A foundation built on belief

    Travel changes lives.

    We fund transformative travel for hardworking students who haven't had the chance to see the world.

    Accepting students starting Summer 2026

    Things in Motion

    The Spark

    Fall 2025

    2

    Building the Team

    Winter 2026

    3

    Applications Open

    Summer 2026

    4

    First Cohort Travels

    2027

    Here's how it works

    Three simple steps toward something that lasts a lifetime.

    01

    Students share their story

    Hardworking youth from underprivileged backgrounds tell us about their dreams, their drive, and what seeing the world would mean to them.

    02

    We plan the experience

    A fully funded, weeklong trip to a new city — flights, meals, lodging, and curated cultural experiences. Every single detail covered.

    03

    Perspectives shift quietly

    New sights, new people, new ways of seeing. The kind of growth that doesn't shout, but stays with you.

    Why we started

    Jae grew up as a first-generation immigrant, working multiple jobs through high school and college. Katie was raised by a single mom, balancing academics and family from a young age.

    When they finally got the chance to travel, everything shifted — not in a dramatic way, but in the quiet way that real growth happens. A meal in a new city. A conversation with a stranger who saw the world differently. The feeling that there's more out there, and that they could be part of it.

    "We believe that seeing the world helps you find your place in it."

    JoyfulLee exists so today's students don't have to wait. We want every hardworking young person to know: your background doesn't define your horizons.

    Meet the team
    JL
    KL
    RM

    $1,700

    That's all it takes to fund one student's entire trip.

    Flights & transport

    Lodging & meals

    Experiences & tours

    Support a Student

    Be part of the beginning

    We're building something meaningful. Sign up to be the first to know when applications open and how you can get involved.

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