Guardian Angel for Homeless Children

豁 達大 度
Generous, big-hearted and open-minded


Every so often I am inspired by the energy of people who work on causes much bigger than themselves. In their own way they are trying to make their own small corner of the world a better place to live. A famous saying here in America is, "THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY." Yes, we can't change the whole world, but if we all do a little bit close to home, the resulting total global effect can be tremendous.

Yesterday I met an angel for homeless children and women. Yvonne Leung, pictured at right, spent hours standing and talking to numerous people in one of California's richest neighborhoods, Manhattan Beach. I was really impressed by her knowledge of facts, her bright cheerful attitude, and her indomitable energy. She talked to the 500th person with the same bright energy she approached the 1st person that day.


Miss Leung represents the Los Angeles Youth Network, part of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Coalition www.lahsc.org . She rattled off facts and figures from her memory with no problems at all. The problems of homeless people are staggering indeed. For children, of course, there is even smaller hope than for adults. Some of her facts include:

• Los Angeles is the homeless capital of the USA. LA has more homeless people than New York, Chicago, and San Francisco combined.
• Social service agencies to help the homeless are overwhelmed by the sheer numbers and burdened with budget cuts.
• There are more than 8,000 homeless children in Los Angeles.
• Many of the homeless children are in danger from prostitution, drug use and crimes, abuse, and other terrible things children should never need face.
• More than 80% of the homeless children who come to Los Angeles Youth Network are successfully helped and placed back into home situations.
• It takes about $20 per day to care for a homeless child, including food, bed, counseling, and other help.
• The charity agencies have been hampered by government budget cuts. They need help in money, political assistance, and volunteer workers.

Miss Leung presented these facts with tremendous patience, energy, and persistence. She picked a good spot, next to a Starbucks on the sidewalk path to a beautiful beach. Not everyone donated or volunteered, but she had quite a few successes. Yes, I did and so did my friend/employee Joann Du. I didn't donate as much as I should, perhaps, but I donated some. For those reading this blog, I hope you also consider donating money and/or your time to a children's charity near your home.

I talked some with Miss Leung. In her young life she already has an impressive history. She comes from a fairly wealthy home in Orange County and studies at UCLA. Last year she went to China to teach English to rural schoolchildren. She has dedicated her energy to trying to help children here in the Los Angeles area. I think this young lady will go far in life. In Chinese, some might say, 燕 雀擁有 鴻 鵠 志, she's a little sparrow with dreams of becoming a swan. However, maybe that proverb doesn't fit. Miss Leung is already well on the way to being a swan.