Garden of Hope in New York held its 22nd annual gratitude fundraising dinner in Flushing on the evening of the 25th, with the theme “Rooting Hope, Flourishing Prosperity.” Nearly 400 community members, charity partners, and supporters attended the event. The goal was to raise $750,000, which will be used to provide services for adult survivors of violence and children and youth programs, assisting survivors of domestic violence, sexual abuse, and human trafficking with shelter, counseling, legal assistance, and support for daily living.
According to the 2025 domestic violence data from the New York City Police Department, there were over 109,000 reported cases of domestic violence complaints in the city throughout the year. For Chinese immigrants, language barriers, immigration status concerns, financial dependence, and the cultural stigma surrounding domestic violence often make it difficult for victims to seek help. Garden of Hope has long provided services in Mandarin, Taiwanese, Cantonese, and Fuzhou dialects, including hotlines, crisis intervention, counseling, legal assistance, shelter placement, and vocational training. The NYC police department also annually releases city-wide statistics on domestic violence complaints.
Amy Tai, Co-Executive Director of Garden of Hope, stated that in 2025, the organization provided over 6,600 services related to domestic violence, with over 85% of the cases involving individuals who spoke little to no English. They also provided over 2,300 services related to human trafficking throughout the year. She emphasized the increasing impact of violence on the next generation, which led the organization to focus more on children and youth work in recent years.
The Youth Center established post-pandemic served 496 young people last year with 4,142 service instances, while 171 children and teenagers received counseling. The center not only offers a safe space, meals, and activities but also provides psychological support to help children who have witnessed or grown up in violent environments to process trauma, preventing the cycle of violence from continuing to the next generation.
During an interview, Amy Tai shared the case of a mother with three children. In the past, this mother took her two young children to sell goods on the street to make ends meet, hoping to provide food for her children. After escaping domestic violence and receiving assistance from Garden of Hope, she moved into a shelter and started making handicrafts to sell at night, gradually rebuilding her life. Amy Tai noted that when a mother stands up again, her children can see hope, emphasizing that the organization helps not just an individual woman but an entire family.
Veronica Wong, Chairperson of Garden of Hope, stated that since the establishment of the organization, she has witnessed many survivors of domestic violence, sexual abuse, and human trafficking rebuild their lives, some even forming new families, thanks to the services provided. She attributed the sustained work of the organization to the long-term support from the Chinese community in terms of manpower and resources.
Veronica Wong disclosed that Garden of Hope is preparing to establish a new service location in Brooklyn, with the site already identified. The official announcement is expected in the future to make it more convenient for Chinese residents in Brooklyn to access relevant services.
This year’s dinner coincided with the Mid-Autumn Festival. Christopher Law, Co-Chair of the Organizing Committee, expressed that during this festive occasion symbolizing reunion, community support can give survivors the opportunity for a new beginning.
Tony Wong, Co-Chair of the event, has been involved in volunteering and fundraising efforts for Garden of Hope for a long time. He affirmed the organization’s mission to assist injured women and families, rallying resources through clients, friends, and community networks over the years, including arranging youth volunteers for summer activities for children and teenagers. He expressed the hope that Garden of Hope has sufficient resources to help those in need, while also looking forward to a day when the societal demand for such services decreases.
Several elected officials and government representatives attended the event that evening, including New York State Assemblyman Ron Kim, State Senator John Liu, City Council Members Sandra Ung and Linda Lee, a representative from Senator Chuck Schumer’s office, and Deputy Consul General Wei-ren Huang from the New York consulate.
During an interview, Ron Kim mentioned that Garden of Hope has been continuously assisting immigrant women in distress, including victims of human trafficking or those trapped in violent environments, helping them rebuild their lives and contribute to the community. He noted the ongoing necessity for such work, acknowledging that while unfortunate, it remains crucial due to individuals still facing crises.
City Council Member Sandra Ung, a former lawyer, highlighted her past collaboration with Garden of Hope in legal work related to survivors of domestic violence. She emphasized the importance of organizations providing services in Chinese and culturally similar ways, as some Chinese families might remain silent about domestic violence due to fear of judgment or lack of knowledge on where to seek help. She also pointed out that the impact of domestic violence extends beyond women, affecting children and the elderly as well.
The event also honored two long-term collaborative partners. The Oasis Foundation, working with Garden of Hope for 16 years, received the Community Legacy Award, accepted by CEO Wells Huang, while the P.L.U.S. Charity Trust was awarded the Spirit of Giving Award for their enduring support of youth education programs, collected by representative Betty Hsieh.
Wells Huang expressed that the foundation has supported Garden of Hope for nearly 20 years, not only through donations but also by participating in children and family activities organized by the organization. He commended the dedication of the Garden of Hope team, handling extensive frontline services despite its relatively small size.
During the banquet, a string quartet composed of violinists Barbara Po-Hsuan Chiang and Enoch Chen, violist Jason Lan, and cellist Shu-Wei Tseng performed Mozart’s “Serenade for Strings,” Elgar’s “Salut d’Amour,” Kreisler’s “Liebesleid,” and Beethoven’s “String Quartet No. 1 in F Major.”
After showcasing survivors’ stories and a video of the Youth Center, two rounds of live pledging were conducted, with long-time Garden of Hope advisers Joanne She and Creative Development Manager Youning Cheng urging guests to support services for adult survivors and children and youth programs. The organizers stated that donations would be used for legal and daily living assistance, counseling, and youth services, providing women and children who have escaped violent environments with the opportunity for long-term, stable lives.
Garden of Hope was founded in 2004 and is now in its 22nd year. The Chinese hotline for assistance is 1-877-990-8595, and services are free and strictly confidential.