Centre for Information & Community Services

Address: 2141 South Tan Court
Chicago, Illinois 60616
312.791.0418

Founded in 1978 with a staff of one, the Chinese American Service League (CASL) is now the largest and most comprehensive social service agency in the Midwest dedicated to serving the needs of Chinese Americans. Each year the agency’s programs reach more than 15,000 clients who live primarily in the Chinatown, Armour Square, and Bridgeport areas of Chicago. Addition clients from across Chicago, Midwestern states use CASL’s services.

Housed in the Kam L. Liu Building, with over 200 multilingual and multicultural professional and support staff, CASL’s $6.9 million annual budget supports programming that mostly serves newly-arrived immigrants who often do not have formal education, possess few transferable job skills, and know little of the world around them. Since many of these individuals do not speak English and sometimes have no family or friends in the area, CASL becomes their instant family, friend, and teacher.

CASL exists as a nonprofit community-based social service agency for the purpose of strengthening the physical, economic, and mental health of all ages and backgrounds of the Chinese community in the greater Chicago area. This goal is achieved through comprehensive programming offering activities that 1) upgrade the family’s economic level, 2) strengthens family structures, 3) ease the cultural transitions of individuals and families into American society, and 4) advocate for affecting positive systemic social change.

CASL’s four service departments - - Child Education and Development Services, Elderly Services, Family and Community Services, and Employment and Training – offer a range of programs to a variety of families and individuals aged less than one year to over 100. CASL also spearheaded the building of a $6.7 million Senior Housing Project. This building, completed in January 1998, houses over 130 elderly in a caring, supportive atmosphere.

Please visit us at www.caslservice.org.