Founded for new arrivals
The organization began as Korean Community Development Services Center, founded in December 1983 by Dr. Jin H. Yu and Mr. Moo Yoo to help newly arrived Asian immigrants adjust to life in Philadelphia.
A family story that became a neighborhood front door.
SoHi Center carries forward the work of Korean Community Development Services Center while making it easier for every neighbor to understand where to start.
1983
The same front door, made clearer.
The rebrand changes the name people see first. It does not change the work families come in for.
Renamed for easier entry
The SoHi name honors So Hi Yu and keeps the Yu family story close to the public front door.
Still practical
Moo Yoo's co-founding role remains part of the full story, alongside a service promise that is open to every neighbor.
The founders behind the first front door.
Dr. Jin H. Yu and Mr. Moo Yoo founded the Korean Community Development Services Center in December 1983. Their original promise to help newly arrived neighbors remains part of every service SoHi offers today.
A founder's story still shapes the front desk.
1930s-1950s
A long path to public service
Dr. Jin Hung Yu grew up in a small Koreatown in rural Manchuria, served in the Republic of Korea Army during the Korean War, and later translated for a U.S. colonel.
1961
An education journey begins
He arrived in Seattle on January 20, 1961, the same day President John F. Kennedy was sworn into office. Kennedy's call to service helped shape his direction.
1963-1979
Work, citizenship, and a PhD
Working full time during the day and attending classes at night, Dr. Yu graduated from Wake Forest in 1963, became a U.S. citizen in 1974, and completed his PhD at Temple in 1979.
December 1983
The Center is founded
Dr. Yu and Mr. Moo Yoo founded Korean Community Development Services Center in Philadelphia to help newly arrived Asian immigrants adjust to life in the United States.
1985
The work broadens beyond one need
Early public histories describe roots in safety support for Korean business owners. The Center quickly widened into a community development organization with one part-time staff member, a small first-year budget, and a broader Olney mission.
1990
Rising Sun Children's Center opens
Rising Sun Children's Center became a state-licensed, nonprofit program of the Center, giving Olney families a safe, affordable early-learning home for young children.
2008
North 5th Street work connects
The North 5th Street Revitalization Project joined with Korean Community Development Services Center as fiscal sponsor, linking neighborhood services with corridor planning, small-business support, and quality-of-life work.
2012
The family story reaches a national audience
During AAPI Heritage Month, Don Yu wrote publicly from the White House about Dr. Yu's journey, the Olney roots of the Center, and the public-service call that shaped two generations.
2025
A clearer public front door begins
The website refresh organized the Center's work around the service paths neighbors were already asking for: immigration support, social services, housing assistance, and Rising Sun Children's Center.
2026
SoHi takes shape
Board, staff, and family conversations sharpened the need for a shorter public name. SoHi began as a way to keep the Korean Center legacy close while making the first step easier for neighbors who just need help.
Today
A wider front door
The mission expanded to serve low-income clients from many backgrounds through immigration support, social services, housing assistance, and Rising Sun Children's Center.
The SoHi name was considered in the room.
Board, staff, and family members reviewed how the new name could preserve the Center's history while making its invitation clearer to every neighbor.
The Hi in SoHi is a greeting and a memory.
The name keeps a family memory near the front door while making the invitation easier to understand for neighbors who need help now.
This story should sit beside the service promise. It should never make someone prove they belong before they ask for help.