Chicago, IL – November 14, 2013. The Filipino American Community Health Initiative of Chicago (FACHIC) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Walgreens is offering vouchers for free flu shots. This is the third year FACHIC has been involved in this program to offer flu shots to those in need of the Filipino community as well as community at large. The flu shot is the best defense against seasonal flu.

Vouchers may be used at any Walgreens in the Chicago area through April 15, 2014. The voucher will cover the cost and administration of the flu shot. In order to be eligible, individuals must have no insurance coverage for a flu shot and cannot afford to pay for a flu shot.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all individuals 6 months of age and older should receive the vaccine. Vaccination is especially important for people at higher risk of severe flu. High risk patients include: adults age 65 and older, pregnant women, health workers and nursing home residents. Adults with diabetes, heart disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), kidney disease on dialysis, actively smoking, cancer or any chronic disease are also considered high risk. Caregivers of children or at risk adults and household contacts of individuals with high risk medical problems should also consider receiving a flu shot. For more information about the flu and how to protect yourself, go to www.flu.gov.

If you are interested in receiving a voucher or know someone who would benefit from receiving a voucher, please e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your request or call 312-962-7748 for more information. Vouchers are limited and subject to availability. Vouchers will be sent via US first class mail to the requesting individual’s address.

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. ###

One of 29 recipients of American Heart Association grants in Midwest

Chicago, Illinois – The Filipino American Community Health Initiative of Chicago (FACHIC) is the recipient of a one-year Community Action Grant from the American Heart Association for 2013-14. The Community Action Grant initiative is designed to help achieve the American Heart Association’s mission: to build healthier lives, free from cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Projects were asked to focus on one of more of "Life's Simple 7," the seven key factors to good health outlined on www.mylifecheck.org, and/or align with one of the association's strategic focus areas: advocacy; CPR & first aid; quality and systems improvement; and health equity.

FACHIC is one of 29 grant recipients, out of a total of 172 applicants, across an 11-state region served by the American Heart Association’s Midwest Affiliate. FACHIC received funding to support Heart Healthy Cooking for the Filipino Community, which will aim to improve knowledge and change behavior towards prevention and reduction of cardiovascular disease through culturally relevant heart healthy eating. Funding will support FACHIC’s planning of three cooking demonstrations in the Chicago area over the course of the next year that will incorporate heart healthy alternatives to traditional Filipino recipes from the American Heart Association’s Mula sa Puso recipe booklet. Free recipe booklets and health materials will be distributed at each event. FACHIC will also release a heart healthy Filipino recipe each month on the organization’s website from the recipe booklet. Dates and information for cooking demonstration events will be available at the FACHIC website, www.fachic.org.

According to Dr. Jane Jih, Executive Director of FACHIC, “We are delighted to receive this funding from the American Heart Association, which will enable us to educate people about how to live a healthy life and improve the heart health of our community.”

For more information about the project or for community partnership opportunities, contact FACHIC at (312) 962-7748 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . To learn more about the American Heart Association and their Community Action Grant program, visit www.heart.org.

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About the Filipino American Community Health Initiative of Chicago

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 www.fachic.org.

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country.

Chicago, IL – December 17, 2012.  The Filipino American Community Health Initiative of Chicago (FACHIC) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Walgreens is offering vouchers for free flu shots. This is the second year FACHIC has been involved in this program to offer flu shots to those in need of the Filipino community as well as community at large.

Vouchers may be used at any Walgreens in the Chicago area through April 15, 2013.  The voucher will cover the cost and administration of the flu shot.  In order to be eligible, individuals must have no insurance coverage for a flu shot and cannot afford to pay for a flu shot.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all individuals 6 months of age and older should receive the vaccine. Vaccination is especially important for people at higher risk of severe flu.  High risk patients include: adults age 65 and older, pregnant women, health workers and nursing home residents.  Adults with diabetes, heart disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), kidney disease on dialysis, actively smoking, cancer or any chronic disease are also considered high risk.  Caregivers of children or at risk adults and household contacts of individuals with high risk medical problems should also consider receiving a flu shot. For more information about the flu and how to protect yourself, go to www.flu.gov.

If you are interested in receiving a voucher or know someone who would benefit from receiving a voucher, please e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with your request or call 312-962-7748 for more information.  Vouchers are limited and subject to availability.  Vouchers will be sent via US first class mail to the requesting individual’s address.

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.

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Chicago, IL – October 25, 2012.  The Filipino American Community Health Expo was held on Sunday, October 7, 2012 at an inaugural location in Skokie, Illinois.  The health expo was organized by the Filipino American Community Health Initiative of Chicago (FACHIC) in collaboration with the Northwestern Institute of Health and Technology (NWIHT) and the National Federation of Filipino American Associations in honor of Filipino American History Month.

This health expo offered free health screening exams including basic physicals and glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol testing to participants of all ages and ethnic groups.  NWIHT nursing students and medical students from the University of Illinois at Chicago Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association volunteered their time to provide these screenings.  Physicians and nurse practitioners from the local Chicago Filipino community also consulted with each participant to review findings.  Community partner Walgreens was on-site to administer free influenza vaccinations and Asian Human Services provided free HIV screening to interested participants.

New to the health expo this year were health-focused workshops. John Paul (JP) Jael of Asian Human Services led a Basic CPR training class with certification offered at the completion of class.  A session on “Healthy Heart, Healthy Families” with promotion of healthy lifestyle modifications among Filipinos was led by Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment (AFIRE). Joanne Garces, LCSW, spoke on health care power of attorney issues.  She states, "I am proud that I could share this important information with the health fair attendees.  I received good feedback that this was the first time they learned about the Healthcare Power of Attorney document.  Some participants shared personal stories of how this document could help them and their loved ones and they wished they knew the information sooner."  A variety of vendors ranging from home health services to hospice to financial services were on-site to talk with health expo attendees.  Sponsorship included healthy snacks provided by Whole Foods Sauganash and free lab services by Complete Lab Testing.

FACHIC and collaborators are proud to have organized this event and provided valuable resources and information to the community.  The organization was able to distribute information on free medical clinics in the Chicagoland area for those without access to care as well as important preventive information regarding free mammograms and child safety programs.  FACHIC has been a leading organization in planning annual Filipino community health fairs with intent to hold another health expo in the fall of 2013.  If you would like to be involved at a future event as a participant, volunteer, sponsor, or vendor, please call FACHIC at 312-962-7748 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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.

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