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Message from the Board 2 Korean American Family Services | KFAM Message from the Board Dear Friends, Welcome to Korean American Family Services’ (KFAM’s) 34th Anniversary Gala, “Fostering Love.” This year we’re proud to highlight our Asian Foster Family Initiative (AFFI), a program we started in 2014 to recruit, train and support Korean and other Asian Pacific Islander (API) foster parents to provide culturally appropriate homes to API foster children. When we started 3 years ago, there were zero active, trained Korean foster parents in the Greater Los Angeles area. We discovered Korean children who were placed in foster homes that did not share the same food, customs, or even language. Today, we are proud to announce that there are 32 trained Korean foster parents who have taken in 45 foster children, including 12 children who have been adopted or are in permanent legal guardianships. In December 2016, KFAM became the first licensed Foster Family Agency in the nation specializing in the needs of Korean and API communities. We are currently conducting trainings for the Korean and Chinese communities, and have plans to expand into Filipino and other API communities soon. Working with community partners and donors, we have taken the initial step towards building the first generation of API foster parents in Southern California. With 600-800 API foster kids in LA County alone, there is still much work to be done. We thank Dean and Maria Turnmeyer-Suh, our Keynote Speakers. Dean and Maria became foster parents three years ago when KFAM conducted our first foster parent training. They have gone on to foster 12 children, seeing it as their moral imperative to provide safe homes for abused and neglected children as long as they are able to do so. Thank you for inspiring us and reminding us that we can always do more for vulnerable children who need our love and support. Thank you, Hansun and Jiho, for performing for us this evening. We are so grateful to you for sharing your musical talents with us. And we are in awe of your mother, Grace, who has raised you to become the talented and poised young gentlemen that you are. Thank you to our 24 staff, 80+ annual volunteers, and 16 board members who keep KFAM running every day. Most of all, thanks to all of you who are here supporting KFAM. To our guests, donors, and Gala sponsors, including our Title Sponsor Commonwealth Business Bank: without your help, AFFI could never have become what it is today. We are indebted to you all. Sincerely, Sunny Kang Alvin Kang Charles Yoo Chair Gala Co-Chair Gala Co-Chair 34th Anniversary Gala : Fostering Love 3 David Yoo, M.D. 4 Korean American Family Services | KFAM September 21, 2017 Dear Friends, On behalf of the City of Los Angeles, it is with great pleasure that I welcome you to “Fostering Love,” the Korean American Family Services’ 34th Anniversary Fundraising Gala at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood. For three decades, KFAM has been a model of dedication to building bridges between diverse communities and the City of Los Angeles. I commend KFAM’s efforts to Eric Garcetti strengthen the Korean American community through its services such as mental health and child nutrition assistance, domestic violence intervention, and the Asian Foster Mayor, City of Los Angeles Family Initiative. Thank you for making Los Angeles a stronger City. Please join me in congratulating tonight’s honorees: Albert Kim and Dean and Maria Turnmeyer-Suh. I send my best wishes for a memorable evening and continued success. Sincerely, ERIC GARCETTI Mayor Mark Ridley-Thomas Supervisor, 2nd District, County of Los Angeles 34th Anniversary Gala : Fostering Love 5 6 Korean American Family Services | KFAM Herb J. Wesson, Jr. President, 10th District, Los Angeles City Council David Ryu Councilmember, 4th District, Los Angeles City Council 34th Anniversary Gala : Fostering Love 7 Janice Hahn Supervisor, 4th District, Los Angeles County September 21, 2017 Korean American Family Services 3727 West 6th Street, Suite 320 Los Angeles, CA 90020 Dear Friends, It gives me great pleasure to extend my warmest greetings to the Korean American Family Services’ 34th Anniversary Fundraising Gala. Thank you for gathering to support KFAM’s great work and the individuals being honored tonight, who are passionate about serving the needs of Korean immigrant families in the community. KFAM supports and strengthens Korean American families and individuals through counseling, education and other social services. This year’s theme of “Fostering Love” embraces foster children and their families. Last year, over 7,000 children and adults were served with vital programs.This evening celebrates KFAM’s collective work in helping Korean American individuals, foster children and families thrive. Congratulations to this year’s honorees: KFAM Humanitarian Award: Albert Kim, Community Visionary Award: Dean and Maria Turnmeyer-Suh, and KFAM. Congratulations and best wishes to Korean American Family Services and the honorees. Sincerely, KEVIN DE LEÓN Kevin De León President pro Tempore President pro Tempore, 24th District, Twenty-Fourth Senate District California State Senate 8 Korean American Family Services | KFAM September 21, 2017 Korean American Family Services (KFAM) 3727 West 6th Street, Suite 320 Los Angeles, CA 90020 Dear Friends: It is my pleasure to join with you in celebrating the 34th Anniversary Gala “Fostering Love” hosted by the Korean American Family Services (KFAM). For over 30 years, KFAM has worked to improve the quality of life for Korean immigrant families. Whether in the form of child nutrition, domestic violence intervention and assistance, or Sebastian Ridley-Thomas mental health services, KFAM provides much needed services to the Korean American community. The Asian Foster Family Initiative, which started in 2014, has now trained 31 Assemblymember, 54th District, Korean foster parents in the Greater Los Angeles area. These endeavors contributed to the California State Assembly adoption of 12 children and successful placement of 39 foster children. I would like to congratulate KFAM on becoming the nation’s first Foster Family Agency specializing in the needs of the Korean and Asian & Pacific Islander community. On behalf of the People of the 54th Assembly District of the State of California, I offer my best wishes and continued success! Respectfully, R SEBASTIAN RIDLEY-THOMAS California State Assemblymember Fifty-Fourth District Key-Cheol Lee Consul General, Korean Consulate General, Los Angeles 34th Anniversary Gala : Fostering Love 9 10 Korean American Family Services | KFAM Welcome Connie Chung Joe, Executive Director Keynote Address Dean and Maria Turnmeyer-Suh, Community Visionary Awardees Sponsor Recognition Commonwealth Business Bank, Title Sponsor Dinner Silent Auction More information on pages 50 to 55 Special Performance Jiho and Hansun Together We Give: Text to Give More information on page 37 Closing 34th Anniversary Gala : Fostering Love 11 Master of Ceremonies We are committed to being the difference. The difference to our patients. The difference to our community. The difference to you. CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center proudly supports Korean American Family Services for its continued dedication to Korean American families and individuals throughout the Los Angeles area. We share in the commitment to make a difference in the lives of our entire community. Special Performers 1300 North Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027 213.413.3000 | www.hollywoodpresbyterian.com 12 Korean American Family Services | KFAM Master of Ceremonies JINAH KIM Jinah Kim is currently a part-time correspondent for NBC News Channel and MSNBC based in Los Angeles. She is also the owner and executive producer of WorldWise Productions LLC (www.worldwiseproductions.com), a video production company specializing in training, educational and marketing videos, based in Los Angeles. She is a past president of the Asian American Journalists Association’s Los Angeles chapter and San Diego chapter. She also sits on numerous boards, including the ALS Association’s national communications committee. Jinah has won numerous prestigious national and regional awards for her work as a journalist. She also recently became an inventor. Special Performers JIHO AND HANSUN Jiho and Hansun met in 2014 and the two have been inseparable even if they had to press the same note 1,000 times before he was since then. Jiho has been playing the piano since he was a young boy ready to move on, they continued on. Jiho grew closer to his brother and his older brother, Hansun, started playing the piano two years as they practiced playing the piano every day. ago. Their musical journey was influenced by their mother, Grace, who is a violin and piano instructor. The two have performed at One day, the three of them were invited to perform at a recital. three recitals and events around Southern California. Jiho’s favorite Hansun really wanted to participate and play his music in front of piano piece is “Treimerei” and Hansun’s favorite piano piece is an audience. After six months of practicing with his mother and “Swan Lake.” Their favorite duet piece is “Jesus Loves Me.” brother for two hours every day, he was able to memorize three piano pieces, including one duet with his brother, Jiho. After the When Hansun began playing the piano, it was very difficult for him. recital, Hansun felt more confident and proud of his achievement. Hansun, who is on the autism spectrum, had never played a musical Since then, he has been invited to perform at various other events instrument before. He struggled with memorizing piano pieces and and today he will be performing with his brother. remembering where the notes were located on the piano. However, he really enjoyed the melody created from pressing the keys on the piano. He tried really hard and started to pick up tones and rhythms.