Dragon Kim Foundation
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Mission Statement
Our mission is to inspire our youth impact their communities while finding and pursuing their passions.
About This Cause
The Dragon Kim Foundation was founded in 2015 by Grace and Daniel Kim in honor of their 14-year-old son Dragon. While on a family camping trip in August 2015, a massive tree branch fell on the tent in which Dragon and his friend were sleeping. Both boys were killed instantly. While heartbroken, the family decided to carry on the work that Dragon had started during his short life. Dragon was passionate about music, athletics, learning, and community service. He could play 10 instruments and loved helping to teach music to younger children. Dragon attended high school at the Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA), where he played in three ensembles, studied jazz, discovered a love for math, economics, and physics, and was very active in athletics, playing goalie for his water polo team, and pursuing a 3rd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Dragon benefitted from having a well-rounded educational experience. He felt all kids deserved this and wanted to provide opportunities for others to learn and grow. After his passing, the Dragon Kim Foundation continues his legacy, carrying on his love of life and learning, making it possible for youth to pursue interests in areas in which Dragon himself was passionate, and helping give others the access to a bright future. Our programs strive to bring to life Dragon’s dream of helping kids learn and serve their community, as well as support youth programs in academics, athletics, and the arts. Core Services We all know how important it is to find what you love to do. That exploration starts in childhood. The problem is that not all kids have access to expensive sports programs, private music lessons, and after-school tutoring. Budget cuts in the schools have eliminated sports, music, and arts programs, exacerbating this problem. But no matter what socioeconomic background they come from, all kids deserve the opportunity to lead amazing lives. The Dragon Kim Foundation provides youth with opportunities to learn and to take an active role in improving their communities. Our main programs include: The Dragon Kim Fellowship Program – Designed to teach high school students from throughout Southern California how to share their passions and help others, the Fellowship Program helps youth develop community service projects. Students receive business and leadership training, are matched with a business mentor to help plan their projects, and receive a grant of up to $5,000 to implement and complete their projects, which work to benefit the broader Southern California community. The Fellowship program empowers young leaders to change their world. Music Programs – Serving 200 elementary school students in Santa Ana and Duarte each year, this program provides low-income children with a full school year of music lessons from professional instructors and engages high school students to serve as music mentors. At the end of the program, the students put on a season finale concert. Santa Ana students are also invited to play at the Annual Benefit Concert, held in May with more than 400 attendees. Dragon Kim Memorial Scholarships – Each year, the Foundation awards $5,000 scholarships to two outstanding high school seniors who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, community service, talent, and academic dedication.