What: Giving makes you happier because you felt connected to something bigger than yourself.
Why: Helping others who are less fortunate have a better opportunity to being successful.
How: We have a mentorship program and honestly without my mentors, I would not be where I am today which is why I invest so much time and energy into mentorship programs especially in Vietnam where they have less resources then we do in America.
About three years ago, I was in a place where I wasn’t in the best state of mind. Luckily I volunteered for a place called Landmark Worldwide. It’s a self-development program that changed my life. I met someone named Julie Tran/Ziccardi during this program called the Advance course, which was eye-opening. I had only completed the Landmark Forum which is an event where there is over 100+ people in NYC come together to heal and step into their greatness through a series of exercises and conversations. Anyways, I remember being so touched when I was struggling and Julie, whom I only met once before with the Chinese Business Advisors hosted by Monica Liang. I remember getting very emotional because I was so touched by her act of kindness. I remember crying to this day when I saw that she helped me when I was at my worst.
We decided to grab lunch one day, and she shared with me the Orphans Future Alliance. It’s been such a rewarding experience being able to raise over $6k so far since my involvement we have been able to help over 56 Orphans last year. I’m grateful for last year’s contributions from so many of my friends. Our team won an internal competition, and TriNet was kind enough to donate $2k towards this cause, and this year I’ve raised $1000+ so far in 2020. My goal this year is to grow just as much, if possible. These are the reasons why I am passionate about this cause.
Upon reflection and introspection, I realized that although I didn’t have the best childhood growing up, I still had a mother growing up most of life. We didn’t always have the best relationship, but I cry when I think of my mother’s love. Imagine not having a mother what that must be like. Unconditional love is something I’ve learned from my beautiful partner, and seeing it with so many of the people in my life I’m blessed, and I want to be able to contribute back to society in any way I can. I made a YouTube video sharing about Orphans Future Alliance. Being able to ask for help is a huge skill that I struggled with a lot of times. There were people in my life I was not afraid to ask for help- Jeff, Pan, Aditya- but I realized that I often prejudged who I think would donate to this amazing cause and who wouldn’t. Once I finally got over this fear, my life changed because I was no longer afraid of how others would perceive me and that freedom is incredibly empowering. The power of team and partnership. With our associate board and members of ORFA have a goal this year to raise $115k to help 115 kids for the 2021 School year. Since the founders started the program in 2012- we’ve impacted 575 children so far. Being able to trust and made a difference about something bigger than myself is so rewarding. Since reaching out my network, I felt more connected to others because you know over the course of life we have kids, get married, move away. It’s rare to stay in touch with everyone but one of the reasons why I reach out to people is to catch up and every though I’m asking for support people feel connected to you and they want to contribute. We all want meaning and purpose in life, and if this helps people stay more connected to you then that’s a beautiful thing. Thank you, LinkedIn Gives- Social Impact for the opportunity. Luckily at LinkedIn for every hour of volunteer work, you do. Linkedin matches $10, so I was able to give $1,585 just in volunteer donors. That’s how you know you work for an amazing company. Any corporations looking for ways to help your employees feel a sense of purpose doing something like this definitely makes you want to stay at LinkedIn for a very long time. Landmark’s SELP program- getting support around your blocks is important.
From the love and support of 50+ other participants in this coaching program. I saw that my stories around who I am for my communities were filtered and clouded by previous experiences. I had a story about being independent, which means that I did not need help and that I can do everything by myself. That was the furthest from the truth I can possibly be, by realizing that we are all in this together. You become humbled and touched by the hundreds of people who want to contribute to this cause.
It’s a beautiful thing. My community and spiritual connectedness to everything grows the more I sit outside myself and my discomfort and stand for what I believe in. It’s not always comfortable asking for money, especially during a pandemic, but it really shows the abundance mind I have when I step into something great. I appreciate the LinkedIn family- it’s a community that supports social impact. When I reach out to leaders at LinkedIn, I receive a ton of support, and the relationships mean so much to me that they are willing to support something I really care about. Thanks for taking the time to read all of this. You don’t have to but you did that shows that you are willing to take the time to be of service and be a clearing for others. and for that I’m grateful. Lastly, let me know if you are interested in participating and volunteering. We are always looking for more Board of Directors and Associate Board Members. It’s helped me become a better person through a life of service. This ultimately helps me become a better professional in all aspects of my career.
My ask of you is to contribute $50+ to this beautiful cause. Here is the link to do so.
Last year, I was able to raise $3,439 of dollars to impact 44 children in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
It was really rewarding for me to be involved with this because I am Vietnamese and we all have so much privilege compared to these Orphans in Vietnam. it’s such a rewarding cause and I appreciate you all checking this out.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this cause. It means a lot to me.
How has your support impacted Orphans’ Futures Alliance today?
With your generous support, we have implemented and continue to expand the scholarship and mentoring programs in Vietnam with 34 children for Scholarship and 44 in the Mentoring programs for 2019. We have started to support our second partner in Chiangmai, Thailand by providing scholarships for 15 kids. Since our founding in 2012, we have impacted 575 children through our scholarships and various confidence-building and nurturing activities. For the 2020-2021 school year, we aim to support 115 kids for a total cost of $115,000.
Our Programs:
Scholarship Program: The purpose is to support a student’s education, awarded based on academic needs and achievements, as well as other criteria, such as alignment with OrFA’s mission. Those who are in the scholarship program are automatically enrolled in the mentoring program.
Mentoring Program: The purpose of our 1:1 mentoring pairing is to help orphans develop and maintain a stable mental state and a positive outlook in life. We believe that by having a mentor, the children will have an added support/role model/friend to help guide them throughout their adolescence. In turn, we hope that this will empower them to have more confidence in their decisions, stimulate their passion and drive to pursue their dreams, and overcome any obstacles that life may bring. It is our mission that they will become their best selves and truly shine.
