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Koreatown non-profits get ready to give through holiday season

December 4, 2014

Volunteers wrap gifts for children at Korean American Family Services. (Kim Chul-soo/The Korea Times)

By Kim Chul-soo

Los Angeles’ Korean American non-profit organizations are preparing for the holiday season centered around the spirit of giving help to those in need.

One of them, the Pacific American Volunteer Association World, is planning to serve food to 650 homeless at the Midnight Mission in skid row on Dec. 13. PAVA will also deliver toys donated by students and parents to a children’s hospital.

“With Christmas approaching, we want to deliver a message through students that miracles do exist, even for a day, to the homeless who don’t have anywhere to go,” said PAVA President Wang Deok-jeong.

Meanwhile, Korean American Family Services, which launched a foster family initiative this year, is preparing holiday gifts and a party for children under the care of Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.

Koreatown Youth & Community Center, starting Dec. 13, will put on the 21st KYCC Holiday Carnival at Wilshire Park Elementary School, where 1,500 local children and 500 parents are expected to join in on end-of-the-year celebrations.

Detailed plans for the 2014 “Rice of Love” event, put on by the Council of Korean Churches in Southern California and supported by the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles and The Korea Times, will be announced soon.