Wednesday, March 11, 2026
A true story about the impact of Older Americans Act services, submitted by Hanul Family Alliance
For Kum Young Bang (79), the story of her life in America was written in sweat and steam. Like many first-generation Korean immigrants, she arrived in Chicago in 1991 and immediately entered the grueling world of the dry-cleaning business. For decades, her world was confined to the four walls of the shop. She worked from before sunrise until long after sunset, standing on her feet all day amidst the hiss of steam presses and the sharp scent of cleaning chemicals. There were no holidays, no hobbies, and no time to make friends. Her life was a relentless cycle of labor to survive and support her family.
When she finally retired in 2017, the labor didn’t end but it did shift. She poured her remaining energy into raising her grandchildren, allowing her son and daughter-in-law to work. For years, Mrs. Bang existed solely for others, first as a worker, then as a caregiver.
But as her grandchildren grew up, a sudden silence filled her days. The busy chaos was replaced by isolation. Mrs. Bang realized she had spent nearly 30 years in Chicago but had no community of her own.
That was until she walked through the doors of the Hanul Family Alliance.
Today, Mrs. Bang is unrecognizable from the woman who once stood exhausted behind a counter. On Wednesdays and Fridays she joins the Line Dance class and energizes her body with Silver Gymnastics. She thrives due to the activity and socialization.
“For decades, my body only knew the pain of hard labor. I never imagined I would use this same body to dance and laugh,” Mrs. Bang said. “Meeting friends here who have a similar background, who know what it’s like to work 12 hours a day in a store or care for grandchildren, gives me comfort.”
The Congregate Meal Program provides a nutritious Korean lunch, but more than that, it feeds her soul. It is a place where she has met friends and built community.
“Hanul and AgeGuide have given me a new social life I never had,” she says. “My only wish is that this program could happen 3 or 4 times a week. It is the reason I wake up in the morning.”
Mrs. Bang’s journey from the heat and isolation of a dry cleaner to the warmth of Hanul’s community is a testament to the life-changing power of these services.
