HONORING THOSE WHO FOUGHT DURING THE KOREAN WAR

HONORING THOSE WHO FOUGHT DURING THE KOREAN WAR

On January 24, 2025, the Korean Foundation of Puerto Rico honored those who fought in the Korean War. This memorial ceremony took place at the National Cemetery in Guaynabo in the presence of Sangpyo Suh, the Consul General of the Korean Consulate in Atlanta; BG Paul W. Dahlen; Juan Nieves; Yesul Lee; Yohan Yoav Shakes and KFPR President SuYon Yi. We extend our gratitude to veterans Victor La Barca Lago and Juan Barbosa who attended memorial ceremony.

K-School has officially kicked off the spring semester!

K-School has officially kicked off the spring semester!

A special thanks to Victoria S. Agostini, Gustavo Wiscovich De La Cruz, Juan Carlos Correa Ramos, Marcelo Claudio Sotomayor, Jean Louis Lelogeais, Sunghee Thomson, Suyon Yi, and Benjamin Ravitch for their invaluable contributions and support. Your dedication plays a crucial role in fostering an enriching and dynamic learning environment.

Here’s to a successful and inspiring semester ahead, let’s make it a great one together!

K-School has successfully completed its first day of classes!

K-School has successfully completed its first day of classes!

We are thrilled to announce that K-School has successfully completed its first day of classes! Students from 3rd to 9th grade participated in a dynamic and enriching day of learning. The day began with an energetic Taekwondo session, followed by focused lessons in math, particularly on multiplication, and English. The children practiced speaking in English, using phrases like “I like to…”, “I want to…”, “I am…”, and “I do…”.

We would like to extend our special thanks to Gustavo Wiscovitch de la Cruz for leading the Taekwondo session; Nathalie Lelogeais and Taran Ramchandani, students from U Chicago who while being on vacation in Puerto Rico, generously took the time to assist our K-School students; and Sophie Singh and Luz Vidal from Saint John’s School who enthusiastically participated and helped out.

Thank you to everyone who made this day a success! We look forward to an exciting school year ahead.

Exciting News: K-School Begins Soon!

Exciting News: K-School Begins Soon!

Meet Tirado Family

Meet Tirado Family

Supporting Families in Puerto Rico

Meet the Tirado Family

At KFPR, we believe in empowering families to build brighter futures. Meet the Tirado family – a hardworking couple dedicated to creating better opportunities for their four children. Dad, a former teacher, is tirelessly working at a plastic manufacturing factory while pursuing a teaching position, and mom is juggling side jobs while studying nursing to support her family. Recognizing their dedication, KFPR recently stepped in to lighten their load by providing them with brand-new laundry machines. This simple gesture allows them to save valuable time on household chores and focus more on their goals and dreams. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of families like the Tirados. Join us in supporting their journey towards a brighter tomorrow!

Neliza Cardina family

Neliza Cardina family

Supporting Families in Puerto Rico

Neliza Cardina family

We encountered Cardona’s family shortly after Hurricane Fiona wreaked havoc on the southern region of Puerto Rico. As we engaged in relief efforts, we were informed about a single mother with three children who had lost her home and possessions, seeking refuge in a shelter. Our team paid a visit to the shelter and got acquainted with Mrs. Cardona’s children. The family was eagerly anticipating public housing. A week later, we made our way to the Cardina family in Mayaguez. Their apartment was devoid of any essentials. We proceeded to procure vital supplies such as clothing for the children, bed linens, cookware, and drinking glasses. Mrs. Cardona harbors aspirations of owning a food truck in the future. Presently, she holds a managerial position at Churchs on a part-time basis, as her responsibilities towards her young children prevent her from working full-time.

Luis Alamena Family

Luis Alamena Family

Supporting Families in Puerto Rico

Luis Alamena Family

We had the pleasure of visiting Luis Alamena in Ponce. He resides with his mother, wife, and two young children, who were in need of assistance with a leaking roof. Despite his hard work, the family did not have the funds to repair it. Thanks to the support of the community, we were able to provide the materials needed to fix the roof while Luis Alamena was overseas. Special thanks to David Frontera for his time traveling with us to meet the families in Ponce and translate.

Alberto Rivera Family

Alberto Rivera Family

Supporting Families in Puerto Rico

Alberto Rivera Family

Alberto Rivera is an amazing construction worker with a ton of experience in his field. It was so great meeting him while we were volunteering to help fix people’s roofs after the hurricane. We really needed his expertise in repairing the leaky roofs. Unfortunately, his truck broke down and he couldn’t make it to work or volunteer to help fix the roofs. So, we decided to buy him a used truck so he could get back to work and keep volunteering his time. We were so touched by his generous spirit and his dedication to giving back to the community.

The Caraballo Family

The Caraballo Family

Supporting Families in Puerto Rico

The Caraballo Family

Upon learning that Jose Caraballo, a farmer, was in need of assistance due to a hurricane destroying his home and work tools, we took action. Residing in a remote mountainous area, this family of four required support. Moved by their situation, we made the decision to provide them with a new grass cutter to help Jose return to work.

Contacted Ms. Jennyselle Nuez

Contacted Ms. Jennyselle Nuez

Supporting Families in Puerto Rico

Contacted Ms. Jennyselle Nuez

KFPR contacted Ms. Jennyselle Nunez, a mother of two daughters who holds both full-time and part-time positions at grocery stores as a clerk. Following her recent cancer surgery, we are providing financial assistance until she is able to return to work. Our support includes covering water bills, electricity bills, and grocery expenses. Fortunately, Jennyselle can focus on her recovery without the stress of rushing back to her jobs. Wishing her a speedy recovery and all the best!

EMERGENCY RELIEF AFTER HURRICANE FIONA

EMERGENCY RELIEF AFTER HURRICANE FIONA

Hurricane Fiona relief efforts

We naturally had to get involved with the devastation caused by Fiona. We recently traveled south of the island to visit some families directly affected. While we all have seen images, seeing it in person takes another dimension. Houses have been flooded; some have no roofs; people have lost their belongings; and there was still no electricity a week after Fiona hit the island. These tragic conditions of course affect vulnerable people even more. We met a single mom with 3 children, two of them diabetic, who has lost her house and is being moved to a public housing facility but does not even have mattresses and blankets. We met another family whose grandmother died during the hurricane, the mother is single with 2 kids and does not have the resources for the funeral, and the uncle is a stage 3 cancer patient who needs an oxygen machine. We are a grassroots organization and believe in stepping in and helping highly vulnerable for people in dire situations who have not yet been helped by other relief efforts, and we will be contributing both funding, basic necessities, and equipment to a number of Puerto Ricans families in despair.

Supporting Ian to compete in the 2024 Paralympic Games

Supporting Ian to compete in the 2024 Paralympic Games

Supporting Ian to compete in the 2024 Paralympic Games

Ian is a wonderful 16-year-old Puerto Rican boy who was born with Cerebral Palsy which has left him with significant motor issues on the left side of his body. Despite his significant life challenges, Ian is an athlete and has embraced Prone paddleboarding and surfing. Here he is: https://youtu.be/2jDwzgnVwrQ. Challenging himself at competitive levels has helped him grow physically and mentally. His dream is to represent Puerto Rico at the upcoming Paralympic games which would most likely be surfing because Prone paddleboarding is not yet a Paralympic discipline. KFPR decided to support Ian with his preparation and to make his dream a reality because we believe in changing people’s lives one at a time and Ian is a role model that nothing is impossible if you believe.

Helping out with the Ukraine refugees’ crisis

Helping out with the Ukraine refugees’ crisis

Helping out with the Ukraine refugees’ crisis

The Ukraine war presented us with yet another incredibly tragic situation which we could not be indifferent even though it is far from Puerto Rico. We had the opportunity to learn about an amazing project to extract vulnerable Ukrainians from war zones to bring them to safety in Poland. This is led on the ground by two incredible men who served in the British Army and bring the knowhow and experience to organize what are effectively special operations. Here is more about Project Apollo: https://projectapollo.org.uk/. KFPR was able to help raise a significant amount of money at a charity event for this remarkable initiative.

Feeding homeless people during Covid Lockdowns May 2020

Feeding homeless people during Covid Lockdowns May 2020

Feeding the Homeless May 2020

During the Covid-19 lockdown, homeless people have been particularly affected because they lost access to their usual places for services. In May, KFPR teamed up with Mar Azul, a church organization, to prepare more than 200 meal boxes which we then distributed to homeless people on the streets of San Juan. KFPR not only bought the food but also made a financial contribution to future meals for the homeless. A special thanks to Dr. Jonathan Torres who is a member of Mar Azul and has supplemented the Church initiative which takes place twice a week by raising money from families and friends to feed the homeless by himself the other days of the week.

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Puerto Rico Earthquake Relief February – Present

Puerto Rico Earthquake Relief February – Present

Puerto Rico Earthquake Relief

In the wake of the earthquakes early this year, KFPR stepped in to help a few families who faced particularly tragic circumstances having lost access to their home while having to take care of children with disabilities. A KFPR team of volunteers made several trips to visit these families, understand their situation, comfort them, and support them financially as well as providing them first necessity goods. A special thanks to Saint John's School who contributed items collected through a food drive.

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2022 The Tiger year Celebration

2022 The Tiger year Celebration

On Feb, 19, local KFPR members, Korean families and local celebrities came together to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Puerto Rico. Guests and their children were dressed to the Korean Traditional cloth (HanBok). The Korean Foundation of Puerto Rico Lunar New Year celebration featured performances by Korean drummers and Professional Viola. Everyone was enjoyed to having a good time with buffet-style Korean dinner, wine and Korean traditional activities. Over 100 attendants had to present a negative COVID-19 test in order to be granted entry into the celebration. it was wonderful, fun and safe celebration, thanks to host Mrs. Suyon Yi, president of KFPR and Alberto Baco, director of KFPR.

Puerto Rico Earthquake Relief June 2020

Puerto Rico Earthquake Relief June 2020

As a continuation of our support to a few families with disabled children who lost their home, a number of volunteers traveled on June 20 to visit Cassandra in her new home. Cassandra is wonderful 20 year lady who was born with hydrocephalus and is wheelchair bound. When we first met her and her mother in March, she was living in her earthquake refugee center and her wheelchair was not working. It was heartwarming to see Cassandra now living in a proper home with her parents. Thanks to our help, they were able to repair the electric wheelchair. Seeing Cassandra’s smile was incredibly rewarding. We will continue to be involved with her and her family and hope we can help her go back to college.

Covid-19 Relief

Supporting Vulnerable Elderly People in San Juan May 2020

Supporting Vulnerable Elderly People in San Juan May 2020

Supporting vulnerable elderly people in San Juan (May 2020)

KFPR volunteers spent Mother’s Day to help prepare 500 meals which were donated and distributed to 500 poor elderly people in 4 different communities: Payita in Santurce, Buena Vista in Hato Rey, and Buen Consejo and Hill Brothers Sur in Rio Pedras. KFPR , along with another donor, also sponsored the cost of the food. A big thanks to Plato Restaurant who opened their doors for this special event and who cooked the meals.

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Lunar New Year Celebration

Lunar New Year Celebration

Thank you all for attending the KFPR Lunar New Year Celebration/Korean Language and Culture School Open House! It was a tremendous success with over 100 attendees.

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Korean Language and Culture School January 2020

Korean Language and Culture School January 2020

Korean School and Culture School January 2020

We launched a Korean Language and Culture School for children K-5th grade, which takes place every Saturday at Saint John’s School to expose the children to the Korean culture, teach them the language and introduce them to Taekwondo.

Learn more at https://kfpr.us/korean-school