Linh Trieu is an invaluable and frequent volunteer with the Children’s Foundation of America. She is also an employee of our partner organization, Trinity Youth Services. She has worked there for 15 years as the Controller in the finance department.

At the Foundation, Linh has volunteered doing gift wrapping for our Holiday Heroes campaign, is a volunteer captain at our annual golf tournament, and has passed out Halloween candy at Claremont’s Spooktacular annual event. At our “Valenteer” Party she received the 2018 “Triniteer of the Year” award for accumulating the most volunteer hours among the many Trinity staff volunteers.

Because her position at Trinity does not always allow for direct involvement with the various Foundation campaigns, Linh makes it a point to volunteer outside of work whenever she can.

“What I do here at the office is support the Foundation to do their job,” she explained. “They help more directly with the kids than I can, so whenever I can help and volunteer, I do it because I’m putting a little bit of myself towards making their future brighter or making a new reality for them. It’s making a difference.”

Outside of her job and work with CFA she and her family frequently volunteer at the Santa Ana Armory to feed the homeless. She is also involved with the volunteer groups her church organizes, where they often make hot meals for the needy. Cooking meals was Linh’s first volunteer experience.

“It was eye opening. We didn’t realize how many people were out there that needed help. There are so many people in need,” she said.

Empathy and Volunteering

Upon arriving in the United States, Linh says her early experiences in the county motivate her to make a difference. “I came here from Vietnam,” she said, “And went through hard times when we first got here so I understand the hardship. I feel like I’m able to connect with others.”

Linh views volunteering as a way to get her kids involved and increase the awareness of issues in the community. “When we brought the kids to volunteer, they heard about it, but had never seen a place with hundreds of people in need. When we go to the shelter you can see kids – little ones – that need help. It’s a big problem. You don’t realize it until you’re out there volunteering.”

Linh uses volunteering as a way to instill empathy and instruct important values within her family. “My kids volunteer at Trinity. They’ve come with me to work and helped out since they were little. They’ve learned to give back and share. You have to give back, be open, and love others,” Linh said.

For those who are considering volunteering, Linh says, “Definitely get involved. It helps you not just feel good, but your body, mind, and spirit benefit too.” In all things, Linh takes a holistic approach. She loves to spend time with her family and exercise. To stay active, she visits the gym, goes on hikes with her family or volunteers!

The Children’s Foundation of America is supported by great volunteers like Linh. Click here to learn more about getting involved!

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Jose Rojas, CFA Intern
Jose is an English literature major at California State University San Bernardino. As a CFA intern, Jose attends and photographs events and writes for our blog. He has previously volunteered with The Prison Library Project. In his free time, you can catch him playing tennis or cramming for his next exam.