In March, a three-alarm fire ravaged an apartment building in Sunset Park in March, leaving 31 injured and 4 in critical condition. Soon afterwards, the Chinese community was shocked again by two fatal casino bus crashes in the same week that killed 16 and injured about 5 dozens of people in total, most of them were Chinese.

In response to the distress caused by these traumas to the community, CPC Brooklyn Branch hosted a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Workshop on April 16th, featuring a series of presentations by health professionals and a Q&A section, both conducted in Chinese. Approximately 100 people, ranging from teenagers to seniors, participated in this event.

"Each year large numbers of people in the community are afflicted by natural disasters and fatal accidents," Wai-Yee Chan, the director of CPC at P.S. 153, commented. "These traumatic events are destructive not only to our material realities, but also to our very physiology as human beings and the social framework of our communities." 

Guest speakers talked about PTSD-related topics ranging from symptoms and treatment to the mental trauma in the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake. The professionals helped identify people with PTSD and assisted them in developing a fuller understanding of their experiences. The workshop also provided resources for healing and encouraged people to talk, listen, and seek counsel from others. 

For more information please contact Weijing Shi by phone (718-492-0409 x303) or email (wshi@cpc-nyc.org)

In an effort to increase awareness of tobacco ocntrol issues and to advocate for the right to breathe clean, smoke-free air in the city of New York, CPC Queens Branch will be collaborating with Queens Smoke-Free Partnership through a grant funded by New York State Department of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services. 

Did you know?

• The prevalence of smoking among Asian males is 16.4% - higher than the citywide average of 15.8%
• 14.4% of Queens residents (252,000 people) smoke
• In a study of 1,165 Chinese households in Flushing, 39.2% of the men and 3.4% of the women identified themselves as current smokers.
• 5,000 high school students living in Queens currently smoke cigarettes, one-third of whom will die prematurely as a direct result of smoking
• New York State resident's tax burden from smoking-related healthcare costs is $900 per household.

Upcoming Event - World No Tobacco Rally

Hosted by CPC Queens Branch and NYC Coalition for Smoke-Free City

Date: Tues., May 31st 

Time: 3 - 5pm

Location: Union Square (14th street, Manhattan)

Contact: Binh Luu (bvluu@cpc-nyc.org/718-358-8899x143) 

Website: NYC Smoke-Free

In this tough economic climate, when many people are struggling themselves, it is not easy to find someone who is willing to donate generously to a cause purely for the cause. Dennis Woo, a San Francisco native and a business entrepreneur, is one who did exactly that.

To Dennis, philanthropy is a wise investment in a better life and brighter future. "The long and short of it is that those who donate are actually buying something," he summed it up. "They're buying into a better world and future."

In the beginning of the year, Dennis decided to make a sizeable investment in the Volunteer & Internship Program (VIP), which is undergoing serious pressure due to financial cutbacks. "It sounded like a worth while social investment," Dennis said. He also noted the "natural ties" between his Asian American identity and the Chinatown community that CPC serves.

Dennis highlighted the importance of nonprofits in bringing direct benefits to the people and the kind of "true" and immediate impact that supporting these nonprofits would bring to the community. "CPC and other non-profits are in the trenches doing the real footwork to help the community," Dennis commented. "Those who donate can trust that monies going to CPC are well-spent and will have true impact."

Speaking reminiscently of his college years in UC San Diego, Dennis drew attention to the importance of expressing one's voice in the community to bring about social change. Then, as a member of the Asian Pacific-Islander Student Alliance, he and his classmates fought to bring an Ethnic Studies program to his campus, the last one of all UC campuses that still did not have such a program.

"As it turned out, we didn't have to do sit-ins or any picketing. The staff and administration was willing to be persuaded," Dennis recalled. "But it was clear that if someone didn't voice up, it would never have gotten done."

Dennis resides in San Francisco and is the founder of GreenCine, an online DVD rental service website that focuses on independent movies. Drawing from his years of experience as a business entrepreneur and a senior member in the tech world, Dennis has weaved together a philosophy of philanthropy "integrated into business."

"The products and services offered should benefit a community."  Dennis remarked.  "I view it as an investment in society."

The CPC Summer Internship Program will begin Monday, June 6th.  The ten week program will allow college and graudate students to learn about the Chinatown, Sunset Park and Flushing communities and the issues that the people who reside in those communities face.  The interns will also work together with the summer youth volunteers to plan a fundraising event for the VIP, which will be executed by the end of the summer. 

Interns are expected to participate in the program for a minimum of eight weeks.  Click here to download an internship application and see CPC's internship listings on idealist.org.

Please send your full internship package to volunteer@cpc-nyc.org with "CPC Summer Internship Program" in the subject line.  Reference letters can be sent seperately.