The 8 Foundation’s journey of growth and giving

By Jenny Dong

        The 8 Foundation began like many volunteer organizations—small, earnest, and full of heart. But over time, it has grown into something far more meaningful. To me, it’s not just a volunteer group anymore; it’s a vibrant and passionate community of nearly 400 Chinese-Americans, all united by a shared mission: to embrace our culture and share it proudly with others.
The growth we’ve experienced in just the past nine months is nothing short of remarkable. We’ve expanded from 250 members to almost 400—the fastest membership increase we’ve ever seen—and together we’ve reported over 11,000 cumulative hours of volunteer work. Watching this organization blossom from where it began to what it is now has been nothing less than extraordinary.          None of this progress would have been possible without the unwavering dedication of our volunteers, their supportive families, the visionary leadership of our founders, Yan and Jose, and our team of youth leaders.
    

  This year, I’ve had the pleasure of being the Youth Leader President. As my term comes to a close and we prepare to welcome a new group of youth leaders, I’ve found myself reflecting on the immense growth of this organization—and the profound impact it’s had..

       When I first started volunteering in this organization, it only had 10-15 members. And beyond that, we only had one event, which was the Light of Music program. We would try to do a concert once every month or two months, but even then, we were always scrambling for more people to do more programs since not enough people signed up, and we were short on the 1-hour time duration. I remember I often had to perform 3 or 4 different programs in one concert. But look at our Light of Music programs now, we have on average 4 concerts in a month, and every time, right after I send the sign-up links, they’d be full within the first minute of sending. Volunteers now eagerly await those emails, because now so many people want the opportunity to volunteer and share their music with others.
     

  And that is just one of our many programs that has experienced growth. Our participation in the Feed My Starving Children program has also soared, now often with enough member sign-ups to comprise over half of the venue. We’ve also expanded to serve at various homeless shelters and meal-serving programs, broadening the scope and reach of our efforts. Our Birthday Cake Delivery initiative with Sunshine Acres Children’s Home has also grown in both scale and meaning. What began as a simple donation of cakes has evolved into a deeply personal gesture. Now, every birthday dessert is chosen with the child’s favorite flavors and colors in mind, and each comes with a handmade note to make their special day even more memorable.
        We’ve also taken on high-profile opportunities—from volunteering at Ironman events to performing the national anthem at NBA games. One of our biggest successes was the Chinese New Year music performance at the Mesa Arts Center.. This performance group was the largest musical chamber group we’ve ever done, consisting of not only string instruments but a full symphony of winds, brass, and percussion. It brought together participants from all age groups, schools, and backgrounds in a powerful musical celebration of the Year of the Dragon. Our rendition of the Dragon Dance spirit resonated with audiences and earned us significant recognition within the local Chinese community. In the wake of that success, we’ve received offers for collaboration and opportunities to apply for community grants, further strengthening our foundation’s future.
       Perhaps what I cherish most about the 8 Foundation is the space it creates for young people to grow as leaders. During my term, I built a Discord server to facilitate direct communication between the Youth Leaders Council and the broader volunteer base. This digital platform gave us a new level of autonomy and responsibility, enabling us to manage projects collaboratively and build strong, lasting relationships within the council. It made volunteering not only more efficient but also far more enjoyable.
       As I prepare to pass the baton to the next generation of youth leaders, I feel nothing but pride and hope. The 8 Foundation has come so far, and I truly believe its best days are still ahead. With our shared energy, commitment, and belief in service, this organization will continue to grow, evolve, and make a meaningful impact—one act of kindness at a time.