YongChao Li
Seattle, WA.

YongChao Li was born in Jiangsu, China. In 2000, he came to the US at  the age of 53 because of his sons’ desire for a better future. For 12  years, he moved from Massachusetts, to Maryland, to Texas, and to North Dakota, before finally settling down in Seattle. It was a tough time  for YongChao to learn a new language and cultural differences in a new  country.
The most significant barrier YongChao experienced was employment. He had  a college education and 25 years of public health management at a hygiene and epidemic prevention station in China, but he felt frustrated  that he could not obtain a similar role here. YongChao tried to study  English by himself at first, then decided to attend ESL classes to  receive a professional assessment of his skills.

In 2017, YongChao heard about the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) at NAPCA from his ESL classmate. After SCSEP interviews and paperwork, he was assigned as an office assistant at the Seattle office of NAPCA. He learned about office systems and procedures, which  included operating office machines, maintaining and updating databases, and answering telephone calls. In these two years of practice, YongChao  got a very different perspective on the office system in the United States. Also, he was encouraged to learn different skills, so he got his Early Childhood Education Certification in December 2017 and ESL certification in March 2018.  Now YongChao is taking customer service classes and computer classes at local organizations.

Many challenges come with being an immigrant, but YongChao always  managed to have a positive mindset, and is now making detailed plans for  his future through NAPCA’s SCSEP.

As we continue to celebrate 40 years of service, we will share more stories from our seniors, please click here to read more stories. You can also support more seniors like YongChao and click here to donate now to support the continuing mission of NAPCA.