In 2017, a drive-by shooter fired several shots into a Pomona home where families were gathered for dinner. Eight-year-old Jonah Hwang was killed in front of his little brother and parents. “The devastation that we feel from this loss is unfathomable. We welcomed Jonah into our family less than three years ago, after adopting him from an orphanage in Taiwan. He had an infectious smile and loved everyone and everything: sports, wrestling with his dad, running, laughing, and superheroes. With his playful demeanor, he adapted almost immediately to life in the United States and became a full-blooded American in no time at all. Jonah was a light and joy in our household, and we cannot imagine our family without him.”
The community started a collective fund to help the grieving family cope with this tragedy. As the giving exceeded the initial goal, Jonah’s parents wanted this spirit of hope and generosity to endure. They turned to PCF to direct donations into a scholarship fund that would honor Jonah and "bless and give back to the children of Pomona. We hope that Jonah can continue to be a beacon of light in this city, and that he won’t be forgotten because of the love of so many people that have made his light shine as brightly as the person he was.”
ADDITIONAL LINKS
For more information on Jonah, please visit: http://jonahslight.org/.
Previously, donations were being received through the GoFundMe site. The family has since directed all fundraising to the Pomona Community Foundation, but we recommend you visit the original site for more background: https://www.gofundme.com/jonah-hwang-family-support.
Read news coverage of the story here: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2017/02/21/boy-killed-in-drive-by-shooting-was-adopted-from-taiwanese-orphanage/.
Clicking below will open a new tab with our page on the California Community Foundation website, where you can select the fund or other project best suited for your needs.