“It felt really good to see the gratitude on their faces as they received the jackets,” said Sunwoo Yoon, a sixth-grade student at Brywood Elementary. “At first, I felt nervous about being around homeless people, but this experience helped me overcome my fear.”
Haksu Han, leader of Boy Scout Troop 278, emphasized the importance of the initiative. “This was an opportunity for the kids to bridge the gap with the homeless community,” he said. “Through volunteer work, they were able to see that even those living on the streets are an important part of our society.”
Homeless individuals receiving jackets expressed their appreciation with smiles and words of thanks. Joyce, a 30-year-old who lives near MacArthur Park, said, “It means so much that people are thinking of us. The cold is one of the hardest parts of living on the streets, and this jacket will make a big difference.”
The distribution extended beyond MacArthur Park, reaching areas like South Bay and Skid Row, with the help of various community organizations.
The winter clothing drive will continue in the coming weeks. On December 21, volunteers from Evergreen Mission Church and Growing Up Youth Volunteer will distribute jackets in the Valley area. Additionally, Happy Village plans to provide sleeping bags to the homeless in February next year.
This year marks the 18th annual winter clothing drive organized by Happy Village.
The initiative was made possible through donations from several organizations, including Torrance First Presbyterian Church, the Southern California Hwanghae Province Association, Turbo Charitable Foundation, Win Soon Inc. DBA Epoca, Sunrise Foundation, and Pro Club Foundation.
Their contributions funded the production of 1,500 winter jackets for those in need.
BY HANKIL KANG [kang.hankil@koreadaily.com]
