As a police officer of the NYPD, I have witnessed people go through hardships that was sometimes unimaginable if it was the other way around. Yes, during those moments, these people were strangers but the human connection is always there. I thought that if I can do something more than just doing regular cop duties to help, I should. Hence, I have created my fundraising piano recitals.
My name is Chris KaKit Yip. I am an immigrant from Hong Kong, came here when I was 10 years old. My parents plus my brother all arrived at the JFK airport in July of 1990 and have been living in Queens ever since. We didn't have much money. My parents struggled to find jobs since they didn't speak much English, when my brother and I started school.
With a non-spectacular childhood growing up, I reached and graduated from college aiming towards becoming an ESL teacher. But life always make twists and turns, and with job market difficulty, I later became a police officer. Unexpectedly, it was this job that provoked this whole idea of giving back.
I started learning how to play the piano when I was an adult since my parents could not afford me lessons, let alone the instrument. I can finally afford it through my NYPD career. It first started off as a spur of the moment and without too much thought, I should perform in public and do a maybe fundraiser at the same time. The more I do it, the more I expand the notion of giving back. I have been performing close to every year, select an NGO, do the show, collect money from ticket proceeds and donate all of it to the selected NGO.
In the past, I have donated to multiple agencies included the Brooklyn Music School, Chinese American Planning Council, Animal Haven Shelter, NYC Food, and the most recent was a cancer patient services NGO called Sharing+Caring *my mother passed away from cancer*.
Now that I have retired, I am still going to continue this as my personal tradition. I am currently planning for my next fundraiser recital and which NGO to donate to.
My name is Chris KaKit Yip. I am an immigrant from Hong Kong, came here when I was 10 years old. My parents plus my brother all arrived at the JFK airport in July of 1990 and have been living in Queens ever since. We didn't have much money. My parents struggled to find jobs since they didn't speak much English, when my brother and I started school.
With a non-spectacular childhood growing up, I reached and graduated from college aiming towards becoming an ESL teacher. But life always make twists and turns, and with job market difficulty, I later became a police officer. Unexpectedly, it was this job that provoked this whole idea of giving back.
I started learning how to play the piano when I was an adult since my parents could not afford me lessons, let alone the instrument. I can finally afford it through my NYPD career. It first started off as a spur of the moment and without too much thought, I should perform in public and do a maybe fundraiser at the same time. The more I do it, the more I expand the notion of giving back. I have been performing close to every year, select an NGO, do the show, collect money from ticket proceeds and donate all of it to the selected NGO.
In the past, I have donated to multiple agencies included the Brooklyn Music School, Chinese American Planning Council, Animal Haven Shelter, NYC Food, and the most recent was a cancer patient services NGO called Sharing+Caring *my mother passed away from cancer*.
Now that I have retired, I am still going to continue this as my personal tradition. I am currently planning for my next fundraiser recital and which NGO to donate to.