06/29/2026
It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our co-founder and Board Member, Mr. Joseph Nguyễn Ngọc Toàn, who was called home by the Lord on June 26, 2026, at the age of 86.
Born in rural Vietnam and orphaned at a young age, Mr. Toàn knew firsthand the hardship faced by children without family or resources. That personal understanding became the driving force behind his dedication to Abandoned Little Angels.
Alongside his wife and ALA founder Tu Chung, Mr. Toàn devoted his service, leadership, and love to building ALA into the organization it is today, leaving an enduring mark on countless lives across Vietnam and Houston.
Mr. Toàn served as a Board Member for more than two decades, helping to establish the organization as an America’s Best Charity and setting it up through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). In ALA’s formative years, he took on the full range of organizational and operational responsibilities that would shape the foundation of the organization. His guiding strategy and structure helped ALA grow from a grassroots fundraising effort into an established nonprofit that today supports more than 30 centers across Vietnam, including orphanages, educational centers for disabled children, and vocational training programs, as well as organizations serving underprivileged children in Houston, Texas.
Mr. Toàn retired from his formal role at ALA in 2016, leaving behind a legacy as deep as the mission itself. During his years of active service, he also documented ALA’s work through photography, capturing the faces, stories, and moments that brought the organization’s impact to life. Even after stepping back, he remained connected to the mission, continuing to travel to Vietnam to visit the centers and orphanages ALA supports.
A celebration of his life will be held on July 4th, a date his family finds deeply fitting, as it represents the freedom he dreamed of as a young boy alone in Vietnam.
It was Mr. Toàn’s final wish that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Abandoned Little Angels to continue the work that defined his life. To honor his memory, please visit abandonedlittleangels.org or link in bio.
