California

The Chinese Service Center was founded by Sally Wong-Avery. Mrs. Avery started as a case worker for the Chinese Social Service Center in 1974. Since she spoke several Chinese dialects, Cantonese, Mandarin, Hakka and Toishan; she was able to assist many individuals in the Chinese community. She left the center after one year to finish her UCSD education and eventually went on to earn her law degree from California Western School of Law.

In 1983, she was hired by the Chinese Social Service Center to be their Executive Director. She served in that position for four and a half years and left to open her Chinese Professional Services in 1987; she continued to provide many needed services to the seniors, non-English speaking new immigrants and limited English speaking residents for free.

She later went into private law practice, but she sensed the need for the Chinese in San Diego was still unfilled.

In 2003, Mrs. Avery formally registered Chinese Service Center as a non-profit organization to continue to serve the community. She has dedicated herself in providing these services to the Chinese community for over 30 years.