Taiwan supports ‘Shoes for Kids’ in Riverside County

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles once again partnered with the Inland Chinese Association for its annual Orange Picking Event on Sunday, Feb. 16. This year’s event continued the tradition of giving back by providing shoes to underprivileged families in the Inland Empire.

Director General Amino Chi has been a supporter, on behalf of TECO-LA, of this charity initiative for three consecutive years. He emphasized Taiwan’s commitment to community development and assistance for disadvantaged families, stating, “It is an honor for Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support activities that strengthen our communities. We hope to continue working closely with local organizations and governments in Southern California and the United States to provide aid to those in need.”

ICA President Julian Hsieh highlighted the ongoing need for community support in Riverside County. “Many families in our community still need assistance,” he said. “This event is more than just giving back — it’s an opportunity for the community to engage in meaningful public service. By picking oranges and enjoying time together, families contribute to improving the lives of others.” 

Over the past decade, thanks to the generosity of former ICA President Gary Liaou, who provides his orchard each year, the association has donated more than half a million pounds of oranges and 20,000 pairs of shoes to families in need.

Several elected officials also participated in the event, including U.S. Representative Mark Takano, D-Riverside, California state Sen. Sabrina Cervantes, D-Corona, and Riverside City Councilwoman Clarissa Cervantes. Takano underscored the strength of long-term partnerships between diverse communities, emphasizing their resilience beyond political divides. Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes and Councilwoman Clarissa Cervantes also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting initiatives that uplift local communities.

Leaders from recipient organizations, including Sira Uribe, president of the Riverside chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens, the largest Latino interest group in the Unites States; Luz Gallegos, president of Training Occupational Development Educating Communities, the largest migrant worker advocacy group in the Inland Empire; and Tom Dolan, executive director of Inland Congregations United for Change, expressed their gratitude to ICA and TECO-LA for their generosity and ongoing support.

During the event, Chi presented a $3,000 donation to ICA and awarded Certificates of Appreciation to ICA and Gary Liaou in recognition of their contributions. He reaffirmed TECO-LA’s commitment to working alongside ICA to share Taiwan’s spirit of compassion and love with local communities.

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