CISC helps Chinese and other Asian immigrants throughout King County achieve success in their new community by providing information, referral, advocacy, social, and support services.

CISC was started in 1972 by a group of energetic college and high school students. They worked as part time volunteers in a tiny donated space in Chinatown to fulfill a community need. The early focus was on helping non-English speaking elderly in the community. Later, CISC broadened its scope and added adult and youth employment programs, ESL and naturalization classes, family and youth services, domestic violence and crime victim services, and a community technology center.