About Us
The Ngo & Lin Foundation was named after Ngoc Ngo and Cui Luan Lin, two influential individuals whose impact is felt today. Mrs. Ngo and Mrs. Lin both valued family, community, and education. They taught us humility, kindness, and patience. Through all their poverty, sickness and struggles, they continued to pour their heart and souls out for everyone but themselves - teaching us the greatest gift is one we give to others. The Ngo & Lin Foundation will continue to build on their legacy with one scholar at a time. We support underrepresented students who are determined, passionate and resilient by providing them with scholarships, internships, and mentorship opportunities.
Ngoc Bao Ngo
Mom | Sister | Grandmother | Warrior | 150% Giver
Mrs. Ngo was born in Vietnam. Growing up in a family with 11 siblings was loud, fun, and filled with adventure. Her family of 13 lived in a one-bedroom very cozy "villa" in the city. She got married, had six kids of her own, and immigrated to Oregon in the late 1980s. A couple of years after immigrating to Oregon, Mrs. Ngo was diagnosed with breast cancer. She fought hard and won the battle but the persistent cancer beasts came back around in the mid-2000s and conquered the war with a stage 4 verdict. Even during Mrs. Ngo's illness, she was most worried about her family's well-being, not the radiation or chemotherapy treatments. She was always compassionate, patient, and full of love. When she disapproved of the path her children were headed, she seek to learn and understand. In one instance, Mrs. Ngo spent the extra effort to travel to a hair show with her eldest daughter and realized beauty trade schools were so innovative, advanced, and intense. "It's so much more than hair. Daughter, I am glad you found your passion." Above all else, Mrs. Ngo was a peaceful believer and would not condone violence of any sort. She coaxed her children to walk away if provoked, not to argue with others and never to engage in a physical or verbal fight. "Take the high road and turn the other cheek," she encouraged them. Mrs. Ngo was very intelligent and kind, and inspired us with an ongoing giving back/paying forward mentality.
Cui Luan Lin
Mom | Superwoman | Badass DIY Inspiration
Mrs. Lin was born in China. As the oldest of 6 children, she had worked in farms and factories to support her family before turning double digits. She survived the Cultural Revolution led by Chairman Mao during her childhood, graduated middle school, got married, and had two kids. Little did Mrs. Lin know that her life would be reset at 40 years old when she immigrated to Oregon to learn a new language, environment, and culture. She did everything herself to save money from sewing shoe patches, fixing the leaking roof, installing new fences, repairing drywall, building a bed in the closet, and working multiple jobs. In the 1990s, Mrs. Lin and her husband saved up $20K and purchased their first home together in NE Portland. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, she suffered a traumatic incident and was diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety. Mental health issues are more advanced in present day than they were 25+ years ago but Mrs. Lin never let her challenges deter her from the daily grind. Today, Mrs. Lin lives in Happy Valley with her daughter and grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with the family, gardening, and sharing her stories.
Our Story
We started the Ngo & Lin Foundation because most people will not know who our moms are and the influence they have had on our lives. We are their children and grandchildren. Most moms are selfless, humble, and the unsung heroes in a family. We believe they should be at the forefront and focus of our successes. This is also why we want to share their story and build on their legacy. Our moms believed supporting the youth and their education was important to building a better community, brighter outlook, and happier families. We agree wholeheartedly! We seek in our scholars the same humility, kindness, and patience we were taught. We value the sacrifices they have endured and we strive to provide the resources necessary to succeed not only in our scholar's educational goals but career, community, and life aspirations.
