The Bay Area overseas Chinese community held a press conference on Friday, February 7th, to officially launch the “Chinese American Volunteers and Internship Program.” The program aims to provide long-term free legal, tax, and financial consultations for the Chinese community in the Bay Area, while also offering internship opportunities for college and high school students to help them gain work experience and enhance their competitiveness.
This initiative is jointly initiated by the Asian American For Better Community (AABC), International Leadership Foundation (ILF), Lions Club, and Benefit Tomorrow Foundation.
Founders such as Lai Shuna of AABC, Lin Meilian, the Chair of the San Francisco branch of the International Leadership Foundation, Zheng Qi, the First Vice District Governor of Lions Club District 4 in the United States, as well as the co-founders Chen Junya and Mei Yiduan of Benefit Tomorrow Foundation were present at the press conference.
Additionally, lawyers Luo Qianli, Yang Qianli, registered accountants Wang Rongmei, Huang Tingting, and financial planner Chen Zongyi also participated in the event.
Speakers took turns to introduce the background and content of the program and expressed their support, emphasizing its significance for the Chinese community and youth development.
Co-founder of Benefit Tomorrow Foundation, Chen Junya, stated that this is a long-term project with no set deadline. He hopes to attract more professionals to support the Chinese community, create internship opportunities for young people, and promote communication between them and the elders.
The initiative was initially proposed by lawyer Luo Qianli, who has been practicing law for over 30 years. He turned 65 last year and decided to contribute to the community, especially in assisting new Chinese immigrants.
The “Chinese American Volunteers and Internship Program” (CAVIP) will be held every Saturday from 2 pm to 5 pm starting on February 22nd at 20085 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014.
Each consultation session will last for 15 minutes, and both consultees and internship students need to register online in advance. Additionally, student participants in the internship program must be proficient in listening to Mandarin.
The program aims to provide free professional services to the Chinese community in the Bay Area, addressing practical issues related to legal, tax, and financial planning. It also aims to provide valuable workplace experience to college and high school students to enhance their competitive edge in education and employment.
By offering services in Mandarin (Standard Chinese), the trust and mutual assistance spirit within the Chinese community will be strengthened.
Professional consultations in this program will be provided by lawyers, registered accountants, and financial planners from different fields, volunteering their services on a rotating basis, while internship students will assist on-site with tasks such as translation, documentation, and logistical support.
Furthermore, interns are required to submit learning reports after each session and will receive expert recommendation letters and volunteer service hours, adding value to their future studies or job applications.
Currently, there are 11 professional volunteers involved in the program, including business lawyer Charles Law, estate planning lawyer Qianli Yang, corporate lawyer Emil Chen, criminal lawyer Huan-Ting Wu, registered accountants Rosemary Wang, Huang Tingting, Wilson Chen, as well as financial planners Stacy Lu, David Wang, Karena Zhu, and Chen Zongyi.
To register, please visit the official website of Benefit Tomorrow Foundation at https://www.benefittomorrow.org/ or scan the QR code on the poster. ◇