Forced to Flee, Choosing to Run
Donation protected
HEY HEY YOU YOU, got a dollar? I got a purpose for it!
Who & What ?
Hi, I'm Donna and I am choosing to run the Mohawk Hudson River Half Marathon!
When?
on Oct. 8th, I will be running 13.1 miles!
Before this I did not consider myself as a runner, never ran more than a mile. The only time I would run would be when I was late to something.
So, WHY are you running a marathon? Are you crazy?
Am I crazy? I think just enough to make it through life.
And, sometimes life gives you blessings in disguise, in my case it was in the form of a little korean restaurant located in downtown Troy, NY called Sunhee's Farm & Kitchen.
I am one of three on the Sunhee’s marathon team and for every refugee forced to flee, we are choosing to run.
The funds that are collectively raised through our team will go directly towards a computer education program that will provide matching grants for participants to purchase a computer of their choosing, paired with a 10-week training course tailored to the learning needs and desires of each individual.
When I first came across the flyer for Sunhee's grand opening, I did not think much about it besides "How nice Troy is getting another food option and its asian!" but little did I know this small business had much more in store for the community.
Sunhee's Farm & Kitchen is a place where one can not only get good korean food, but also get a feeling of what the collaboration of food & agriculture can do for a community. After my first mandoo (korean word for dumpling) I became a frequent customer and even though the food was korean it felt like eating at home for me because I could taste the care, comfort, and love with every bite. The food filled my belly and interestingly enough my soul as well.
Eventually, I went from simply eating at Sunhee's to working there. I always wanted to try bartending, and coincidentally they needed a bartender for the new bar.
I went from customer to staff, and since then I became more acquainted with the owner and learned a lot more about her vision for the purpose & mission of the restuarant.
At the restuarant, we do not only aim to provide good food & service but we also employ immigrants from all over the world, with a focus on providing on-site adult education and employment services for refugees who have been resettled in the Capital District. By definition, a refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his/her country for reasons of persecution, war or violence, and there are very real challenges that come with both the journey to safety and the resettlement process that follows.
But we also see the amazing resilience of the human will in the stories of those who choose to work hard and pursue forward despite their circumstances. We work with people who were once in well-paid and respected executive positions taking on entry-level jobs as dishwashers and cashiers with great willingness and appreciation. We work with high school students who are struggling to fit in, learn English and fulfill their roles as breadwinners of the family. We work with those who have been separated from their families and are saving up money in hopes that they will someday be reunited. In choosing to run, we hope to exemplify this common thread of day-to-day diligence and hope, the very elements that form the backbone of what we call the “American dream."
Thank you for taking your time to read this!
Please share this with anyone you think would be interested in the cause and finding out more.
You can find out more about the "Sunhee" side of life https://www.sunhees.com/
Who & What ?
Hi, I'm Donna and I am choosing to run the Mohawk Hudson River Half Marathon!
When?
on Oct. 8th, I will be running 13.1 miles!
Before this I did not consider myself as a runner, never ran more than a mile. The only time I would run would be when I was late to something.
So, WHY are you running a marathon? Are you crazy?
Am I crazy? I think just enough to make it through life.
And, sometimes life gives you blessings in disguise, in my case it was in the form of a little korean restaurant located in downtown Troy, NY called Sunhee's Farm & Kitchen.
I am one of three on the Sunhee’s marathon team and for every refugee forced to flee, we are choosing to run.
The funds that are collectively raised through our team will go directly towards a computer education program that will provide matching grants for participants to purchase a computer of their choosing, paired with a 10-week training course tailored to the learning needs and desires of each individual.
When I first came across the flyer for Sunhee's grand opening, I did not think much about it besides "How nice Troy is getting another food option and its asian!" but little did I know this small business had much more in store for the community.
Sunhee's Farm & Kitchen is a place where one can not only get good korean food, but also get a feeling of what the collaboration of food & agriculture can do for a community. After my first mandoo (korean word for dumpling) I became a frequent customer and even though the food was korean it felt like eating at home for me because I could taste the care, comfort, and love with every bite. The food filled my belly and interestingly enough my soul as well.
Eventually, I went from simply eating at Sunhee's to working there. I always wanted to try bartending, and coincidentally they needed a bartender for the new bar.
I went from customer to staff, and since then I became more acquainted with the owner and learned a lot more about her vision for the purpose & mission of the restuarant.
At the restuarant, we do not only aim to provide good food & service but we also employ immigrants from all over the world, with a focus on providing on-site adult education and employment services for refugees who have been resettled in the Capital District. By definition, a refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his/her country for reasons of persecution, war or violence, and there are very real challenges that come with both the journey to safety and the resettlement process that follows.
But we also see the amazing resilience of the human will in the stories of those who choose to work hard and pursue forward despite their circumstances. We work with people who were once in well-paid and respected executive positions taking on entry-level jobs as dishwashers and cashiers with great willingness and appreciation. We work with high school students who are struggling to fit in, learn English and fulfill their roles as breadwinners of the family. We work with those who have been separated from their families and are saving up money in hopes that they will someday be reunited. In choosing to run, we hope to exemplify this common thread of day-to-day diligence and hope, the very elements that form the backbone of what we call the “American dream."
Thank you for taking your time to read this!
Please share this with anyone you think would be interested in the cause and finding out more.
You can find out more about the "Sunhee" side of life https://www.sunhees.com/
Organizer and beneficiary
Don Datta
Organizer
Troy, NY
Jinah Kim
Beneficiary
