First in Family Fund Raises $150,000 to Support Three Children

Longtime resident and learning center owner Frances Kweller raised over $150,000 in crowdsourced GoFundMe donations to support the educational needs of the three children of Zhiwen Yan after he was tragically killed.

"Mr. Yan delivered Chinese food to my students for years, and I immediately realized his death's impact on his children. I wanted to proactively help."

Kweller, who owns and operates the First in Family Fund a non-profit that she founded in her childhood community of Forest Hills over fifteen years ago, initially reached out to her students and families. She subsequently posted the Gofundme on Facebook, to Forest Hills Parents.

Within 24 hours, the First in Family Fund raised over $100,00.

"I linked the fundraiser to a nonprofit I established years ago, The First in Family Fund, a 501C3 to support the immediate educational needs and continued schooling and college expenses for Mr. Yan's children. GoFundMe agreed only to charge a tiny 2.2% non-profit fee, not the standard 2.9%, so the maximum amount possible would transfer to his three children.

"I could not be prouder of the Forest Hills community. Everyone united to support the deceased's children." Kweller gleamed.

Zhiwen Yan's widow, Eva, received the transfer of funds during a special lunch hosted at Kweller Prep's Learning Center in Forest Hills.

"It was a spiritually uplifting moment," recalls Kweller. "I was able to show Eva how much the Forest Hills community cares about her family and how much her late-husband, Zhiwen Yan meant to all of us."

45-year-old Zhiwen Yan, a food delivery worker, was shot to death while delivering Chinese food on a scooter in Forest Hills by an aggrieved customer with ten prior arrests which included illegal possession of an unregistered gun.

The First in Family Fund, a 501C nonprofit, is a registered charity in NYC and NY State. All donations are 100% tax-deductible. Learn more about our education charity work here: www.firstinfamilyfund.org.