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For Korean Americans around the US, Christmas is a time of giving

December 24, 2014

A Korean organization hands out bags filled with necessities at a senior home Tuesday in Los Angeles’ Koreatown. (The Korea Times)

With Christmas Day on the horizon, Korean American organizations around the country are working to share the holiday spirit of giving to locals and far-away needy alike.

Sometimes, those who give the most are faceless — in downtown Los Angeles, a clothing business, known only as N, has been donating tens of thousands of dollars to charity since 2010.

N, a Korean-owned and operated business, has donated $2,000 to $3,000 to a handful of non-profit and volunteer organizations for the past five years, among them police and fire stations, World Vision and Hispanic non-profits.

This year, N donated about $30,000.

Business has prospered because of the help given to it by locals and neighbors, and it’s a joyous thing to share earnings with the Latino and black communities, said the president of N, who requested he remain anonymous.

Small Giving, a volunteer organization in the San Francisco Bay area, celebrated its 12th year of raising money for “wheelchairs of love.” The campaign has collected $6,280 so far, a part of an ongoing effort that aims to send 200 wheelchairs to the disabled in Myanmar and North Korea.

New Jersey ___ President Paul Yoon stands with center employees and hand-knitted scarves and hats to be given out to local homeless this Christmas.

New Jersey Community Services for Immigrants & People with Disabilities President Paul Yoon stands with center employees and hand-knitted scarves and hats to be given out to local homeless this Christmas. (The Korea Times)

In New Jersey, Community Services for Immigrants & People with Disabilities launched a knitting project in November to provide warm scarves to local homeless.

The center, which finished 120 hats and scarves, plans to give out the knitted goods along with food at Newark Penn Station on Christmas Eve.

The center has provided warm meals to the homeless in Newark and Hackensack every weekend morning for five years, supported by Korean bakery Paris Baguette, local churches and donors.

“We reached our goal easier than we thought possible thanks to the support of the Korean American community who read about the first year of our knitting program,” said Paul Yoon, center president. “Through this project, we confirmed the giving spirit of the Korean American community to the needy despite the struggling economy.”