Giving It Back to Kids

10/14/2026

4 Weeks Until GIBTK’s 24th Annual Gala!

Join us for an inspiring evening celebrating the lives transformed through GIBTK’s work with children and families in Vietnam, Cambodia, and beyond.
As we count down to the Gala, meet My, a young girl who once struggled with shyness and hesitated to share her thoughts. With encouragement and support, she has gradually found her voice, grown in confidence, and begun to believe in her own potential.

Her journey reminds us that every child deserves the opportunity to grow, dream, and build a brighter future.
Reserve your seat today and be part of an evening that celebrates what is possible when we give hope a chance.
https://gibtkjourneyforhope2026.maxgiving.bid/tickets

10/12/2026

💓From Losing Everything to Finding a Home and a Future

My name is Tran Dai Hiep,
I lost my mother to heart failure in 2014 and my father to colon cancer in 2018. With our family struggling financially, my two older brothers had to leave school, and I was left orphaned, uncertain about my future and afraid I would lose the chance to continue my education.

But in August 2018, Giving It Back to Kids welcomed me into Carmela’s Home, giving me a safe place to live, the chance to continue my education, and something I thought I had lost forever: a family. Through the love of the housemothers and the warmth of the other children, I gradually found a sense of belonging and began to believe that, despite everything I had been through, a brighter future was still possible.

After five years at Carmela’s Home, I moved to Hal’s Home in August 2023 to continue my education. With GIBTK and its generous donors fully supporting my university tuition, I was able to study Automotive Technology at Da Nang Polytechnic College and focus on building my future. The love, guidance, and life skills I gained helped me grow in confidence and prepare for adulthood.

Today, I have graduated and started working as an automotive parts assembler at Alpha Auto Co., Ltd. in Da Nang. What once seemed like an uncertain future has become a new beginning. Thanks to GIBTK, I now have the education, skills, and opportunity to build an independent life with hope and confidence.

When I look back, I realize that GIBTK did much more than provide me with a home or pay for my education. You gave me the opportunity to grow up in a family again. You protected my childhood when life had taken so much away, supported my dreams when I could not support them myself, and helped me build the foundation for a future I once struggled to imagine..

Today, I carry forward not only the education and opportunities you have given me, but also the love, values, and responsibility you have helped instill in me. As I begin this new chapter, I hope to live a life worthy of your trust and, one day, to offer others the same kindness that changed mine.

Because of Giving It Back to Kids and the generosity of its donors, I am no longer simply a boy who lost his parents. I am a graduate, a young professional, and a person with hope for tomorrow. And for that, I will always be grateful.

10/09/2026

🥰Some moments speak louder than words.
A hug can hold a story, a memory, and a promise all at once.

It is more than a beautiful moment captured in a photograph. It is a reminder of the lives we have touched, the hope we have shared, and the people who chose to walk forward with us.

For years, GIBTK has been there through moments like these, standing beside children, families, and communities through every step of their journey.

Because sometimes, changing a life does not begin with something big.
Sometimes, it begins with simply being there.
And sometimes, hope begins with a HUG.

10/07/2026

5 weeks to go until GIBTK’s 24th Annual Gala!

Join us for a meaningful evening filled with inspiring stories, heartfelt connections, and a celebration of the difference GIBTK continues to make in the lives of children and families in Vietnam, Cambodia, and beyond.

As we get closer to the Gala, we invite you to meet Ky, a strong young man who once faced the heartbreaking loss of his father and struggled to find hope again. Today, through the support and care he has received at Hal’s Home, Ky is finding his strength again, growing every day, and looking toward a brighter future.

Your presence can be part of that journey.

Reserve your seat today and be part of an evening that celebrates what is possible when we give hope a chance.
https://gibtkjourneyforhope2026.maxgiving.bid/tickets

10/05/2026

🌟For My Family, For My Future

My name is Cong Minh, and I am currently a 12th-grade student at Thai Phien High School.

Since I was young, I have understood that education is my path to a better future and a better life for my family. My father works hard as a manual laborer, but his income is unstable, while my mother has been unable to do heavy work since an accident.

Despite our financial difficulties, my parents have always encouraged me to stay in school and work hard. There were times when I worried that I might not be able to continue my education, but my family’s love and my teachers’ support gave me the strength to keep going. I believe that studying hard is the best way to repay my parents and those who have supported me.

I feel very fortunate to have joined the community classes. Before that, I was shy, lacked confidence, and sometimes struggled to manage my study time. The teachers not only helped me improve academically but also encouraged and guided me in developing better study habits and life skills.

Through the classes, I have become more confident, proactive, and disciplined. I have learned to persevere through difficulties, believe in myself, and never give up easily. I also understand that success comes from consistent effort, and I have learned to appreciate my family and care more for those around me.

In the future, I hope to study Information Technology at university and become a game developer. I want to create meaningful and creative products that bring joy to others. Most importantly, I hope to have a stable career so I can support my parents, improve our family’s life, and repay them for all their sacrifices.

I understand that there will still be many challenges on the journey toward my dream. Therefore, I will continue to study hard, develop my character, expand my knowledge, and constantly improve myself. I believe that with determination, perseverance, and gratitude, I can overcome any difficulty.

Finally, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Giving It Back To Kids, the donors, my teachers, and everyone who has cared for me, supported me, and given me the opportunity to participate in the community classes. The support, encouragement, and valuable lessons that everyone has given me will be a great source of motivation as I continue my journey of learning and growing.

I would also like to sincerely thank my parents for always loving me, making sacrifices for me, and giving me the best they could.
I promise that I will continue to study hard, live responsibly, and keep striving to become a person who can contribute to my family and society, worthy of the trust and hopes that everyone has placed in me.

09/30/2026

Only 6 weeks to go until GIBTK’s 24th Annual Gala!

We would love to have you join us for an evening of stories, connection, and a look at the impact GIBTK has made and continues to make in the lives of children and families in Vietnam, Cambodia, and beyond.

Before the Gala, meet Quy, a young woman whose life took a new direction with support from GIBTK. Coming from a family with limited resources, Quy did not have many opportunities to access education. Through Dorothea’s Project Legacy, she was able to attend free classes and continue learning in a supportive environment.

Reserve your seat today and be part of an evening that celebrates what is possible when we give hope a chance.
https://gibtkjourneyforhope2026.maxgiving.bid/tickets

09/28/2026

💓I Only Wanted to See My Son Grow Up

I still remember the day we learned that our son, Phong, had a heart condition. It was discovered during a health check at his school, and we were completely shocked. We took him to another hospital hoping the first result was wrong, but the diagnosis was the same. The doctor told us that Phong needed heart surgery, and the cost was far beyond what our family could afford.

At that time, my wife and I had moved nearly 620 miles to Ho Chi Minh City for work, doing hard construction jobs to support our family. Phong stayed with his elderly grandparents, who cared for him as best they could.

As a father, it was heartbreaking to see my son become tired so easily. We had no savings and no way to afford his surgery. All I could do was hope someone would give our family a chance.

That chance came when Phong received support for his heart surgery. In October 2021, he underwent surgery to repair his atrial septal defect. I will never forget the feeling of seeing my son go into the operating room. I was afraid, but I kept praying that he would come back to us healthy.

After the surgery, everything began to change.
Phong became stronger. He no longer needed medication or regular heart check-ups. Little by little, I saw the tiredness disappear from his face. Today, he is a healthy and energetic boy. He has finished primary school and is preparing to enter Grade 6. He goes to school, plays with his friends, and enjoys being a child.
For me, the greatest gift is not simply seeing my son healthy today. It is seeing him have the chance to grow up.

Today, I watch him move forward with a healthy heart, and I realize how much one surgery has changed our entire family.

GIBTK and the donors did more than help my son receive surgery. They gave him a healthy heart, and they gave a father the peace of seeing his child grow up. For that, our family will always be deeply grateful.

09/23/2026

🥰Only 7 weeks left until GIBTK’s 24th Annual Gala!

We invite you to join us for an evening where you can see the impact GIBTK has made and continues to make in the lives of children and families facing difficult circumstances in Vietnam and Cambodia and beyond.

Before the Gala, meet Nhi — a young woman whose life was changed through GIBTK’s support. From a difficult childhood, GIBTK provided her with care and full university tuition, helping her pursue her dream of becoming an IT professional and creating a new path for her life.

Saturday, November 14, 2026, 5:30 – 9:00 PM, Harborside Restaurant & Grand Ballroom ; 400 Main St., Newport Beach, CA 92661

Reserve your seat today and be part of an evening that celebrates what is possible when we give hope a chance.

https://gibtkjourneyforhope2026.maxgiving.bid/tickets
We look forward to celebrating with you!

09/21/2026

🥰A Second Chance to Build a Family

My name is Tay, I was the oldest son in a family of five. My parents were farmers, working tirelessly in the fields to provide for me, my younger sister, and my younger brother. But even after every harvest, what we earned was barely enough to feed our family.

Then my family learned that I had a congenital heart condition, a ventricular septal defect. The doctors told my parents that medication could not treat my condition and that I needed surgery if I was to have a chance at a healthier life.

My parents were devastated. The cost of the surgery was far beyond what our family could afford. We had no way to pay for the surgery itself.
At that time, my parents could only hope that someone would help me.

In 2008, I received the heart surgery I desperately needed. The operation was successful, and it became the turning point of my life.
After the surgery, my health improved remarkably. I made a full recovery and was finally able to live a healthy and active life. I could work, take care of myself, and dream about my future without being held back by my heart condition.

Today, I run my own auto repair garage, a job that has become both my livelihood and my passion. I am also a husband and a father of two young daughters, who are now five years old and one year old. My wife stays home to care for our children while I work to support our family.

I realize that the surgery did not simply save my heart. It gave me the chance to grow up, work, become a husband, become a father, and build a family of my own.
I am deeply grateful to the sponsors and Giving It Back To Kids for giving me that second chance.

09/18/2026

✨ GIBTK 24th Annual GALA Event!!

For 24 years, Giving It Back To Kids has been walking alongside children and families, helping them overcome difficult circumstances and build brighter futures.

Join us at the 24th Annual Gala for an evening filled with inspiring stories, meaningful connections, and a celebration of the lives changed through the support of our community.

💛 Your ticket is more than a seat at the Gala.
It is an opportunity to witness the impact of hope firsthand and to stand alongside the children and families whose lives are being transformed.

And the impact does not end with the stories you hear that evening. Your presence helps make room for more stories of hope, more opportunities, and more lives changed.
📅 Saturday, November 14
🕠 5:30 – 9:00 PM
📍 Harbrside Restaurant & Grand Ballroom
400 Main St., Newport Beach, CA 92661

🎟️ Reserve your seat and be part of an evening that celebrates what is possible when we give hope a chance.

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