2013 Caregivers Appreciation Party

Besides Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Turkey and Thanksgiving Dinner, do you know that November is also proclaimed by our President Barack Obama as National Family Caregiver Month? To echo this special month, our Family Caregiver Support Program organized a wonderful Caregiver Appreciation Party on Nov 26 to recognize and appreciate our invisible heroes who unconditionally devote their love, time and effort to caregiving their loved one in years. There were 55 participants including 35 informal family caregivers and their loved ones who came to join this big day with us. We had games, lucky draw, a forum on the 2014 Affordable Care Act, and a lot of great food! Family Caregiver Support Program felt a great success to see all the big smiles and laughter from people who came to celebrate with us, and would continue serving all new and existing family caregivers!

Blueberry Picking Day- Caregivers and their love ones sharing a good time

On July 30, 2013, twenty caregivers and care-receivers and one member from Sunshine Garden joined Family Caregiver Support Program to blueberry picking on a sunny day at Mercer Slough Blueberry Farm at Bellevue, WA. It was everyone’s first time to pick blueberries. Most of them picked more than one pound of it to bring home and share with their families and friends. After picking, we had lunch and played some fun games together. It was a good time for them to take a break from their regular caregiving duties. We all enjoyed the fun, friendship, and the fresh blueberries.

Family Caregiver Support Program is funded by Aging and Disability Services to provide comprehensive supports and services for unpaid caregivers who take care of their loved ones with illness or disability who are eighteen or above. Our goal is to support their caregiving journey as well as promote their physical and emotional health well-being. If you believe yourself or someone is a potential caregiver or care-receiver, and you would like to find out more about this program, please contact the program coordinator, Janice Kong, at 206-624-5633 ext. 4137 or email janicek@cisc-seattle.org.

First Townhall Meeting at CISC!

For most of the Chinese ordinary citizens, it would be a once a lifetime opportunity to be able to meet a high government official in China. Nearly 100 participants were very excited to be able to meet and talk to the Mayor in person in a town hall meeting hosted at CISC on June 20, 2013. During the meeting, different issues including education, bilingual support for immigrants, transportation, housing, pollutions and safety has been raised by the participants. Mayor McGinn has been sincerely addressing the concerns of the each participant.

“I’ve been living in Guangzhou for the more than 30 years, yet, I’ve never met the Mayor. Living in New York for the last 20 years, I only had a glimpse of the back of the New York Mayor while he was leading a group of people walking very fast in front of me. I feel so honored to be able to talk to the Mayor in person after moving to Seattle for only 1 year. I am so impressed and deeply touched by the presence of the Mayor.” An elderly expressed his pleasure during the meeting.

CISC is not only providing services that connect clients to the resources they need as they establish their new lives in Seattle. It’s also important for us to connect the people to its government. “We can’t emphasis enough for the importance of civil engagement. The presence of the Mayor at CISC has sent an important message to our community. The City has opening arms, a caring heart and a listening ear to the Chinese residents in Seattle. We are so gracious to see that happening.” Stephen Lam, the Acting Executive Director at CISC said.

Seniors at Sunshine Garden Senior Daycare Center had a good time with the visitors from China!

A busy day for the seniors from Sunshine Garden Senior Day Care on May 9th.  Over 30 American adult students and Chinese teens from Nankai High School at Chongqing took their turn at Sunshine Garden to chat with Chinese seniors in Mandarin.  Seniors enjoyed the chatting and interaction, and also proud of their  contribution to inspire people from main stream to learn Mandarin.   

CISC being recognized at the Redmond City Council May 7, 2013

CISC was recognized at the Redmond City Council on May 7, 2013 as one of the leading providers of linguistically and culturally appropriate social services to the Chinese Community in Redmond. CISC provides weekly program which promotes seniors to participate in health aging activities, access to information and community resources and strength social networks and support systems. Similar weekly programs are also offered in various cities in King County such as Factoria, Issaquah, Kirkland, North Bellevue, South Bellevue and Lake City. For more information, please contact Clara Yu at 206-624-5633 ext 4301.

CISC 2013 Singing & Dancing Cultural Event

"The more we get together Together, together The more we get together The happier we'll be Cause your friends are my friends And my friends are your friends The more we get together The happier we'll be." Come and join us for CISC 2013 Singing & Dancing Cultural Event! Have a relax and fun night!

Chronic Diseases Self-Management Program enhances bonding between couple and support positive care-giving role.

http://www.agewisekingcounty.org/en/122/1/377/Manage-Instead-of-Being-Managed-by-Your-Chronic-Disease.htm

Congrats to our students who made it to the final round of the Adobe Youth Voices Aspire Awards!
You can check out their videos following the direct URL below:

Life Challenges -
http://youthvoices.adobe.com/awards/finalists/4f6362038d5362a04500010e

Shattered Dream -
http://youthvoices.adobe.com/awards/finalists/4f5e345a8d5362692000001f

Photos from CISC's 40th Anniversary Friendship Dinner & Auction are here!

A big thank you to Dave Greer for donating his time and talent again this year. If you ever need a great photographer,
http://dgreerphotography.com/

Our Bidding Frenzy last night was WILD! Thanks to all our restaurant friends who made it all possible!

Check them out on Facebook:

Anthony’s Restaurant
Uwajimaya
KC Kitchen
Pacific Café Hong Kong Kitchen
Ivar’s
Harbor City Barbecue
Café Ori
Bed Bath & Beyond
New Star Restaurant
Red Mango - Redmond Town Center
Din Tai Fung

Hong Kong Bistro

Yesterday, we celebrated CISC's 40th anniversary. Some of the original members of CISC got together for the first time in decades. Coming from as far away as New York and Hong Kong, they toured the new offices, learned about how CISC has grown over the years, and joined other returning board members for a special VIP reception just prior to the Friendship Dinner & Auction. Check out the photos:

Did you know that CISC has been serving the Russian immigrant community on the Eastside for the past 5 years?  http://www.bellevuereporter.com/news/151020925.html

Nice article in the Redmond Reporter too. Nice picture of our staff Chor Phen and Alejandra!

Another great article about the Cultural Navigator Program just came out on BellevueKOMO's webiste. Take a look! click here

Cultural Navigator program highlighted today by both the RedmondPatch and the BellevuePatch.

City council members from Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland visited our two Eastside sites and learned about the services CISC provides to immigrants in Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese and the languages of India.

For more information, click here.

Internet Basics

Our friends as CenturyLink hosted an Internet Basics workshop yesterday that reached its maximum of 30 RSVPs then had 90 people show up anyway! Much scrambling, creativity and grace under pressure as staff from both organizations figured out how to accommodate the crowd. Great presentation by Stella Leong and colleagues who stayed one hour after the scheduled end time to answer questions!

Friendship Dinner 2012

Our first corporate sponsor for the 40th Anniversary Friendship Dinner & Auction is Tai Foong USA! Many thanks to owner Davy Lam for his long time and generous support as a Gold Level Sponsor!

And if you happen to see some of their products at Costco, please try them! They're sold under the Northern Chef, Northern King and Royal Asia brands. Delicious and healthy frozen seafood of the highest quality. Dine well, feel well, live well! 

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.

Jiao Liu Community Engagement

Yesterday, CISC hosted a viewing party for US Citizenship and Immigration Services' Jiao Liu web stream. Over 50 people attended and staff from the local USCIS office answered questions in Mandarin and Cantonese for over an hour after the web stream concluded.

A Civics and Citizenship Toolkit was awarded to the eldest student there, who was 84 years young. And everyone appreciated the opportunity to talk to USCIS in their native langauge.

仁人家屬照顧者支援計劃﹕給家屬照顧者的好消息

新的一年祝各位新年快樂！ 希望大家有一個健康及幸福的2012年。有一好消息要與您們分享，仁人家屬照顧者計劃的工作人員成為了認證的健康舞步教師。到底什麼是「健康舞步」？

It's fun and easy!

「健康舞步」(Healthy-Steps) 是一種附有治療作用並配以輕鬆愉快音樂的簡單運動。此運動適合任何年齡的長者，不論是否行動不便或患有長期病患。此運動對整體健康均有幫助。特別是改善身體的平衡和增加身體的活動範圍。研究証明此運動有助改善癌症病人或其他長期病患者的整體健康狀況。(詳情請瀏覽以下網址﹕http://www.gohealthysteps.com/)

仁人家屬照顧者計劃將會在未來的數月舉辨一個健康舞步班給我們的照顧者(詳情請向職員查詢)，您還可以帶同患者一同參加此活動。假如他們不能出席的話，你常常能夠在舞步班完結後跟患者分享班上所學的一切，這樣，您及所愛的家人健康便得以改善。

For young and old alike

雖然這個舞步班在醫院及社區中心廣泛舉行，但教授的語言主要為英語及需要收費的，家屬照顧者支援計劃是唯一有合資格的健康舞步導師以中文教授！名額有限及必須預先登記。如有意參加者，請盡快致電206.624.5633 內綫4300 江嘉賢小姐及 內綫4137 林碧霞小姐登記預留位置。