration with Friends of Agent Orange Victims.
- Gardner Group Partner — Collaborated with Loose Cannons Inc. to promote the Agent Orange documentary "The Last Ghost of War".
- McEnroe Organic Farm Partner — Hosted To Thanh Trung (Bi) during his visit to upstate New York farms.
- National Academy of Sciences Government — U.S. National Academy of Sciences held data from the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission and was a key institution critiqued for its handling of genetic damage research.
- New York Times Partner — Secured press stories and editorials on Agent Orange in the publication.
- Philip Jones Griffiths Partner — Collaborated on photo exhibits and advocacy materials based on his work "Agent Orange, 'Collateral Damage' in Viet Nam".
- Project Agent Orange Partner — Collaborates with Project Agent Orange, a movement collective using dance to raise awareness about the effects of Agent Orange.
- Roswell Park Memorial Institute Partner — Employed Irwin Bross and was the institutional base for his research on genetic damage, leukemia, and heart disease from radiation exposure.
- Sheldon Whitehouse Government — U.S. Senator who provided an introduction letter supporting the Friends of Agent Orange Victims initiative.
- Shoeshine Boys Foundation Funder — Provided financial support for the Shoeshine Boys Project under the aegis of this New York-based foundation.
- Shoeshine Boys Project Network — LOOSE CANNONS INC operated under the aegis of the Shoeshine Boys Project from 1968 to 1976.
- Shoeshine Boys Project Partner — Collaborative initiative providing shelter and support to street children in Vietnam.
- Tô Thành Trung Partner — Collaborated through correspondence, indicating a professional or personal partnership in support of humanitarian efforts
- Vanity Fair Partner — Secured press stories and editorials on Agent Orange in the publication.
- Vietnam Agent Orange Relief & Responsibility Campaign Partner — Collaborated with Loose Cannons Inc. to mobilize support for the Victims of Agent Orange Act of 2013.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Artistic and Visual Storytelling for Trauma Awarenessmethodology: embodied storytellingBy using dance, photography, and visual media to convey intergenerational trauma from chemical warfare, the organization raises public awareness and empathy, because embodied and visual narratives make invisible suffering visible and emotionally resonant.
- Community-Based Residential Care with Family-Like Supportmethodology: community-based residential careBy providing shelter and care through community-led, family-like residential homes, the organization supports marginalized street children—particularly the "bui doi"—because culturally grounded, familial environments promote stability, belonging, and long-term reintegration.
- Cultural Bridging for Post-Conflict Healingmethodology: cultural_exchange_for_reconciliationBy increasing social, cultural, and educational connections between U.S. and Vietnamese peoples, the organization produces reconciliation and healing from the enduring consequences of the Vietnam War, because sustained cross-cultural engagement fosters mutual understanding and修复 fractured relationships.
- Legacy-Driven Advocacy for Agent Orange Survivorsmethodology: legacy-issues advocacyBy focusing on the multigenerational human and environmental impacts of Agent Orange, the organization advances war-related healing through evidence-based advocacy and sustained engagement, because addressing historical harms is essential to moral accountability and long-term reconciliation.
- Locally Managed, Foreign-Supported Program Modelmethodology: locally_managed_foreign_supportedBy implementing social welfare programs in Vietnam through local leadership with foreign support, the organization ensures cultural relevance and sustainability, because community ownership increases trust and long-term impact while external resources enable scale.