Early in 1976, during the first wave of South Asian refugees coming to the United States, Laotians who were already settled in the Greater Kansas City aread decided to organize ther Lao association in order to help each other and to assist sponors who were helping resettle other Laotians coming to their new country. From this meeting, two small associations were organized, the Lao-Mai Association and the United Lao Club. They were both organized in the State of Kansas and were mainly made up of and assisted the "low land" Lao ethnic group.
Many years later, in the early 1980s, the decision was made to reorganize the association by combining the two associations into one and an agreement was made to change the name to: "The Fraternity of the United Ethnics of Lao Society" or "FUELS", which included all people of different Laotian ethnic groups, including the Hmong group. However, some years later the Hmong group established their own organization, the Lao Family Community Center, and the two churches in Kansas City, Kansas, leaving "The FUELS" at this time.

The purpose of the FUELS is:

• To help its members and all Laotian people in the Greater Kansas City area in terms of social service and enhanced relationships among its members
• To improve, support, and preserve the national traditions and customs of Laos, including the language
• To assist and support young people in the areas of education and sports
• To improve the relationship and understanding between the Laotian people and non-Lao in the area, and other places, focusing on justice, freedom and democracy