Written by: Amy Han, FCSN Voices Youth Editor

Late night discussions flooded the living room, igniting sparks of inspiration in the dimly lit room as neighbors all around slipped into dreams. Huddled at the table were ten families, engaging in a vivid conversation full of hopes, dreams, and visions for a better tomorrow for the special needs community. The organization that volunteers and staff are familiar with today is far different from the small gatherings FCSN once began with. What started off as a shared dream among ten families has become a network of two locations impacting thousands of people and volunteers over 30 years of dedication and growth.

To celebrate this milestone, FCSN introduced the 30th Anniversary T-Shirt Design Contest. FCSN CFO Lillian Lin and Project Specialist Deasy Tantriady spearheaded the contest, beginning preparations during the latter half of 2025.  “We thought it would be good to have some kind of competition, so we can get more involvement from either clients, staff, volunteers, or members. Our goal was to have the contest results out by the [30th Anniversary Gala], so we can announce the winners and have the winners present…,” Lin said. 

Winners of the 30th Anniversary T-Shirt Design Contest gather for the FCSN 30th Anniversary Gala. 

The contest was open to all FCSN members, volunteers, clients, and staff, emphasizing designs that showcased FCSN’s history and creativity. All submissions needed to align with the theme of “Celebrating 30 Years of FCSN” and with FCSN’s mission of support and resources for families with special needs. Cash prizes of $500, $300, and $200 for the first, second, and third place winners were incorporated as an extra incentive. 

The promotional poster for the 30th Anniversary T-Shirt Design Contest was sent out to all members, volunteers, clients, and staff. 

Nearly 2,500 volunteers and 1,300 general members were contacted. From the submissions in this pool, Lily Chang emerged as the first-place winner, Adult Day Program Coordinator Jake Haw earned second place, and Administration Department Part-time Staff Hsu Myat Hla placed third. Despite their different designs and styles, all three ultimately expressed a common gratitude for the love and community FCSN has brought to their personal lives. 

Lily Chang, a long-time member seeking support for her special needs son, is also an art teacher who majored in design. Her winning design, created using Adobe Illustrator, emphasizes love as the force uniting FCSN’s families, volunteers, and community for the past 30 years. Scattered red and orange hearts symbolize an outward flow of hope and empathy. “I just [want to] let more people know that FCSN is a good organization and know how hard [of a time] the families are at this moment … Maybe when they see my design, they can get a little bit touched,” Chang said. 

Second-place winner Jake Haw, who previously worked with T-shirt graphic design in a college entrepreneurial program, drew inspiration from FCSN’s mission: “to help individuals with special needs and their families find love, hope, respect, and support through integrated community involvement.” His design highlights the words “Love” and “Hope.” “I feel like [working in FCSN] has shaped the way I see the clients, from being able to work with them directly and helping them achieve their goals to being in the back line and helping them at an administrative level. I think that’s something that not a lot of people can say they did,” Haw said. 

Haw’s design strategically places the words “love” and “hope.” 

Third-place winner Hsu Myat Hla approached the contest as an opportunity to experiment and show her appreciation for FCSN’s nurturing environment. Despite initial uncertainty, her marketing and design background helped her create a piece that represented the safe and supportive space FCSN provides. A heart at the center and family figures symbolize that the systems and organizations that truly sustain people are love, hope, respect, and support. Smaller floating hearts represent hope and possibility, even in challenging circumstances. “I feel that in summary, FCSN is a safe place, and they care about the people, the clients, … [and] their staff members.” 

The stories behind these winning T-shirt designs reflect the powerful impact FCSN has had on its community. The 30th Anniversary T-Shirt Design Contest allows creativity to become a form of advocacy, and these submissions show how gratitude and appreciation can inspire meaningful self-expression. “I think any kind of contest will get people’s attention and then bring out the creative side of participants… By having this contest, it’s a good opportunity to reach out to a different population and to bring them together,” Lin said.

Graphics link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14aRHX0y6XD7Js_6KJ8WHrITvmmEFaS7-?usp=sharing