Founded by a group of Christians in 1997, the Light and Salt Association is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) community-based organization with the mission of uniting the manpower and resources of Houston’s Chinese community to provide care and services to needy Houstonians, Chinese and non-Chinese alike. The name is derived from Jesus teaching that Christians need to be the light and salt in the community (Mathew 5:13-14). Since its inception, LSA had sponsored multiple annual events, including a parents day celebration, annual winter clothing drive, and a day with seniors.LSA also mobilized the Chinese community to raise relief funds for victims of Hurricane Katrina, the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan, China and the 2009 Taiwan Morak Typhoone.

In 2001, the Light and Salt Association established the Cancer Support Network (CSN) to help Chinese cancer patients, their families and their friends better understand and learn to live with cancer. It is the first Chinese cancer support program in Houston area. Due to the cultural stigma associated with cancer, many Chinese cancer patients tend not to disclose their diagnosis to outsiders and often face the illness alone. Thus, the goal of the CSN is to provide culturally-appropriate support to all Chinese cancer patients and their families and make them feel comfortable discussing their thoughts and problems. The CSN’s services include patients navigation, monthly support group meetings, a cancer helpline, follow-up phone calls, home and hospital visits, and other patient-related services, such as transportation and language assistances. We also compile and translate cancer-related educational materials into Chinese. In 2007, with funding from Susan G. Komen-Houston Affiliate, LSA established the first breast cancer support program targeting Chinese women in the greater Houston area. The program provides psychosocial support to women diagnosed with breast cancer through monthly support group meetings and one-on-one peer support. We also conduct community outreach programs focusing on cancer prevention and the importance of early detection. Currently, CSN has about 120 cancer survivors on the mailing list. In 2008, our programs and services made a difference in the lives of more than 5,000 people in greater Houston area.

In 2006, a weekly Mandarin radio program (every Monday) was produced with a mission of spreading the gospel to non-believers and enriching Christians lives in the Chinese community. Earlier this year, several brothers and sisters from various churches launched a Cantonese radio program aiming Cantonese–speaking population in greater Houston area. The radio program runs four days a week (Tuesday to Friday) and is the only Cantonese radio program in Houston. Both radio programs air at AM 1320, from 10:30 to 11:00 am. Some of the radio program can be accessed through our websites (www.light-salt.org; http://fly1320.webnode.com/).

In early 2008, several parents with special-needs children felt a need to form a linguistically-appropriate support program to provide mutual support and information sharing. Accordingly, Special Needs Caring Center of the Light and Salt Association (SNCC) was established. Its goal is to improve the quality of life among people affected by physical and intellectual disabilities as well as to increase public awareness about the day-to-day issues faced by these families. Soon after its opening, SNCC quickly obtained strong support from the Chinese community in Houston area. There are 35 families currently our mailing list. The center offers a monthly support group meeting for both parents and their children on the third Saturday of each month from 3 to 8 pm. During the support group meeting, two separate educational sessions are provided: one for parents and one for children. During parent sessions, experts in the field provide up-to-date knowledge and share resources available in mainstream society to assist families. Children’s sessions involve classes designed to teach basic life and social skills with the goal of gradually training children to be independent and productive members of the society. Our volunteers also provide phone follow-up phone cares and home visits, and resources referrals.