What’s New
Ryan Says Goodbye
Hello KYCC Team! It’s been challenging work, but always worth it. Now I’ve decided to begin looking for opportunities to bring positive change on a citywide scale. What that is yet, I’m not quite sure, but I’m excited to find out. My departure will not be immediate, as I’ll be staying on to help transition in the next Environmental Services Manager. If you want to grab lunch or coffee before I go, let me know! KYCC unexpectedly turned into the best job I’ve ever had in my life, and the best organization I’ve ever worked for. Be proud of what you do to help our community, and remember the words of President Theodore Roosevelt:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
KYCC Heads Countywide API Child Abuse Prevention Program
On Feb. 2, KYCC hosted a kickoff meeting for the newly established Asian Pacific Islander Partnership for Families (API PFF) Collaborative, which will address the needs of pregnant women and families with children aged five or younger who are at risk for child maltreatment.
KYCC was designated the lead agency of the new child abuse prevention initiative, which will serve Los Angeles countywide, in a three-year contract with the Department of Children and Family Services. In Los Angeles County, the Partnership for Families (PFF) program has been operating successfully since 2004, but there has been no allocated sector in service of the Asian Pacific Islander community—until now.
KYCC Awarded $50,000 Taper Foundation Grant for Menlo Programs
KYCC was awarded a generous $50,000 grant in December 2016 from the S. Mark Taper Foundation to provide ongoing support for our Menlo Family Center youth programs. KYCC’s Menlo Family Center provides on-site services for the residents of the Menlo Family Apartments, a 209-unit affordable housing building on the border of the Pico-Union and Koreatown neighborhoods.
KYCC Launches Action Sports Program for Youth
Since October 2016, KYCC has partnered with STOKED Mentoring to encourage youth character development through action sports. The program serves middle through high school-aged youth, exposing them to an array of outdoor physical activities year-round.
This joint KYCC-STOKED program facilitates skateboarding in the spring and fall, snowboarding in the winter and surfing in the summer. One of the program’s main objectives is to expose the kids to new experiences—all but one of the participants had never seen snow and none of them had ever surfed before.
KYCC and Lanterman Address Developmental Disabilities in Korean Community
KYCC is tremendously grateful to our supporters—many of whom were NEW supporters this year—for donating to our Annual Appeal 2016. Our goal for the Annual Appeal was $10,000 and we raised over $15,000! The agency intends to use 100% of the proceeds from this year’s campaign towards our Youth Services programs and services.
KYCC Partners with Mayor’s Office in Tax Services Campaign
On Feb. 2, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti launched the Free Tax Prep Los Angeles campaign in collaboration with local private and public organizations, including KYCC. The campaign is designed to provide free tax preparation services to low-to-moderate income households and help eligible families claim thousands of dollars’ worth of State and Federal tax credits.
KYCC Partners with Mayor’s Office in Tax Services Campaign
Orange County entrepreneur Joseph Sanberg, right, spent time in April with families that attended the CalEITC4me outreach in Garden Grove to raise awareness about the state’s earned income tax credit for low-income workers. Sanberg spearheaded the publicity campaign effort.
A Feb. 6 Orange County Register article on the new California Earned Income Tax Credit highlights Tanya James, a KYCC tax client who benefitted from this new program.
James, a single mother of three, needed to stay home more with her youngest child, who has a disability. This greatly impacted the family’s finances last year.
New Hires
Michelle Kim
Clinical – Counselor
Michelle Kim received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UC Davis. Then she went to New York and received her MA degree in Criminal Justice from John Jay College, and also her MA degree in Mental Health Counseling from Nyack College. She is passionate about helping children and has had various experiences interacting, teaching and counseling them. Before coming to KYCC, Michelle volunteered and had internship experiences in different organizations—nonprofit, legal aid, and the state probation department. She was also trained in a private practice counseling agency in New York. In her free time, she loves listening to music, playing instruments and exploring different outdoor activities. Michelle is excited about the start of the journey she will have in KYCC as a counselor.
Jieun Kang
Clinical – Counselor
Jieun Kang received her bachelor’s degree from UC Davis. She graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary with a master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2013. She joined KYCC after working at Penny Lane Centers in Antelope Valley for two years. Jieun has always been passionate about helping children and families to reach their highest potential. She is passionate about learning new things and traveling to beautiful places.
Employee Spotlight
G Blades
Admin – Human Resources
1. Please Tell Me About Yourself?
I am a native Angeleno. I have four kids and one granddaughter; they are my pride and joy. KYCC is the seventh nonprofit organization I have worked for (all in a Human Resource capacity). I like working for nonprofits because they are mission driven and want to make a difference.
2. Can you share with us something most people don’t know about you?
I bartended for 15 years at the Wiltern Theater to help my kids through college and I started my career off, during college, in the banking industry.
3. What do you do in your free time?
I am a movie buff, so I watch old and new movies…like I’m obsessed. Gangster movies are some of my favorites.
4. What do you love the most about your job? The most challenging about your job?
I love the fact that I help people. The most challenging thing about my job is having enough time to address all the pressing needs.
5. A question all future employees want to know: What do you look for in a future employee at job interviews?
Good Question. ”Caring” is what I look for. You can teach anyone to learn a program or to complete a report but no one can be taught to care…either you do or you don’t.
6. What inspires you to do the work you do?
When I hear staff share information I have given them with someone else. (What a Rush!!)
7. What is your fondest memory to date of your time at KYCC?
Our Holiday All Staff. Seeing our staff really enjoying the moment, interacting with others from different departments, and the joy on their faces from winning prizes.
8. Where do you imagine yourself to be 10 years from now?
Probably still at KYCC. I really enjoy it here.
9. Do you consider KYCC a special place if so, why?
Very special. KYCC is not only committed to the community it serves but the staff as well. We are lucky that the leadership of KYCC does not have to be convinced the importance of supporting our staff.
10. How did the Grinch Steal Christmas?
Very slowly. There was a sighting of a Grinch imposter at our Holiday Carnival…you just never know where that Grinch may show up.
Quickfire Questions:
1. Where is your hometown? Born and raised in L.A.
2. What is your relationship with Koreatown? (If you live here/work here, what do you do here?) I work here.
3. What are your thoughts on Koreatown? Very established community that has been going through a lot of growth and change over the last few years.
4. Where is your favorite place in Koreatown…and why? The Wiltern Theater. It’s a beautifully restored Art-Deco theater and the acoustics are amazing to hear music.
Community News
Over 160 people in the L.A. area were arrested during a “surge” operation conducted by ICE. ICE claims they targeted immigrants with felony records and fugitives.
A mixed-use Target development is on target to open on Sixth Street in K-Town.
Rapper “Koreatown Oddity” may approach you in a wolf mask and start rapping at you.
An elderly Korean woman was assaulted on Western and Council, police say no evidence of racial motivations.
Koreatown is the densest neighborhood in Los Angeles, and 30 new buildings are in development for the area. For a neighborhood that has a median income below Boyle Heights and Jefferson Park, what repercussions might this have on low-income housing?
Birthdays and KYCC Anniversaries
Birthdays
- Feb. 3 – Oscar Solano
- Feb. 14 – Luke Park
- Feb. 18 – Mayra Jimenez
- Feb. 26 – May Kim
- Feb. 26 – Vince Leus
- Mar. 5 – Julio Barahona
- Mar. 8 – Marianet Tirado Escareno
- Mar. 8 – Rudy Fortiz
- Mar. 9 – Sungbok Lee
- Mar. 9 – Byron Shinyama
- Mar. 14 – Jae Eun Shin
- Mar. 22 – Walter Holland
Work Anniversaries
- Feb. 2 – 8 years – Byron Shinyama
- Feb. 3 – 3 years – Jae Eun Shin
- Feb. 4 – 4 years – Joanne Kim
- Feb. 5 – 2 years – Dustin Cole
- Feb. 5 – 15 years – Jerry Velasquez
- Feb. 11 – 1 year – Luke Park
- Mar. 8 – 4 years – Ryan Allen
- Mar. 16 – 1 year – Jenny Park
- Mar. 20 – 14 years – Lisa Kim
- Mar. 26 – 1 year – Yancy Maravilla
- Mar. 30 – 1 year – Omar Chavez
Open Positions
Have some talented and driven friends? Let them know about our open positions.
- ES – Community Forestry and Beautification Manager
- ES – Data Specialist
- CS – Counselor III (Bilingual English/Spanish or English/Korean)
- CS – Counselor I (Bilingual English/Korean)
- CS – Clinical Supervisor
- PE – Community Organizer
- Admin – Receptionist / Admin Assistant
Take Note!
Without data, decisions are left to tribal knowledge or worse, the whims of the Highest Paid Person’s Opinion (HiPPO). – David Driven Nonprofits, Steve MacLaughlin
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