About CCSC

The Charity Cultural Services Center (CCSC) story began in 1981 when Harrison Lim, a former professor at Hong Kong University, envisioned an organization to support immigrants navigating work and life in San Francisco. After emigrating to the United States and experiencing the challenges of securing stable work himself, Lim became actively involved with the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and later served as its president. Using the networks and resources he built there, he raised funds and established CCSC in San Francisco’s Chinatown.

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The first program offered was a Chinese cooking class that helped newcomers enter the city’s hospitality and tourism industries. Over time, CCSC expanded its training offerings to include Western and Japanese culinary programs, bartending and barista classes and a robust construction training and job placement program. These programs were designed to help participants build skills and economic opportunity.

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CCSC received its IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in 1984 and continued to grow its services to meet emerging community needs across the city. Today, CCSC’s programs reflect its long history of workforce and community support while serving San Francisco residents citywide.