by Kyle Nguyen, Staff Writer
This past weekend, the Illumination Foundation volunteered at a local Valentine’s Day carnival and hosted a cookie decorating booth for children in need.
“Many of the children only rarely have opportunities to have family and friends time together, so events such as these give them a day to simply have fun and be children,” said Ashley Thai (‘17), co-president of the Illumination Foundation.
The Illumination Foundation is a nonprofit organization that has helped homeless families in Orange County since 2008 through a wide variety of supportive contributions. It focuses on the compassion that it spreads to children in need by serving as positive role models.
“We work to reassure them that there are individuals who care about their well being by attending and organizing many events including various holiday themed carnivals such as this one,” said Thai.
For most, if not all, of the members part of the Illumination Foundation, the best thing about giving back to their community is the validation they feel when they know that the impact they have made on their society and seeing the bright faces of the children they have met along the way.
“You want to give back to those who have less than you and it’s such a humbling experience to witness firsthand the hardships that these families must have to face everyday and it makes me value what I have,” said the other co-president Hoang-Vi Vu (‘17).
For those interested in checking out or joining Illumination Foundation, meetings are held every Tuesday in room 235.
