Los Altos Hills, CA, May 18, 2014: On a balmy Saturday evening, prominent Bay Area philanthropists Stephen and Maria Kahng hosted a gala fundraiser in their Los Altos Hills home to benefit the Korean War Memorial Foundation (KWMF). The Kahngs themselves donated $100,000 to KWMF at the fundraiser, and their guests donated an additional $74,000-plus. Thanks to this generosity, KWMF’s funding has now surpassed $1.6 million, a major milestone in the fundraising campaign. It is anticipated that this total will soon reach another milestone, thanks to a pending Korean Government grant of as much as $1 million. At that point, KWMF will be more than two-thirds of the way to its ultimate target of $3.4 million.
Philanthropists Maria and Stephen Kahng
Former Congressman and Korean War veteran Pete McCloskey, President of KWMF, thanked the guests for their generosity. He put the project into historical and moral context, recounting the sacrifices made more than sixty years ago by those who fought for South Korea’s freedom from Communist aggression – sacrifices that have led to today’s democratic and prosperous Republic of Korea. He then emphasized the need to commemorate those sacrifices for posterity with a Korean War Memorial in the Bay Area.
Following Pete’s introductory remarks, KWMF Secretary John Stevens and Treasurer Don Reid, both Korean War veterans, narrated a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation that covered all aspects of KWMF’s progress to date and plans for the coming months. John and Don then responded to questions from the guests, and thanked them all for their contributions to the Memorial.
The Honorable Consul General Han Dong-man, Consulate General of the Republic of Korea, San Francisco, spoke next. He informed the guests of his Government’s strong commitment to this Memorial project, thanked the Kahngs for their hospitality, and thanked all the guests for their generosity.
A sumptuous Korean buffet dinner came next, followed by a lovely performance by a string quartet. The officers, directors, and members of the Korean War Memorial Foundation all extend their deep gratitude to Stephen and Maria Kahng and their guests for their generous philanthropy, and for a memorable evening.
Mr. Kahng, the Founder and former Chairman and CEO of Power Computing Corp., now devotes most of his time to philanthropy and non-profit work. He is currently on the Boards of the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea. Stephen and Maria have also established, through their own Kahng Foundation, a university scholarship fund for North Korean women who have managed to flee to the South.