The YouStar Foundation is a voluntary donation organization founded in 2014, and with the mission “Sharing is Propagation,” it has continuously grown to make the world a brighter and warmer place. In particular, we are working to help low-income and middle-income (LMI) individuals and households, as well as communities that face barriers to accessing the support and services they need due to economic, cultural, and linguistic challenges.
Our journey began in August 2014 at the Miracle Concert 1-12, a charity event to support leukemia patients. Since then, we have organized events themed around giving to our community once or twice a year, continuing to practice meaningful giving and kindness.
In 2018, we started the “Never Give Up” campaign by making mental health recovery a key issue. Through this, we have held online and offline mental health seminars based on the belief that “sharing is contagious,” and have been providing awareness raising and support through this. In particular, we are working to increase understanding of mental health and to make it easier for people in need to access the information and support they need.
Efforts to raise mental health awareness have also expanded through the production of video series and documentaries. One of them is the “Unfinished Job” series, a suicide prevention campaign that was co-produced by the United States and South Korea. As of June 2023, several songs and music videos have been released, starting with “Part 1: Thankful for You” (Chaehyeon & Ha Dong-gyun) and continuing with “Part 6: You Have to Let Go in the Face of Sorrow” (Kim Ho-yeon). Through these efforts, we aim to improve mental health awareness and create a social atmosphere where people can freely talk about emotional well-being.
In February 2025, we also launched the “Warm Line,” a long-standing project. The Warm Line provides emotional support, guidance, and resources to those facing stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues. Specifically, it is aimed at the Korean-speaking Korean American community in the United States, helping those who are struggling to seek help due to language barriers, cultural stigma, and access restrictions to mental health services. Additionally, we support low-income and middle-income (LMI) individuals and households, as well as members of communities who are unable to access appropriate mental health and emotional support services due to economic, linguistic, or cultural barriers, to be connected to the necessary resources.
This service provides a safe space for Korean-Americans to express their feelings and receive support without judgment, and helps connect them to local resources such as counseling and mental health services. Through this, we aim to increase access to mental health and emotional support services and provide practical support to community members who find it difficult to receive the necessary help due to economic, cultural, and linguistic barriers. It also aims to prevent mental health problems from escalating into a crisis through early intervention and to support individuals in finding ways to care for themselves.
In 2026, it will provide mental health counseling and prescription-related medical services. YouStar ClinicBy opening Along with the 24/7 emotional support line, we are helping community members find the help they need. Also Warm Line AcademyAnd to commemorate World Suicide Prevention Day 5K WalkathonWe are expanding our activities by holding events such as this one.
Through these various activities, the YouStar Foundation is continuously working to better understand each other, empathize with each other, and build a warm society that values mental health.
