Chinese Information and Service Center

Ants in Your Pants

2009-07-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

Got ants in your pants? Fleas on your knees? Well, award winning children's singer and songwriter Nancy Stewart and a lot of our young friends do!

Yesterday, the International Family Center-Seattle and Seattle Public Library hosted an afternoon concert featuring fun, songs, and creepy crawly Bee Boppin' Bugs.

This is part of their summer reading program to encourage all kids (and adults) to get out there and read!

EastsideHelps

2009-06-30T16:58:00.000-07:00

Eastsiders! Need help? Want to give help?

Check out the new EastsideHelps website. The Eastside Human Services Forum, of which CISC is a part, built upon an idea that started in Kirkland to put all this information into one easy to use place.

The Seattle Times calls it "a clear, simple way to find help, or to give it."

Pandemic Preparedness

2009-06-30T16:35:00.000-07:00

This just out from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and & Policy at the University of Minnesota: Promising Practices for Pandemic Planning.

Featured is CISC and our experience with personal and community preparedness. We are happy to share our experience and learnings with other community based organizations so that we can all be ready when the next outbreak of swine flu/SARS/bird flu or whatever it may be hits.

Are you prepared? Academic types, click here. The rest of us might find this website useful.

Lion Dancing through Chinatown

2009-06-28T19:35:00.000-07:00

Sunday, Mak Fai's Kung Fu Club performed 5 hours of lion dances at 50 businesses throughout Chinatown/ID. They helped raise over $4,000 for CISC programs.

Volunteers and staff also helped spread the word about the 2010 Census, passing out t-shirts and chopsticks and telling people about the importance of being counted.

A big thanks to all for a job well done!

Line Dancing at CISC

2009-06-27T08:30:00.000-07:00

One of the more popular activities at the International Family Center-Seattle is the Line (not Lion) Dancing group. A fun way to get together, make new friends, and get some exercise at the same time!

For both men and women, this class has been shown to increase heart rate, decrease depression and take years off your figure!

Next session starts July 11. Only $24 for 12 weeks!

Contact Mabel Kwong at mabelk@cisc-seattle.org to register.

Seattle Public Utilities

2009-06-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

As part of its effort to educate the community on changes to the recycling program, staff from the Seattle Public Utilities department came out to the International Family Center-Seattle to explain what can and cannot put into the recycle bin.

They've also created videos in various languages for those with web access.

Click on these links for Mandarin, Cantonese, and Vietnamese.

Medication Safety

2009-06-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Last week, Annie Lam, Director of the University of Washington Pharmacy Residency Program and 6 of her residents came to the International Family Center-Seattle to do a hands on presentation on medication safety.

Clients brought their medications while residents explained their side effects, possible interactions, and other safety issues in Cantonese, Mandarin and Taiwanese.

They also helped clients set up record keeping systems to track all their medications, when they are supposed to be taken, and if they were taken or not.

Museum of Glass

2009-06-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

Thursday, 22 members of Sunshine Garden took a field trip to Tacoma to visit the Museum of Glass.

Seniors enjoyed exhibits on Contrasts, 20th and 21st century works, Cappy Thompson's Gathering the Light, and the legendary Chihuly Bridge of Glass.

But perhaps the most exciting part of the day was taking the Sounder train and experiencing the feel of mass transportation in all its diesel glory.

Thanks to all our volunteer chaperons who made this trip possible!

Stress Reduction part 2

2009-06-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Last month, we talked about our Stress Reduction Workshops for family caregivers. As part of our ongoing efforts to support caregivers, we held workshops in Bellevue and Seattle on basic self-hypnosis techniques.

Dr. Yvonne Kuan presented at this highly interactive session, after which nearly all of the participants left feeling totally refreshed.

The workshop has also been stored digitally and caregivers, especially those who are homebound, can request copy and watch it at home.

Who couldn't do with a little less stress?

Coconut Pudding

2009-06-18T13:57:00.000-07:00

In our ongoing cooking class headed by French trained chef Christine Ho, this month our seniors learned how to make coconut pudding.

OK. So it doesn't sound so good, but it tasted wonderful and had a cake like texture. If you want the recipe, you'll just have to come to Sunshine Garden next month and ask Christine!

2nd Tuesday of the month, 1:00-2:00 pm.

Friendship Dinner Photos

2009-06-16T11:36:00.000-07:00

At last! Photos from the 2009 Friendship Dinner & Auction. Do you see anyone you know?

CISC friends and supporters raised nearly $150,000 for programs that help immigrants and their families reach their dreams. Way to go!

A Learning Resource

2009-06-09T10:03:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, we welcomed two new interns from Hong Kong University's School of Social Work who will be with us over the summer getting practical experience and learning about social work in the United States, particularly in the Chinese community.

Ronald Ho and Audrey Ip will be able to see first hand how CISC works through its bilingual and bicultural social workers to help immigrants and their families integrate into their new community.

Whether its providing services to keep seniors healthy and active, helping families navigate the American educational system, or connecting Latino residents on the Eastside to basic services, these learning opportunities will surely make a long lasting and positive impact on the next generation of social service providers.

Dragon Boat Festival

2009-05-31T08:55:00.000-07:00

May 28 was Dragon Boat Festival day 端午節 and over 120 seniors, both Chinese and non, celebrated at the North Bellevue Community Center.

Participants enjoyed singing, raffle prizes and a rice dumpling 粽子 wrapping contest. Legend has it that after the exiled poet and statesman Qu Yuan 屈原 killed himself by drowning in the Miluo River 汨羅江, the local people, who admired him, threw food into the river to feed the fish so that they (the fish) would not eat his body - hence the origin of rice dumplings.

They also raced out in boats to retrieve the body, beating on drums to scare the fish all the while. This tradition continues on today with our annual dragon boat races.

The seniors all enjoyed this celebration, some commenting that they had not had a chance to celebrate in over 10 years. And now they can share this tradition with their new American friends and neighbors!

Block Watch

2009-05-26T15:53:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, CISC took part in a Multicultural Block Watch Signs Festival at the Seattle Nichiren Buddhist Church.

The neighborhood will be posting the first bilingual block watch signs in the state of Washington and bringing together businesses and community members to take a bite out of crime!

Lion dancers, Native American blessings as well as prayers from Baptist and Buddhist clergy were offered as neighbors came together in multicultural neighborhood cooperation.

2009 ID Spring Clean Up

2009-05-16T13:19:00.001-07:00

Over 30 staff, board members, and volunteers participated in the annual International District Spring Clean Up today. It was a beautiful, warm and sunny Saturday morning.

Rather than pick up trash around the neighborhood like we usually do, this year we were assigned to Kobe Terrace Garden to plant shrubs, pull weeds, and mulch.

Kobe Terrace Garden is a hidden gem right in the heart of the city. With Mt. Fuji cherry trees and an 8,000 pound stone lantern, it is the perfect place to sit and view Mt. Rainier and contemplate our sister city Kobe, Japan.

Lots of fun, a little sweat, and in under 2 hours we planted dozens of plants, moved over 20 cubic yards of mulch, and helped make Kobe Terrace an even more pleasant part of our neighborhood.

Thanks to all who participated. Let's do it again next year!

Seattle Maritime Festival

2009-05-11T10:02:00.000-07:00

Saturday, members from Sunshine Garden Senior Day Center took a field trip to the Seattle Maritime Festival. Another activity exposing our seniors to the community they live in, this fun and educational outing featured lots of activities for young and old alike.

There was a spectacular fireboat display, tugboat races, and a Coast Guard Air-Sea helicopter rescue demonstration.

There was also a survival suit race - you know, those orange inflatable things they wear on Deadliest Catch.

Maybe the highlight was the Chowder Cook-Off, where a $5 passport let you sample the best chowder 8 different waterfront restaurants had to offer. Yum!

Stress Reduction

2009-05-06T14:08:00.001-07:00

Every month, the Family Caregiver Support Program hosts groups for caregivers at the International Family Center-Seattle, one in Cantonese, another in Mandarin.

As we all know, caring for your loved one at home is a very stressful job, and many caregivers find they have little time for themselves.

"Being a non-paid family caregiver, I am often overwhelmed by physical and emotional distress. Thanks to CISC, I can have some time off for myself, watching a movie or practicing tai chi."

These groups provide social support, counseling, practical information and perhaps most importantly, a chance to get out of the house and relax a bit.

Here, a group of caregivers practices tai chi after learning about the swine flu.

Seniors @ Crossroads Mall

2009-05-04T16:17:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, the 12th annual volunteer fair was held at Crossroads Mall in Bellevue. Hundreds of community members interested in learning about volunteer opportunities attended.

There was lots of entertainment, including CISC's Eastside Chinese Senior Choir. Very professional looking, and they sounded great too!

The group practices every Wednesday from 10:30 to noon at the North Bellevue Community Center. New members are always welcome to join!

Swine Flu

2009-05-01T16:27:00.000-07:00

As part of our response to the swine flu scare, CISC held an information session on the H1N1 influenza this morning for seniors at Sunshine Garden, and caregivers in our Family Caregiver Support Program.

The speaker was Dr. RF Zhang, former director of Fijian Medical College. Over 40 people showed up, and many expressed their gratitude for having the opportunity to hear the latest information about this pandemic in a language they could understand.

CISC continues to monitor the situation closely and educate our community on any updates available in our clients' native languages. Remember:

wash your hands
cover your coughs and sneezes
don't touch your eyes, nose or mouth
and stay away from sick people

Let's all stay healthy here!

Employment Workshop

2009-05-01T11:29:00.000-07:00

Another sign of the times. Tuesday CISC held an employment workshop and over 20 anxious job seekers attended in the middle of the day!

Michael Lin, Business Liaison from WorkSource Redmond, did the presentation, talking about the current job market, and new trends in resume preparation, online applications, and interview skills.

Good luck to all our attendees!

2010 Census

2009-04-23T13:49:00.000-07:00

Also today, CISC hosted a press conference in conjunction with the Organization of Chinese Americans - Greater Seattle Chapter, and the US Census Bureau.

The purpose was to help kick off the 2010 census and make sure our community members know the importance of being counted.

Speakers from a variety of community groups were in attendance, all highlighting the need for an accurate count.

CISC applauds the work the Census Bureau is doing and is a proud partner in our 2010 Census count efforts!

Check out the video here!

Partners in Preparedness

2009-04-23T13:40:00.000-07:00

Today, CISC, in conjunction with the Seattle Office of Emergency Management, received a Partners in Preparedness Award from the International Association of Emergency Managers.

This award recognized some of the groundbreaking work CISC has been doing in terms of nonprofit preparedness.

Working with Public Health, United Way, the Statewide Disaster Preparedness Task Force, and King County, CISC has taken a lead in preparing nonprofit organizations, and our community members in the event of a disaster.

Troop 52844

2009-04-20T09:53:00.000-07:00

Saturday, Brownie Troop 52844 came to CISC to distribute rice to low income families.

They used the money generated from their cookie sales to buy hundreds of pounds of rice, which they bagged and handed out with hand made cards for the recipients.

The girls also entertained those waiting in line with songs and cute smiles. Thank you Troop 52844!

CPR Training

2009-04-16T15:08:00.000-07:00

As part of National Disaster Preparedness Month, CISC once again held CPR recertification classes for all staff.

In addition to CPR, staff receive updated first aid training and we evaluate our Agency Emergency Plan at this time each year.

Later this month, we'll be holding an evacuation drill with consultation from the Seattle Fire Department. You can never be too prepared!

South

2009-04-15T11:59:00.000-07:00

As a member of the steering committee for South Seattle Community College's AANAPISI grant (10 points if you can guess that that stands for!), we are happy to share this first video highlighting some of the great supports and services available to students at South.

SSCC was one of only 6 schools nationwide to receive the designation of "Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution". With this comes 2 years of funding to develop mechanisms to support student retention and success.

The AANAPISI grant team is currently developing programs, activities, curriculum and other resources to promote student success. While the grant focuses on developing strategies that are culturally relevant to Asian American and Pacific Islander students, these resources will be available to all students and will promote the success and retention of South students overall.

Congratulations to our friends at South, and keep up the great work!!