A group of Korean Americans, not often in the spotlight, is quietly spreading warmth at the senior center from behind the scenes.
On January 30, the storage room at the back of the hall of the Koreatown Senior & Community Center was filled with more than 3,000 pieces of clothes.
These were donated by companies affiliated with the Korean-American Apparel Manufacturers Association (KAMA) since November 2023.
“Former KAMA chairman Richard Cho donated more than 700 pieces of clothing in two rounds, and members of Josta, LeeHwa Wedding and Hanbok, Miss Love, Edgemine, and Lisa Jeon also contributed,” said Kwan-il Park, director of the Senior Center. “The clothes, recently available for sale, were either unsellable due to being out of season or remained unsold in inventory, yet all of them are new.”
Many of the donated items still had price tags, averaging $20 to $50 each. The items included jumpers, cardigans, T-shirts, pants, and dresses.
Currently, the senior center is offering the clothes to members for a $3 donation per item.
“There are a lot of donated items, but with only a few volunteers, it’s difficult to distribute them,” Park added, “The money collected is used to fund the operation of the senior center.”
Additionally, Korean-American businesses and organizations have shown their support for the ‘Lunar New Year’s Big Feast’ scheduled for February 7.
On that day, the center will provide a free feast for 300 invited seniors, accompanied by performances.
For the event, Korean restaurant Park’s BBQ donated 300 15-pound bags of rice, Fame Accessories CEO Eunhye Lee donated 300 winter luxury scarves, and CheongKwanJang contributed 300 boxes of red ginseng.
Moreover, KLK Capital Management LLC, WellCare Health Insurance, Seoul Medical Group, and PCB Bank provided financial support for the event.
The donations also reflect the efforts of the senior center’s director.
Yong Sin Shin, seven months into her role, has been lauded for her proactive leadership and effective use of her business network.
KAMA’s donation was specifically requested by Shin, who has 30 years of experience in the apparel industry.
Since taking the helm, Shin has addressed past issues and initiated new projects, including providing daily lunches for staff and volunteers, installing automatic gates in the parking lot, transferring the management of Da Wool Jung, and installing heaters and tables in Da Wool Jung.
Shin, who has pledged $100,000 over 10 years, also makes personal donations to support the senior center’s operating expenses.
“I think the senior center runs well because of the Korean Americans who help silently,” Shin stated, expressing her gratitude for their involvement in serving Korean seniors.
BY SUAH JANG, JUNHAN PARK [jang.suah@koreadaily.com]
