Everyone Gives

On February 22, 2012, CISC will participate in a revolutionary eight-day global giving campaign spanning more than 60 countries around the world. “Everyone Gives” promises to be the most extensive and inclusive global giving event ever attempted, benefitting more than 200 non-profits around the globe.

“This is an easy way for our supporters to donate to CISC and to tell their friends and family about why CISC is important to them,” says Alaric Bien, Executive Director. Donating is simple and secure, and one hundred percent of all donations made through Everyone Gives go directly to the non-profit selected by the donor.

Participants make a small donation, as little as $5, to CISC through the Everyone Gives website at www.everyonegives.org and then tap into their social networks via email, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook to invite friends, co-workers, clients and family to support CISC. “I think of it as a giving tree,” explains Doug Frye, President of Colliers International and a founding sponsor of Everyone Gives. “One donation becomes five, five becomes 25 and 25 can become hundreds. And you can track your giving tree and your friends’ giving trees on the Everyone Gives website.“

Everyone Gives grew from a seed planted by the leaders at Colliers International, one of the world’s largest commercial real estate firms. The idea germinated and grew through collaboration with other like-minded organizations, seeking to create sustainable good. Joining Colliers International and CISC together with hundreds of charities around the world.

Karaoke Party!

Last Sunday a group of supporters from the International Family Center-Kent organized a karaoke/dance party at Tea Palace to raise funds for the center. Over 200 people were treated to the wonderful singing and dancing talents in our community and raised $7,000 for the IFC-Kent!

Cathay Bank

Monday, CISC received a check in the amount of $15,000 from the Cathay Bank Foundation to support programs that reach across the generations.

Programs with multi-generational impact such as our preschool and youth programs that enhance academic achievement and bicultural identity, bilingual parent education and family counseling, and elder services and caregiver support.

Pictured here with Executive Director Alaric Bien are Cathay Bank employees Thomas Ng and Kenyon Mayeda.  Thank you Cathay!

New Donation Options

Here's something new.  Now, with Click&Pledge, you can make your donations easier than ever!

You know how on PBS, they always say you can pay your pledge in installments?  Like $10 per month for a total of $120?  Or 4 easy payments of $250?  Well, now you can do the same with CISC!

OK, so we don't have mugs or umbrellas to give you.  But that just means that more of your donation goes directly to services for Asian and other immigrant clients and their families.

Just click on the Donate Now button on our blog or on our website, enter the amount, and choose the frequency of payment. It's safe, it's easy, and it's 100% tax deductible!*

Go ahead - give it a try!  You know you want to!



*Please consult with your tax professional as your individual situation may vary.

CISC Lunar New Year Walkathon

CISC is excited to announce our 1st Annual Lunar New Year Walkathon! This is going to be a large Walkathon event at Safeco Field on Saturday, February 20th. Registration will begin on that day at 9am, with the event kick-off at 9:30am. We aim to bring people together for a fun community celebration of the Lunar New Year, while raising donations to support the programs at CISC. As the participants take an approximately 3-mile walk around Safeco Field, there will be traditional Asian performances around the concourse, as well as free massages, T-shirts, a raffle drawing, and giveaways.

To take part in the Walkathon, you can grab the registration form from our office at 611 S Lane St or download it on the homepage of our website: cisc-seattle.org. Forms will also be available at the event. Over the next few weeks ask people you know to sponsor you on the walk, and keep track of their names and donations on the registration form. Remember to bring the registration form, $15 registration fee, and any money you have collected from your sponsors to the event. You are also welcome to form a team at your workplace, as we will have several corporate and community teams competing before and during the event to raise the most money. We hope to see you there!

If you have any questions about the event, please contact Dan Jones at danielj (at) cisc-seattle.org.

Providing a Voice for Immigrant Youth

CISC just received a generous $10,000 donation from Qwest for the Youth Voices Project. This is a project that aims to integrate middle and high school-aged immigrant youth into the wider community, improve their English language skills, and help them acquire needed technical and life skills. 30 students will engage in media production training over 12 months, and in the process create video documentaries on the early immigrant experiences of Chinese seniors in the community. The bilingual and bicultural education provided will help these students better acculturate into the American education system, and the Chinese immigrants interviewed will have an opportunity to uphold their rich cultural heritage.

Lion Dancing through Chinatown

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!

GivingWorks

Did you know that you can support CISC through eBay? In addition to donating items for our Friendship Dinner and Auction (June 6!) you can sell items on eBay and donate all or part of the proceeds to CISC!

Just click on the GivingWorks icon and choose Chinese Information and Service Center as the beneficiary.

Listings sold through GivingWorks attract 20% more bids, sell 50% more often, and close with 40% higher prices. And best of all, eBay fees associated with sold items are credited back to you at the same percentage as that donated!

Just another way to help immigrants make the transition to a new life while keeping later generations in touch with their rich heritage!