Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation Receives $2 Million Gift from MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving Open Call

CONTACT: George J.S. Choe, george.choe@jaisohn.org, (215) 224-2040

Philadelphia, PA – On March 19, 2024, MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving announced Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation as one of the Yield Giving Open Call’s awardees working with people and in places experiencing the greatest need in the United States. Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation received a $2 million unrestricted grant to further its mission to promote and fulfill Dr. Philip Jaisohn’s ideals of humanity through a broad range of medical healthcare, mental health counseling, and human/social services along with advocacy, leadership development, educational and cultural programs for the enrichment of the local community.

Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation, marking its 50th anniversary milestone in 2025, stands as an  important service center serving Philadelphia, Montgomery, and Delaware counties. The Foundation  directly supports the vulnerable Asian-Americans in Pennsylvania who, without necessary skills to  navigate the system, struggle with inter-related challenges connected to poverty, healthcare disparities,  language barriers, and cultural complexities. Co-founding the Asian American Coalition in this region, it  has helped assess the various needs of the local community and led efforts to advocate for policies that  amplify Asian-American voices from different backgrounds. With three locations and one museum, the  organization has evolved into a premier health and human service hub, employing evidence-based  holistic practices delivered with cultural and linguistic sensitivity to bridge gaps in healthcare access and  address inequities. Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation also invests in youth development, aiming to  engage young individuals in healthcare and civic spheres to cultivate the next generation of leaders.

In March 2023, Yield Giving launched an Open Call for community-led, community-focused organizations  whose explicit purpose is to enable individuals and families to achieve substantive improvement in their  well-being through foundational resources.  

“In addition to increasing healthcare access, PJMF has led the Asian American community’s advocacy  work through Census and voter registration, and we have hosted over 120 COVID-19 vaccine clinics for  the Asian American, Latino and African American communities with language, cultural, technology,  transportation and religious barriers. We are currently working on further strengthening our work to  satisfy the needs of the Asian American and other communities by developing a “one stop shop” hub  space and range of services. That is why MacKenzie Scott’s transformative investment is so timely and  we appreciate their recognition of our work,” said George Choe, President & CEO of Philip Jaisohn  Memorial Foundation. 

The Open Call received 6,353 applications and initially planned for 250 awards of $1 million each. In the  Fall of 2023, organizations top-rated by their peers advanced to a second round of review by an external  Evaluation Panel recruited for experience relevant to this cause, and underwent a final round of due  diligence. In light of the incredible work of these organizations, as judged by their peers and external  panelists, the donor team decided to expand the awardee pool and the award amount. “We are excited 

that our partnership with Yield Giving has resonated with so many organizations,” said Cecilia Conrad,  CEO of Lever for Change. “In a world teeming with potential and talent, the Open Call has given us an  opportunity to identify, uplift, and empower transformative organizations that often remain unseen.”  

More information on the Yield Giving Open Call and other initiatives can be found at  www.leverforchange.org.  

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Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation 

The Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation (PJMF) was established in 1975 by eight Korean American  physicians to uphold the ideals of Dr. Philip Jaisohn who was the First Korean American and a pioneer in  social justice, a medical doctor and an independence activist in Korea and America (1800s-1900s). What  started as a response to the medical needs of the Korean American immigrants has now become an  organization that provides holistic healthcare to over 10,000 people annually through health and human  services, advocacy and leadership development. The Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation strives to  support the larger Asian American community which is often misunderstood, underrepresented and  underserved due to its immigrant status, diversity in language, culture and economic status. To learn  more, visit www.jaisohn.org. 

Yield Giving  

Established by MacKenzie Scott to share a financial fortune created through the effort of countless  people, Yield Giving is named after a belief in adding value by giving up control. To date, Yield’s network  of staff and advisors has yielded over $16,500,000,000 to 1,900+ non-profit teams to use as they see fit  for the benefit of others. To learn more, visit www.yieldgiving.com.  

Lever for Change  

Lever for Change connects donors with bold solutions to the world’s biggest problems—including issues  like racial inequity, gender inequality, lack of access to economic opportunity, and climate change. Using  an inclusive, equitable model and due diligence process, Lever for Change creates customized challenges  and other tailored funding opportunities. Top-ranked teams and challenge finalists become members of  

the Bold Solutions Network—a growing global network that helps secure additional funding, amplify members’ impact, and accelerate social change. Founded in 2019 as a nonprofit affiliate of the John D.  and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Lever for Change has influenced over $1.7 billion in grants to  date and provided support to more than 145 organizations. To learn more, visit www.leverforchange.org.