Filipino American Association of Central New Jersey
About Filipino American Association of Central New Jersey
The Association was formed by people who knew each other as relatives, friends or co-workers. Some met one another at Church or were treated medically in a hospital or doctor’s office. Formerly strangers, the “charter members” began to encounter each other at other functions, primarily baptismal parties or birthdays. Living in a “foreign country” with its pressures to melt away languages and cultures, they chose to support one another in strengthening their Christian values and maintaining the traditions and practices common to Filipinos. Pride as a people was principal in all deliberations. Networking among Filipinos was considered of utmost importance if the individual was not only to survive but to succeed in their profession. There arose a determination to use their talents, time and treasure to improve the community and country in which they lived so that they could say at one and the same time, “Tunay na Pilipino kami” (We are truly Filipino) and “We are patriotic Americans”.
In the beginning “the charter members” were a relatively small local group of families in Mercer County, living principally in the townships of Ewing, Hamilton, Lawrence, West Windsor/Plainsboro, Princeton, Pennington and Hopewell. They desired to build a community of fellowship, service and support. Most of them were professionals with a strong concentration of people working in the medical field as Doctors and Nurses. Surprise! Surprise! This is hardly strange, since the Philippines is noted for its educated citizenry, especially in the field of nursing, engineering and medicine. There has always been a “brain drain” of people from the Philippines who have enriched and improved the various countries to which they have immigrated, in particular, the United States.
Locations
Primary Office Location
P.O. Box 55647 Trenton NJ 08638
(609) 784-4371
