On a trip to Cambodia, Michael and Marjorie Stern saw more than just Angkor Wat.

Wherever they travel, the New York couple likes to take in markets, schools and recreational areas.

"I don't think you can understand a country unless you see how people live on an everyday basis," says Mr. Stern, 73 years old, president of Big Wood Foundation.

On this particular trip in 2007, the Sterns were taken to a "very fancy children's hospital" near Angkor Wat, he says, and they were given a glossy brochure and sent on their way. So, their guide suggested a visit to the hospital where his children receive care and the Sterns toured the Angkor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The hospital is supported by the New York-based nonprofit, Friends Without a Border.

"We were very moved by what we saw, the work of doctors and the plight of children," says Mr. Stern. When the couple returned home from their vacation, Mr. Stern made a donation and then subsequently joined the board, where he now serves as treasurer.