About us
Borderless Community Outreach
BigHug, a non-profit organization founded in 2020, is dedicated to fostering economic growth and sustainability within the Korean American community. Our mission is to empower and promote the welfare of Korean descendants and their relatives in Washington state. We provide comprehensive resources and support services tailored to the needs of Korean American students, workers, start-ups, and small business owners.
At BigHug, we understand the unique challenges faced by our community, including cultural differences and language barriers. By addressing these challenges head-on, we aim to create a more inclusive and equitable society for all members. Through our commitment to facilitating economic prosperity and cultural integration, we strive to make a positive impact on the lives of Korean Americans and contribute to the greater well-being of our community.
Problems
Many Korean American descendants are in need of help with:
- Understanding State/Federal government policy
- Understanding Labor laws and Workers’ Rights
- Understand American Business system
- Technology and digital skillset
- Language barrier (English)
- Cultural barrier
- Asian hatred
Our Goals
Empower Korean Workers: Bridge the gap between the US Government and the Korean community by providing comprehensive resources and information about workers’ rights and labor laws. Ensure that Korean workers are informed and equipped to advocate for their rights in the workplace.
Support Korean Startups: Foster innovation and entrepreneurship within the Korean American community by providing comprehensive support for startups. Offer financial assistance, educational resources, and mentorship programs to help Korean entrepreneurs turn their ideas into successful ventures. Our goal is to empower Korean startups to thrive and contribute to the economic growth and diversity of our community.
Promote Cultural Education: Help build a better local community by promoting cultural education and organizing both online and offline events. Create platforms for cultural exchange and dialogue, celebrating Korean heritage while fostering understanding and appreciation among diverse communities.
What we do
Bighug was founded in 2020 to empower and promote the welfare of Korean descendants and their relatives in Washington state. We encourage, facilitate, and support the economic growth and sustainability of our community by providing various resources and connections.
We help Korean workers and small business owners learn about various state, local and financial resources available for their unique business conditions. We also operate a technical assistance call center for those not proficient in English or technology as most of the workers and businesses we are assisting speak English as a second language and have a limited understanding of resources available for their economic resiliency. This has resulted in the largest up-to-date directory of the Korean-American community, which helps us stay informed of needs in the community. Bighug also provides internship programs by partnering with Korean student organizations at the University of Washington and the Seattle Korean-American Association.
How do we help small
Korean businesses?
Informing owners about grants available for their unique conditions.
Operating a call center in both English and Korean.
Manage the largest up-to-date directory of Korean-American small businesses in Washington.
Hosting digital transformation training webinars.
Sending out surveys and newsletters in regularly to understand their needs better.
Where We Serve
Most Korean workers and small businesses we serve are located in Pierce, Snohomish and King County, making them the main areas we serve.
However, our outreach covers all of Washington state and we have been promoting our services through radio and online advertisements, as well as in churches and schools.
As many workers and businesses have been assisted statewide since the pandemic, we are confident that we have established trusted relationships with them statewide.
Our Network
We have a strong network of:
- Korean IT professionals (approximately 100 potential entrepreneurs and startups that we can connect with).
- Student organizations at the University of Washington including KSA (Korean Student Association), KSU (Korean Student Union) and KOJOBS (Korean Job Search).
- Around 50 non-profit organizations including churches and Korean schools.
- Around 50 non-profit organizations in Washington state. Our Partners and sponsors include EastsideForAll, OneEastSide, WSMA, Community Rise, SBRN, etc.
Our Teams
Lori Wada
Eddie Cha
Nick Kim
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Our Organizations
