Support for Korean Youth Aging Out of Care

Thanks to your generous support, the Post-high School Support Initiaitive is well underway. Last Sunday, I had the privilege of having dinner with my young friend, Jung-young (JY). JY grew up at Samsungwon, an orphanage in Gumi, South Korea, and attended a nearby university to study nursing. He graduated this past March and began his career as a nurse in a hospital near Seoul, about 200 miles away from everyone he has ever known. Not knowing a single soul in his new location, JY is boldly defying stereotypes that the poor cannot succeed and that orphans cannot hold "white collar" positions. Early in his career, JY is proving himself a valuable member of the ER surgery team, and in fact, our dinner was cut short unexpectedly because he was called in to assist on an emergency operation. The doctors he works with value his diligence and competence, and we at KKOOM are also proud of his work ethic, which is serving as a great example to the younger children he grew up with in the orphanage. They now have a role model whom they can look to and realize that they too can succeed when they leave the orphanage that is raising them. With your continued support, KKOOM will continue to mentor young adults like JY and ensure that they have the resources necessary to succeed.