This year, one of our AYI youth—who followed the path of service laid by those before them and grew from a teenage volunteer into adulthood with a heart for giving—began a beautiful new chapter through marriage.
Surrounded by love, their families and friends chose to honor this joyful moment by turning celebration into compassion. These heartfelt gifts will help families in need find hope and a brighter future, continuing the spirit of service that has shaped their lives.
With grateful hearts, we joyfully celebrate Michaela McGuirl and Alexander Lee Sha 🌟 May their marriage be filled with love, purpose, and a lifetime of kindness shared with others.
- Current Projects
- With heartfelt gratitude, we thank our partners and donors whose generosity empowers AYI’s mission: Google, Microsoft, Promega Employee Matches, Benjamin & Associates PC, Brown Advisory Charity Funds, Byles Family Charity Funds, China East Restaurant, Charleys Cheesesteaks and Asia Taste Jumbo Jumbo Cafe and Ou Family Charity Funds, TTW Solutions, and many kind individuals.
- We invite you to join us in supporting these meaningful charitable events. Your donations can help sustain and expand these efforts, bringing hope and joy to even more people in need. Together, we can continue to make a difference.
- Ayi Can Help, formerly known as the Charity group of Evergreen Senior Care Inc.
April
4/4 AYI CAN HELP Annual Leadership & Community Impact Awards 2026
On April 4, 2026, the AYI CAN HELP Annual Award Ceremony was held in Bethesda, Maryland—a meaningful gathering filled with gratitude, compassion, and hope. We were deeply honored that Ms. Blakely of Holabird Academy and Mrs. Benita Vargas Brown, Community School Director at Holabird Academy with The Y in Central Maryland (Baltimore, MD), traveled from Baltimore to personally present Leadership Awards to our teens.
Over the past year, with the support of AYI CAN HELP, these three teens have dedicated more than 1,000 volunteer hours to serving communities across the DMV area. With genuine compassion and determination, they led fundraising efforts to provide consistent after-school snacks for children in underserved communities, including many students at Holabird Academy. What they offered went far beyond food—they brought comfort, dignity, and a sense of belonging to children who too often feel unseen.
Mrs. Benita Vargas Brown shared a deeply moving story about the families they serve—how much these acts of kindness mean to them. She expressed that what touched the families most was not only the support itself, but the respect behind it. Every donation—whether snacks, clothing, or shoes—was given without labels or logos, without conditions, and without judgment. Families felt seen as equals, treated with dignity, and reminded that they matter. For many children, these simple acts helped ease the weight of hunger and replaced it with hope.
Teachers have shared that students now recognize the spirit of AYI—not through branding, but through care. Every three months, they eagerly await the snack drives, knowing that someone remembers them, cares for them, and believes in them. Because of this, children feel less alone. They come to school happier, more confident, and more ready to learn.
These teens have also given their time to support leadership award events, uplifting others and demonstrating that service is not just about giving—but about inspiring. Their journey is a powerful reminder that when young people lead with empathy and purpose, they can change lives.
At AYI, we are deeply moved by the smiles of these children—and by the quiet strength of families who continue to persevere. But there is still so much more to be done. No child should feel forgotten. No family should feel invisible.
We warmly invite you to join us. Together, we can continue to fight hunger, share kindness, and ensure that no child is left behind.
March
3/28 A Story of Commitment, Compassion, and Perseverance
The first few months of 2026 have brought unexpected challenges. With constant weather changes—snow arriving even as spring approached—many of the service schedules our teens had carefully planned were repeatedly disrupted. Promises had to be adjusted, and plans were often postponed. Yet through it all, their commitment never wavered.
One of the most anticipated moments of the year, our annual Asian New Year celebration at the Little Sisters of the Poor, was especially affected. Due to unpredictable snowstorms, we had to delay our meal delivery again and again, eventually moving it to the end of February. Despite the wait, the seniors looked forward to our visit with warmth and joy—it was a reminder of how meaningful even a small act of care can be.
However, this season also brought sadness. Due to the flu outbreak, the Little Sisters community lost several beloved seniors. For safety reasons, we were not able to go inside and serve meals as we had done in previous years. While this was difficult for all of us, it deepened our understanding of compassion, patience, and respect during times of loss.
At the same time, our teens continued their regular service trips to Baltimore—rain or shine, without hesitation. Even when circumstances prevented them from sharing photos publicly due to sensitive situations, they kept showing up, quietly and faithfully. Their work does not depend on recognition; it comes from genuine care and responsibility.
We are also proud to share that the The Salvation Army recognized both teens for their leadership. This honor reflects not just what they have done, but who they are becoming—young leaders with strong hearts and a deep sense of purpose. While we will only share a small award ceremony publicly this time, the true achievement lies in their continued dedication.
Through delays, disappointments, and difficulties, one thing remains unchanged:
we keep our promises, and we never give up.
To all our teens—your perseverance matters. Your kindness matters. Even when no one sees it, your actions are making a difference in ways that truly count. Keep going. The world needs your light.
Feb 2026
2/1 A Window to the World: A Journey of Hope
In a quiet corner of Asia, there are girls whose world has been no bigger than the walls of an orphanage.
For more than ten years, many of them have never stepped outside. No school trips, no parks, no simple walks down a street filled with life. Their days have been filled with routine, silence, and waiting—waiting for something they cannot even name, because they have never seen what lies beyond.
But this year, something changed.
Through a meaningful partnership with local caregivers, we were given the opportunity to do something small—yet life-changing. Together, we helped sponsor a group of these young girls, giving them a chance to step outside for the very first time… before they enter high school, before they step into a world they have never known.
For most of us, seeing the world is ordinary.
For them, it is everything.
The first time they saw a busy street, they held onto each other tightly.
The first time they sat in a car, they looked out the window in silence—taking in every passing moment as if afraid it might disappear.
The first time they laughed freely outside those walls, it was not just joy—it was freedom.
These moments are not just memories.
They are preparation.
Because soon, these girls will grow up. They will have to face society—navigate it, survive it, and find their place in it. And without ever having seen the world before, that journey would be overwhelming and unfair.
At AYI, we believe something very simple, yet very powerful:
Every child deserves a chance.
Not a guarantee. Not a promise of an easy life.
But a chance—to see, to learn, to dream.
These girls are among the most vulnerable. They have no family to guide them, no resources to rely on, and very few opportunities to change their path. But with even a small act of support, we can give them something they have never had before:
a beginning.
When you support them, you are not just funding a trip.
You are opening a door.
You are giving courage where there was fear.
You are planting hope where there was only uncertainty.
And sometimes, hope is enough to change everything.
Let us not look away.
Let us not forget them.
Let us give them the chance they deserve.
Jan 2026
1/13 Happy NEW Year
As a new year begins, we pause with grateful hearts. The past year reminded us that even in moments of cold, hardship, and uncertainty, kindness still finds a way to shine. Through shared meals, selfless volunteers, generous partners, and quiet acts of love, hope was carried from one heart to another.
Today, we step into 2026 with renewed faith in compassion and community. May this new year bring warmth where there is need, comfort where there is pain, and light where there is darkness. Together, may we continue to serve, to care, and to remind one another that no one walks alone.
❄️ Winter Care Outreach
This winter, we will distribute:
- Winter gloves
- Blankets
- Clean, gently used winter coats
to help our neighbors stay warm and safe during the cold season.
✨ Happy New Year! May love and compassion guide us throughout 2026. ✨
