Abandoned Little Angels Announces the Passing of Co-Founder and Board Member Mr. Joseph Nguyen Ngọc Toàn

Abandoned Little Angels (ALA) announces the passing of co-founder and Board Member Mr. Joseph Nguyễn Ngọc Toàn. Born on June 6, 1940, in Cao Duong Village, Yen Do, Ha Nam Province, Vietnam, Mr. Toàn was called home by the Lord on Friday, June 26, 2026, in Houston, Texas, at the age of 86.

Mr. Toàn's life was one of quiet resilience and extraordinary purpose. Born in 1940 in rural Vietnam, he lost his mother as an infant and navigated childhood with little more than determination and faith. As a young boy, he lived with his school teacher simply to have access to an education. At just 14 years old, his father sent him to the city for the chance at a better future, a journey that would prove to be the last time he would ever see his father. Arriving alone, and with the money for his journey stolen by a relative, he found shelter in charity housing. When asked later in life whether those years had been painful, he would simply smile and say it had been wonderful: he had free housing, free food, and a free education. That was the character of Joseph Toàn: an unshakeable optimist who chose gratitude over hardship at every turn.

It was from that same charity housing that a dream quietly took root, a dream of democracy, freedom, and one day, America.

Advocating through Action

Mr. Toàn played an instrumental role in the founding and growth of Abandoned Little Angels alongside his wife, ALA founder Tu Chung. Having been an orphan himself, he understood intimately the vulnerability of children left without family or resources. In 1994, the couple traveled to Vietnam and visited an orphanage in Da Lat, where they witnessed firsthand the severe poverty faced by hundreds of children in the care of local caregivers. That visit became the catalyst for what would become Abandoned Little Angels.

Mr. Toàn served as a Board Member for more than two decades, helping to establish the organization as an America's Best Charities and setting it up through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). In ALA's formative years, he took on the full range of organizational and operational responsibilities that would shape the foundation of the organization, from building its structure and guiding its strategy to stewarding its day-to-day work, all out of pure dedication to the mission rather than recognition of a formal role. Under his guidance, ALA grew from a grassroots fundraising effort into an organization that today supports more than 30 centers across Vietnam, including orphanages, educational centers for disabled children, and vocational training programs, as well as organizations serving underprivileged children in Houston, Texas.

Mr. Toàn retired from his formal role at ALA in 2016, leaving behind a legacy as deep as the mission itself. During his years of active service, he also documented ALA's work through photography, capturing the faces, stories, and moments that brought the organization's impact to life. Even after stepping back, he remained connected to the mission, continuing to travel to Vietnam to visit the centers and orphanages ALA supports.

His Legacy at ALA

Mr. Toàn's greatest contribution may be the culture of devotion he embodied and instilled within ALA. He did not wait for a title to lead; he simply served, with humility and heart, for over two decades. A man who had once relied on the charity of strangers to survive, he spent his life ensuring that other children would not have to face the world alone. His vision helped shape an organization that has touched countless lives across Vietnam and Houston. The foundation he helped build, the relationships he cultivated, and the spirit of compassion he modeled will continue to guide ALA's mission for years to come. He was not just a founding figure; he was the soul of ALA's earliest chapter.

He is survived by his wife and ALA co-founder Tu Chung, and his family.

A celebration of his life will be held on July 4th, a date his family finds deeply fitting, as it marks the symbol of the freedom he dreamed of as a young boy alone in Vietnam.

It was Mr. Toàn's final wish that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Abandoned Little Angels, to continue the work that defined his life. To honor his memory, please visit abandonedlittleangels.org.