Last week, members of Sunshine Garden Senior Day Care Center performed at a Get Out the Vote luncheon hosted by several Chinatown community groups. 
Seniors learned how to fill out their ballots (but not what to fill out) and what happens to the ballots once they are mailed in.
It's that time of year again, and time to clean our building. We can't believe it's already been 2 years since we moved into our new building! And now it's time to clean 2 years' worth of accumulated grit and grime.
Don't know if you've noticed, but the seagulls seem to have a proclivity for bombing our windows. We still can't figure out how they do it, but we're glad they're finally getting cleaned!
the vast, confusing system of health insurance.
More than 30 In-home Care Providers were recognized recently by CISC at an event celebrating their contributions in keeping seniors and disabled persons living in their own homes as long as possible. 
Caregivers were able to share their experiences and challenges with each other, get support, and create a sense of community in what can often be a very lonely job. 
Did you know that Seattle has one of the highest rates of CPR training in the nation? Lucky for us. According to the American Heart Association, in cities such as Seattle, where CPR training is widespread and EMS response time is short, survival rates are about 30%.
But is bystander CPR as common in our limited English speaking immigrant communities? Do individuals in these communities have the same survival rates as the general population?
And just for your information if you're going to have a heart attack, CISC is not a bad place to be. All staff receive regular training in CPR and first aid.
Thanks to board member Steve Price for finding another CISC (besides the Canadian Indonesian Social Club).
This one's the Culinary Institute of Smoke Cooking. Check them out!
trends and challenges we have been seeing and experiencing in our respective communities. Sharing experiences and best practices not only in service provision but financial stability is crucial, especially in these challenging and uncertain times.
Our hats of to these dedicated individuals and organizations, and a big thanks to our friends in Houston for a wonderful and enriching experience in the Lone Star State!
Today's schedule was lighter than than yesterday. We spent the morning touring our host agency, the Chinese Community Center and learning about all the programs they offer. They moved into a 55,000 square foot facility 2 years ago, and just completed their gymnasium/auditorium, which takes up about 1/3 of the space. No, that's not really Yao Ming there, just his life sized picture on the wall.
With all their space, they were able to host an international ping pong tournament this year. And with their 5 acres of land, they hold a lunar new year festival that draws some 12,000 people from all across Houston and points beyond!
They've got their own kitchen where they prepare lunch for their 6 day care classes, as well as a dance studio and in-house fitness center where staff are able to work out and relieve some stress. With all this space, what must their air conditioning bill be like, you wonder? Well, in the summer, it can be as much $20,000 per month!
That and the low cost of housing (an average home is only about $150,000) makes it easy to see why it is one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.
This year's annual conference of the Chinese Immigrant Service Agency Network-International is in Houston, TX. We spent the first day at our partner agency, Chinese Community Center 中華文化服務中心 discussing cities in transition.
has over the last 25 years emerged as a city at the forefront of a new diversity that, according to Rice University sociologist Stephen Klineberg, "is refashioning the socio-political landscape of urban America"?
Coming off their experience with Hurricane Ike last month, we discussed ways we could all learn from Houston to be better prepared for disasters, and how we can continue to provide service to our communities in the aftermath of hurricanes, earthquakes, pandemic flu, or whatever. Discussion amongst the participants revolved around how government can work better with limited English speaking communities. For examples, see the City of Houston's website.
Of course no visit to Texas would be complete without a genuine old-fashioned Texas barbecue, and our hosts treated us to a delicious barbecue this evening at a private ranch in Richmond, TX. And just in case you're wondering, it really is true. Everything is bigger in Texas!
A new community organization in town, the Chinese American Citizens Alliance recently held a fundraiser to purchase rice for low income seniors in the Chinatown area.
distribution.
In these tough economic times, we really appreciate all the help we can get. Thank you CACA!
There were also screenings for bone density, blood sugar, and breast health. Not to mention raffle prizes from Western Union!
Last week, as part of National Preparedness Month, Sunshine Garden seniors took a field trip to the brand new Seattle Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and Fire Station #10.
Thank goodness for technology!
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Last night, Bellevue's Cultural Diversity Program hosted another gathering on race and culture, this time with a focus on the police and community.
King County Superior Court judge Steve Gonzalez and Bellevue Police Chief Linda Pillo were featured speakers, but the real work happened in the small groups, each with a police officer and 9 other community members.
And CISC is a part of them. Check out today's front page article in the Seattle Times on the Libraries for All project.
At the Beacon Hill Library, CISC staff Sau Lai Chan has been facilitating a play and learn group for a couple of years now. Read what she has to say about the library in the article. Scroll down to the section under Dramatic Change.
We are so happy to be able to partner with the library in this way. Not only do families discover how their children learn through play, they also are exposed to a valuable new resource in the community.
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