OUR STORY
29 Years of Excellence in Community and Social Services
Going stronger with the passage of time and here to stay in Jersey City, the Philippine-American Friendship Community Inc. known as PAFCOM is a tax-exempt, non profit organization comprising of committed and dedicated Filipino-American community leaders from the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
Primarily to engage in delivering an annual parade and festival of each year in the month of June in Jersey City, New Jersey for Philippine-American Friendship day, PAFCOM was thus established in 1990.
In so doing, the founders of PAFCOM aimed to enhance the general public’s understanding of the Filipino culture and activities while simultaneously serving the community, earned for themselves that enviable recognition due to an ethnic group in the United States of America. Underlying this goal was the founders’ desire to see the integration of Filipinos into the mainstream America most especially during the initial half of the nineties as its formative years.
As the Filipino-American community grew in population in Jersey City, the officers and members of PAFCOM realized the need to further engaged in socio-cultural, charitable and educational undertakings that would benefit its constituency. In its second decade of existence, supportive services were then provided to address the needs of Filipino community - its Families, Youth, Veterans and Senior residents. Jersey City has the highest concentration of Filipinos in a city in the entire US North East region. PAFCOM thus created its Community Development Center (CDC) in its second decade of existence.
The PAFCOM provides intergenerational services designed to foster traditional family and cultural values. For instance, the community theatre production “Looking for Williams” an intergenrational play was produced and acted out by a diverse cast on March 28, 2004. Other programs included weekly Zumba and Yoga classes, senior dances, walkathons, safe home, family bowling day, volleyball tournament, golf outing and health fairs. Basketball clinics, teen theater and painting workshops are sponsored during the summer. To prepare our youth for leadership management, we sent qualified teens to the Lyndsay Meyer Leadership Training Camp.
These services cut across different ages, generation and cultures. PAFCOM also promotes and sponsors drug-free activities thru support from Community Development Block Grants and grants from the Jersey City’s Municipal Alliance.
The Philippines is notably famous for its diversity and artistry. Such pride sparked the desire of some PAFCOM leaders to showcase the best in Philippine fashion, music, dance and film inviting prominent Filipino fashion designers, singers, dancers, actors and actresses to the annual festivities and grand parades.
The activities during these past 29 years of PAFCOM reflected its strength . In one’s development, there are obstacles to entangle, hardships to surpass and frustrations to overcome. Through these struggles, PAFCOM becomes stronger.
September 3, 2014 was a turning point in the history of PAFCOM. There was a reorganization of its structure after the Constitution and By Laws was amended on that day. The Year 2015 marks the big change in PAFCOM. No longer are there Over-all Chairs but PAFCOM has a Chairman of the Board, President and President-Elect who shall direct the organization to help define and shape its future.
PAFCOM’s mission, vision and goals will continually be nourished to benefit the deserving residents of Jersey City especially our youth and senior groups in the Filipino-American community as well as preserve our Filipino cultural heritage.
