David Yong Dream Fund Marks Founder’s Birthday with Donation to Child Welfare Facility…Supports Children’s Dreams with Back-to-School Funding

In March, the David Yong Dream Fund carried out a special act of giving to a Seoul Metropolitan Government child welfare facility in celebration of founder David Yong’s birthday.  The David Yong Dream Fund visited Dream Tree Village Girls and provided back-to-school support funds to 38 children. The funding was intended to help the children purchase essential items or enroll in educational programs, enabling them to more actively pursue their individual dreams.   This initiative was planned to extend the meaning of Mr. Yong’s birthday beyond a personal milestone into an opportunity for giving. In particular, it was designed to provide practical support during the start of the new school year, when demand for school supplies and educational expenses increases. The Dream Fund expects that this support will encourage children to make their own choices and preparations, helping them build independence and motivation for the future.   On the day of the event, the children sang a birthday song to celebrate David Yong, creating a warm and meaningful moment. Mr. Yong shared a heartfelt exchange with the children as they blew out the candles together. The celebration also included cupcakes with “DREAM” lettering and Pure NZ bottled water, which were shared with the children. The event went beyond simple support, becoming a meaningful occasion of warmth and connection.  David Yong stated, “It is especially meaningful to spend my birthday with the children. I hope this support becomes a small but meaningful step that helps them move toward their dreams.” He added, “Through the Dream Fund, we will continue to provide sustained support so that children can keep dreaming and envision their futures.”   Kyung-ah Heo, President of Dream Tree Village Girls, expressed her gratitude, saying, “We sincerely appreciate this meaningful support at the beginning of the new school year. It will greatly help the children as they begin to shape and pursue their dreams.” She added, “Above all, sharing this warm moment together with the children made it even more meaningful.”   The David Yong Dream Fund is a philanthropic initiative that supports children, youth, and vulnerable communities so they can continue to dream and envision their futures. The fund is professionally operated by ASEAN Lab, which oversees its operations and supports a wide range of social contribution activities.   Previously, at the end of last year, the Dream Fund donated winter jackets to three Seoul Metropolitan Government child welfare facilities—Dream Tree Village Boys, Dream Tree Village Girls, and Children’s Blue Center. Building on this effort, the fund plans to continue providing ongoing support to these facilities, including Dream Tree Village Girls.    정현식 기자birthday donation children purchase children sang dream fund

2026.03.30. 1:17

David Yong Dream Fund Supports Winter Jacket Donation to Seoul Child Welfare Facilities

On December 22 (Mon), the David Yong Dream Fund donated a total of 107 winter jackets to three Seoul Metropolitan Government child welfare facilities— Dream Tree Village Boys, Dream Tree Village Girls, and Children’s Blue Center—in celebration of the year-end season and Christmas.   This winter jacket donation was planned through conversations about sharing and social impact between the David Yong Dream Fund and In-tae Oh, CEO of Zinjja Company and founder of the Good Influence Store, widely known for the “Free Pasta” initiative. Inspired by Mr. Oh’s continued commitment to supporting underprivileged children and neighbors, the Dream Fund joined in his proposal, leading to the realization of this meaningful support.   The donation was designed to help children and youth stay warm and healthy during the winter cold. It was delivered as a Christmas gift and a “warm year-end present,” with jackets carefully prepared to reflect the age, size, and specific needs of the children living at each facility.   The David Yong Dream Fund is a philanthropic initiative thatbsupports children, youth, and vulnerable communities so they can continue to dream and envision their futures. The fund is professionally operated by ASEAN Lab, which oversees its operations and supports a wide range of social contribution activities.   David Yong stated, “I hope these jackets go beyond being simple winter clothing and become a warm message reminding the children that someone believes in and supports them.” He added, “True to its name, the Dream Fund hopes its commitment to supporting ‘dreams’ will be meaningfully shared with the children living at those three Dream Centers.”   Kyung-ah Heo, President of Dream Tree Village Girls, Suckk-bin Byun, President of Dream Tree Village Boys, and Eun-joo Park, President of the Children’s Blue Center also expressed their gratitude, stating, “Just as the word ‘dream’ in our facility names suggests, helping children grow without losing hope is essential. This winter jacket support was a truly meaningful and much-needed gift, and it will help the children spend this winter with both physical warmth and emotional comfort.”   Meanwhile, Seoul Metropolitan Government Dream Tree Village Centers are public child welfare facilities that provide care and independence support for children and youth in need. They operate a variety of welfare programs aimed at promoting healthy growth and stable independence.   The Dream Fund plans to continue its ongoing efforts in sharing and giving, striving to build a society where more children can grow with hope and pursue their dreams.    정현식 기자facilities donation dream fund winter jackets dream tree

2025.12.23. 0:13

NLCS Jeju 'Be Friend' Leader Minju Kang, Delivers $4,300 Donation to Daniel School

On Friday, April 7, 2023, Minju Kang, a Year 12 student and leader of ‘Be Friend’, a community service club at North London Collegiate School(NLCS) Jeju, donated $4,300 to Daniel School for the disabled, a sum raised through a calendar sales fundraiser. Established in 1975, Daniel School in Seoul is dedicated to nurturing students with special needs and fostering their growth through love and support.   In December 2022, during their winter break, Minju Kang(Y12), Yumin Lee(Y11), and Sungwoo Kim(Y11) of the ‘Be Friend’ team led art therapy classes for fourth-grade Daniel School students with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Upon completing the classes, the team produced a 2023 calendar showcasing the students' artwork and successfully raised $4,300 through a fundraising campaign. The entire proceeds were donated to Daniel School, which expressed gratitude to the compassionate NLCS Be Friend team and announced plans to utilize the funds to purchase textbooks for their students.   The art therapy classes were thoughtfully designed and carried out in partnership with Daniel School instructors and the Be Friend team. ‘Be Friend’ leader Minju Kang explained, "Many students with varying disabilities often struggle to communicate with the world due to their limited cognitive abilities. It is vital for these students to understand different facial expressions and emotions. As such, we focused on lessons aimed at enhancing these recognition skills, such as self-portrait projects."   Upon receiving the plaque of appreciation from Daniel School, Minju Kang reflected, "I am grateful to God for providing me with the opportunity to help others and for making this a rewarding and educational experience for all involved. I will use this experience as a stepping stone to continue supporting those in need in the future." 강동현 기자 [email protected] friend daniel school friend team grade daniel

2023.04.09. 18:35