![From left to right: Michael Kim (Sales Manager of JJ Apparel), Jim Palmer (Director of OC Rescue Mission), Sunny Jeon (CEO of JJ Apparel), Anna Song (Director of Village of Hope). [Photographed by Sang-hwan Lim, Korea Daily LA]](https://www.koreadailyus.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/174238905.jpg)
A Korean-American entrepreneur couple who runs an apparel wholesales business, JJ Apparel (Naked Zebra), donated $100,000 to the Village of Hope, a homeless shelter in Tustin, California. Jacob and Suuny Jeon, the Co-CEOs of JJ Apparel are the donors.
On January 9, CEO Sunny Jeon visited the Village of Hope with sales manager Michael Kim and delivered the check of 100k dollars to Anna Song, the director of Village of Hope. “We appreciate all supports regardless of type and amount but we were surprised at the huge help from JJ Apparel,” said Song.
Mr. and Mrs. Jeon read the Korea Daily’s special article about the homeless and decided to make a donation. “My husband read the article then told me about children who are in need of diapers,” said Sunny Jeon. “We felt empathy because the story reminds us of the hard times we went through.”
Then Jacob Jeon made a surprise announcement at the company’s year-end party. “Today is my wife’s birthday so I have prepared a gift for her. I will donate $150,000 to UNICEF and $100,000 to Village of Hope in her name.”
“My husband wanted to spread the word of donation in order to inspire others and motivate ourselves to make a sustainable support,” said Mrs. Jeon. “Eventually I got the biggest birthday present ever.”
“I was reluctant to make that amount of donation at first. I run a business and in terms of management, it is a considerable amount of money. But I believe that the donation will make others happy and make us even happier.”
Mr. and Mrs. Jeon have been constantly helping missionary works, an orphanage in China and the Red Cross. Also they look to establish a non-profit organization “Love Number One” by the end of this year. “I always assure my children that they should follow after us. I know they will help others like their parents did,” said by Sunny Jeon.
An organization under the Orange County Rescue Mission, Village of Hope is located in Tustin, California. The shelter home reconstructed a decommissioned military base to offer a 192-bed transitional housing program for the homeless. Opened in March 2008, their programs have helped rehabilitation of people.
Original article by Sang-hwan Lim, The Korea Daily Los Angeles
Translated by Narae Lee
