FCSN GALA “EXPAND OUR DREAM”
FCSN GALA “EXPAND OUR DREAM”
BY Gerrye Wong November 6, 2025
When the FRIENDS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS group of Fremont, CA gathered friends and family to support and fundraise for their programs and activities each year, over 500 of their supporters rally to the call. For their 2025 gala dinner held at Cupertino’s Grand Dynasty Chinese Seafood Restaurant November 2, the main dining room was packed solid with 50 tables of eager parents, families and friends of this group which has gained a great reputation for successfully working with individuals who have developmental disabilities.
Caption: FCSN welcomes officials to event Jill Escher, Sophie (Jill’s daughter), Albert Wang and Sylvia Yeh
As the throng of people arrived to the busy parking lot, they were met by a very efficient registration table and many of the group’s young clients who were eager to sell raffle tickets in their hands. It was such a good feeling to know that so many of the volunteers tonight were the actual clients of the group’s classes, and their enthusiasm was so infectious, how could anyone resist buying their raffle tickets and supporting their cause?
Caption: Committee members work on sidelines during event
Unlike many other fundraising dinners which traditionally run late right from the start, FCSN, known for its efficiency, signaled the restaurant to start serving four beginning banquet dinner dishes served right at 5:30, half hour after invitation registration start time, with the program opening right at 6. Master of Ceremonies Matt Keller has carried the Emcee banner of FCSN Gala Annual Dinner since 2017 and is always welcomed enthusiastically by the audience. Opening the program was FCSN’s own student Chi-Ling Wu, who entertained the diners on the keyboard, but is equally proficient on violin, cello dulcimer and drum, and is seen performing at many concerts, weddings and senior homes.
Caption: James Chiao shows lists of non profits Gerrye congratulates $10K donors
Welcoming all were Event Co Chairs Jason Hwan and Wei Li who explained the evening’s theme “Expand Our Dream.” They reminded the audience last year ’s fundraising was to open the new building, the Osgood Center. This year funds were needed to expand – meaning reaching the families on their waiting list and creating new programs for its aging clients. In particular, they said, “It expands funding communication devices, supports music therapy and provides respite care for weary families.” I particularly liked the statement in their Program letter that said, “It means ensuring no one in our community walks alone.” Friends of Children With Special Needs Board Chairmen Yee-Yeen Wang and James Chiao announced the exciting new accomplishment of FCSN this year. It was named the 2025 Nonprofit of the Year by State Senator Dr. Aisha Wahab of California’s 10th Senate District. Dr Wahab came on stage later in the evening to give her personal congratulations, saying this was definitely in recognition of the dedication and the families, staff and supporters who have made such an impact in empowering individuals with special needs and enriching the community at the same time.
Caption: Happy supporters herald fundraising event Officials award FCSN Resolutions of Acknowledgement
Co Chairman Chiao pointed to a back screen shot showing that of a list of non profits. FCSN was the only one started by parents in 1996 and still strongly supported/funded by parents. They both were proud to report that their dedicated staff now numbers about 200 which enables the group to broaden services including After School Program, Coordinated Family Services and a new day program that is thriving in the new Osgood Center, while the program for high needs individuals has found a new home at Hope Community Church. From their messages you can easily see that FCSN is always growing and widening its reach to this end.
Caption: Gerrye Wong and Emcee Mat Keller during fundraising appeal for $10K, $5K and $2500 donations
After such inspiring speeches telling of all the work FCSN does for its hundreds of families it serves, my job with Matt Kelleer was to go up and make the pitch asking for audience monetary support. It’s always a little nerve-wracking for me to face any dinner audience who would rather look down at their food or towards their neighbor than to look me in the eye when I am asking them to open their wallets and make a donation. But I had a special announcement to intrigue the audience. FCSN had received a Matching Grant of $50K so I said we needed to match it at this dinner that night, because every dollar someone would give me, it became $2. With that, Matt and I boldly asked, who would like to give us $10,000 – and lo and behold, three hands held up their poster card so we could yell out their number and volunteers could rush over to award them the royalty crowns and tiaras Matt and I were wearing and accept their payments. We asked for pledges of $5,000 and $2500 next and were pleasantly surprised so see many hands raised so I bounded off the stage on a cloud of relief knowing we were well on our way to raise the matching funds and my traditional job of opening the fundraising “asks” was over for another year with fabulous audience support.
A lighthearted moment inbetween the serious speeches informing everyone about the many programs FCSN is continuing to serve the needs of the disabled community was when 4 of the children came up. Calling themselves THE RISING STAR WARRIORS, they performed a routine of dance mixed with martial arts movements in bright red silk outfits and won the hearts of all the followers in the room. Another lighthearted moment came when Co founder and Vice President Auntie Anna Wang and Chief Strategy Officer & Executive Director came on stage with boxing gloves to show their fighting spirit in getting the audience aroused to support the work their management team does all year. Among their FCSN Management Team for 2025 are dedicated members Co Presidents Jason Hwan & CK Lee, Vice Presidents Jing Biian, Wei Li & Edmend Lin, together with other officers Lilian Lin, Chia-Ling Yin, Judy Yi, Claire Brady, Vivian Largusa, Vivian Chung, Kelly Ko, Mannching Nehaniwang and Linmei Chiao.
Everyone is constantly amazed at what FCSN achieves each year, citing goals at the beginning of the year, and miraculously seeming to fulfill them every time. FCSN does have a long history, being established in 1996, making it almost a 30 year old organization. It now has 3 centers, 220 plus staff, over 1200 family members, and serves over 600 children and adults of many ethnicities with developmental disabilities.
Caption: Liman Hu and Frank Hao (representing Bizlink Technology Inc.), Limin Hu, Nhon Quach (representing CC & Yuhling Han Foundation), Yee-Yeen Wang
Fundraising chair active Limin Hu told us FCSN opened Osgood Center in 2024 and is now poised and ready to expand FCSN’s continuing dreams. Thus to raise funds, he is offering room naming rights and sponsorship opportunities for the rooms in the one-story building of Osgood Center. Naming rights come with gift amounts of $250,000 down to $50,000 so think about it – this is the time for your end-of-year donation, and whether big or small, wouldn’t it be a privilege to have yours or your family or foundation’s name on a room door to show your unending support of this worthy organization? Contact Fundraising chair Limin Hu liminhu@gmail.com or Osgood Project Lead Jim Chiao at jim_chiao@yahoo.com with your donation pledge plans for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show a meaningful way to help FCSN continue to expand his most worthy work for this until now forgotten population.
When the average supporter walks into the room of a fundraising dinner event, I am sure they don’t realize the time and effort it takes to pull off an efficient and well manage event for 500 people. Although I realize everyone’s desire to visit and talk to their table mates, I could only wish they would have the courtesy to respect the hard work this committee put in to make this a worthwhile evening. The committee’s desire is of course for the audience to have a good time and a good meal. But more important they wanted to give the message of how their organization operates, what it has accomplished and what its Expanding Our Dream goal is for the future.
This audience was wonderfully responsive to meet the financial needs for the evening, and for that, I know the hardworking committee of over 50 members including every board member are appreciative of this wide range of support from everyone there that night. My only hope is that every diner went home with a clear insight of what Friends of Children With Special Needs is all about, and made a note to themselves that this is a community serving group that deserves their support when they decide to write their end-of-year charitable donation checks to close out their checkbooks.
CAPTION: Thermometer shows donations brought in that night Limin Hu & Taipei Economic & Cultural Office Director General David Wu
Kudos and congratulations to Friends of Children with Special Needs and its dedicated Board and committee members who worked so hard to present an enjoyable and beneficial dinner for its clients, families and friends. Your past progress and record shows you’ve made a name for the club as one that does what it promises, and serves a needy community in the best way possible as a non profit organization. Keep up the good work, and we will expect to see more honors and recognitions heaped on you for a job not only well done – but done with hard work and a giving heart.
The evening ended on a hap0y upbeat mood when the FCSN brought up on stage the DREAM ACHIEVERS COMBO to play Over the Rainbow which enlivened the crowd to sing along knowing that Friends of Children With Special Needs will continue to climb to new heights — and probably Over the Rainbow to achieve their EXPAND OUR DREAM.
