Chicago, IL – February 8, 2012.  The Filipino American Community Health Initiative of Chicago (FACHIC) dedicated its energy and yuletide cheer to those in need through its 2011 Parol Program.  This third annual event brought volunteers and businesses together to address the needs of older adults in the Filipino community during the holiday season.

Highlights of the 2011 Parol Program included Christmas card decorating workshops at Uncle Mike’s Place (1700 West Grand Avenue, Chicago) on December 10, 2011 and at Marigold (5752 North California, Chicago) on December 11, 2011.  FACHIC brought together over twenty volunteers to decorate, assemble, and send 230 cards which included an in case of emergency contact form.  Volunteer decorators spanned from children to adults, all satisfied with their product and happy to pay respect to older adults in the community.

FACHIC also recruited volunteers to assist with holiday wellness check phone calls.  Approximately 250 calls were made and five gift baskets, donated by Mom’s Bake Shop (2415 West Peterson, Chicago), were delivered to high risk individuals.

FACHIC is proud of its expanding Parol Program, having added one additional card decorating workshop since 2011 and partnering with more local businesses than ever before.  If you are interested in volunteering with our 2012 Parol Program or donating to this worthy cause, contact FACHIC at (312) 962-7748 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Parol Program was established in 2009 with support from the Filipino American Network (FAN).  The goal of the Parol Program is not only to offer holiday cheer, but also to assure Filipino American seniors that community health resources were available in their time of need.  Updates about the Parol Program can be found at http://www.fachic.org/parol.

The Filipino American Community Health Initiative of Chicago (FACHIC)is a collaborative of community, health professional, and academic leaders united to address Filipino health issues in the Chicago area. The mission of FACHIC is to increase awareness of Filipino health disparities and to implement health interventions and educational programming to improve the health status of the Filipino community. FACHIC is a 501(c)(3) Illinois nonprofit organization.  All programs and services are free and available to all.  For more information, visit http://www.fachic.org.