Nanoom House Visits KAAGNY to Raise Funds for Preservation of Homeless Shelter
Leaders of the Nanoom House meet with KAAGNY officials on December 15. Pictured above, from left to right: Kay Kim (Executive VP, KAAGNY), Jae Bok Choi (Chairman, Nanoom House), Charles Yoon (President, KAAGNY), Nam Hyun Byun (Board Member, Nanoom House), Reverend Sung-won Park (Executive Director, Nanoom House), and Kapson Um (Senior VP, KAAGNY).
On December 15, leaders of the Nanoom House visited KAAGNY to report on the current status of its operations and to request help from the Korean community to preserve its homeless shelter.
Nanoom House runs a shelter for Korean immigrants experiencing homelessness in Flushing, Queens. Reverend Sung-won Park, the executive director, began the shelter program in 2012 at his church following Hurricane Sandy, which left many Korean immigrants without shelter. Recognizing the need for a permanent living space where Korean immigrants could feel safe, Reverend Park officially established the Nanoom House in 2013.
However, since its beginnings in the aftermath of the hurricane, the Nanoom House faces a new set of challenges that threaten to displace its residents. Since last year, the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) has responded to several 311 complaints made by neighbors about the shelter, and inspectors charged the owners of the building with a series of housing violations (including one for converting the single-family home into a boarding house.) The fines could potentially rack up tens of thousands of dollars, which threaten to shut down the shelter and leave its residents without a safe place to stay.
At the December 15 meeting, Nanoom House expressed concerns about the future of its programs, stating that the COVID-19 pandemic will leave increasing numbers of Korean immigrants vulnerable in the streets. The Nanoom House aims to purchase its own building, which will require active help and cooperation from the Korean American community. The Nanoom House will begin raising funds for this effort on December 19. Information about this effort can be found on their website below.
