FACHIC was established in September 2007 by Dr. Jane Jih, who, at the time, was pursuing a dual degree in medicine and public health from the University of Illinois in Chicago.

Sparked by an interest in the Filipino senior community in Chicago, Dr. Jih chose to bring awareness to this underserved community through the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, a program intended for graduate students in health-related fields that seeks to address unmet health needs in their local areas.

Eventually, Dr. Jih’s work with the Filipino senior community inspired several like-minded health professionals, academic leaders, and Filipino-American community members, giving birth to what is now a non-profit organization dedicated to the betterment of health and wellbeing of Filipino Americans residing in metropolitan Chicago.

Since its inception, FACHIC has been serving the Filipino-American community with its various health-related programs and services. FACHIC services and programs have included heart healthy cooking demonstrations of traditional Filipino foods, health presentations, holiday wellness checks, community health outreach, and social service referrals.

Also among FACHIC’s ongoing projects is the Filipino American Senior Health Assessment (FASHA), a research program that collects and assesses critical information on health issues specifically affecting Filipino American senior citizens in the Chicago metropolitan area.

FACHIC became an Illinois corporation in July 2008, and obtained its 501(c)(3) status in October 2009.

All FACHIC programs and services are free and available to all.