Welcome!

Picnic BuddiesFamilies with Children from China-Southern California (FCC-SoCal) is an all-volunteer organization that provides educational, cultural and peer support programs and services for adoptive parents, children and youth, and those in the process of adopting. Membership includes more than 500 families residing in Southern California and beyond.

FCC-SoCal remains dedicated to improving the welfare of the children in China’s social welfare institutions and supporting the community through charitable initiatives. Together, families cultivate friendships, explore culture and adoption, and build community bridges.

Click here for detailed contact information.

Upcoming Events

FCC-SoCal
Sunday, November 2, 2023 - 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Michaels at The District, Tustin
Bring your young artist to our annual art workshop, where kids create works of art to turn into holiday gifts. This year Michaels craft store at The District will supply the classroom and instructor.  The theme will be sea life. Light snacks will be available.
There will be two sessions based on age:
 
    1:00 - 2:30:  4 to 8 year olds
    2:30 - 4:00:  9 and older
 
RSVP by November 1 using this Evite link:
SoCal Friends
Friday, November 7, 2023 - 4:00pm - Sunday, November 9, 2023 - 4:00pm
Caspers Wilderness Park - San Juan Capistrano

Join with your FCC SoCal friends and family for a weekend of fun in the outdoors. We have several adjacent sites reserved at the Live Oak campground in Caspers Wilderness Park for the weekend of Nov. 7-9. The campground can accommodate most tents, trailers and motor homes (no hookups though) and we have members of FCC with gear to share if you are new to camping.

In recognition of the full moon, we will have a (slightly late) mini Moon Festival around the campfire on Saturday night. There are trails to hike, a visitor center to explore, and a play structure for the little ones. The FCC camp leaders will bravely make scrambled eggs in the morning and burgers on Saturday night, with the rest of the meals potluck.

Everyone (from all regions) is welcome; however, space is limited. Cost is $15 per person, ages 5+, 4 and under are free. For more information and to RSVP, please email: [email protected].  Don’t be shy if you have not been camping before – your FCC SoCal friends can help you through!

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Latest News & Info

FCC-SoCal

China Care Bruins logoUpdate: All openings have been filled for this year. Kindly try again next year.

We are delighted to announce that there are a few additional openings in the China Care Bruins Youth Mentorship "Buddy" Program for the 2012-2013 academic year (October 2012 through June 2013).  It is my pleasure to serve as the Liaison between our adoptive families and the China Care Bruins leadership.  Please contact me (and not the China Care Bruins leadership) should you have any questions or concerns about the application process.

Founded in 2005, China Care Bruins is a student-run group at UCLA that raises funds to provide medical services for children in China's orphanages and mentors Chinese adoptees and their siblings.  Last year, more than 50 FCC children and youth were paired with college student “Big Buddies.”  The Buddy groups participate in monthly Sunday afternoon get-togethers on the UCLA campus throughout the academic year.  Visit www.chinacarebruins.org and check out the photo gallery.  During the Buddy gatherings, parents are invited to join in our Parent Roundtables featuring discussions, film viewing, speakers and more on a variety of current events and adoptive family topics.

Since we began collaborating with China Care Bruins and initiated the mentorship program in 2005, it has grown in size and has been recognized as a model mentoring program.  In 2009, China Care Bruins was selected from more than 40 chapters to receive the inaugural Outstanding Community Service Award from the national China Care Foundation for this mentorship program and received similar honors in 2010 and 2011.  For its fundraising efforts and community contributions, China Care Bruins received the 2011 Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy Award from Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy and the Asian Pacific Community Fund.

China Care Bruins group shot

09/09/2023 - 9:22pm
FCC-SoCal

OC Holiday Party 2011What's been happening in Orange County for the past six months or so?  In October we screened the documentary Talking With the Moon Princess followed by a discussion for girls ages 10+ with the filmmaker Priscilla Hefley.  Thank you Priscilla for joining us and to Christine Friend and all the volunteers who helped organize and run this new event.  In November we held our annual art workshop with teacher Melanie Vogel, where kids created works of art to turn into holiday gifts. Thanks Susan Tschabrun for organizing and to the group that helped out on site. December was Holiday Party time, with another great turnout for this OC tradition.  This event took a village - thank you Jenifer Weigand
for all the advance arrangements and to Michelle Sheehan, Tanya Turro-Vilander, Debbie Kistler, Sandy Draper, Maggie Davenport, Mary Wattenberg, Patty Uy, their families, and everyone else who pitched in on this event. In March we got together for our first Dim Sum Sunday of 2012 and were happy to have several families with babies in attendance. Thanks Christine Friend for organizing. 

If you have photos from any of these past events you'd like to share, please send them to [email protected] and we'll get them posted.

What's still to come in 2012?  A number of OC parents participated in a March planning meeting to outline the calendar for the rest of the year - see attached.  Many of the dates and times are still to be determined, so check your email and www.fccsocal.org for updates as the year progresses.  Up next is a kickoff gathering for the Blazing Paddles dragonboat team on April 29.  Contact Maggie Davenport at
[email protected] for details.

If you have any questions or want to get involved please email [email protected].

04/15/2012 - 6:27pm