Filipino Community Center (FCC)

Founded in 2004, the Filipino Community Center is dedicated to providing a safe space where Filipino families can access services, receive support, and build community. We foster and develop community empowerment, grassroots leadership, advocacy, and organizing to address the immediate and long term issues of our communities locally, and in the Philippines.

OUR VISION

Ten years ago, a group of Excelsior parents, schoolteachers, and community leaders set out to support hundreds of Filipino immigrant airport screeners in the Bay Area who were unjustly laid-off in the post-911 anti-immigrant hysteria.  We addressed this pressing issue and also the long-standing unmet needs in the San Francisco Filipino community, and we envisioned a thriving community with equal access to education, health, and decent livelihood. The FCC in its earliest stages sought to provide basic services and a community gathering place in District 11. The original vision and the early work of the FCC already pointed us to a future grounded in the lives and struggles of everyday Filipinos

We believe in bayanihan, where people know their neighbors and work collectively in building strong communities.

We work to increase our collective capacity to address our immediate and long term needs through organizing, advocacy, and service.

We build civic participation and grassroots leadership to strengthen our community and the larger society.

PROGRAMS & SERVICES: 

The FCC provides culturally competent programs and services, help community members access free and low-cost resources, and connect families to grassroots organizations and advocates.

Family Support Services where we offer free case management & referrals for the following fields:

Employment Support including job search and resume writing

Immigration needs such as referrals for legal consultations and questions on citizenship, family petitions, and immigrant rights

Service Referrals for any other needs such as housing, elderly services, domestic violence and women’s services. We can help connect you to other providers who may be able to help with your particular issue

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS PROGRAM

The Healthy Relationships Program provides culturally appropriate community education on domestic violence and healthy relationships. We seek to develop awareness and advocacy for survivors of domestic violence, and provide resources and culturally relevant support for those seeking to leave abusive relationships. We also provide mentorship and leadership development for young women, and create opportunities for the cultivation of women’s empowerment.

WORKER'S RIGHTS ADVOCACY

In collaboration with grassroots organizations, we provide case management, support, and advocacy in cases of wage theft, labor trafficking, and other labor claims against employers.

The FCC provides support services, outreach, and education to the primarily low-income, recent immigrant, and limited-English- proficient Filipino community in and around San Francisco. For over 12 years, the FCC has built trust and visibility in the Filipino community in advocating for immigrant and workers’ rights, collaborating with legal support, ethnic media outlets, and government agencies to help workers win over $2,000,000 in back wages, overtime, and other compensation. FCC has had a strategic focus on preventing wage theft in the Filipino-concentrated caregiving industry, as well as hotel, restaurant, and other low-wage workers.

 KABATAAN YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

Kabataan (“Youth” in Filipino) is a youth leadership program that serves Filipino high school youth in San Francisco with the opportunities and skills needed in their own lives, schools, and communities.

Through weekly educational and skill development workshops, Filipino cultural activities, team building, and community field trips - youth develop leadership skills they can use both in school and in the community.

Through Kabataan Youth Leadership Program, FCC offers High School Volunteer/Community Service Hours.

KABATAAN HAS THREE CORE VALUES:

1. Kapamilya (Family): Providing a fun, safe, and empowering youth space where everyone is treated like family
2. Kamalayan (Consciousness): Learning skills that will teach us to be better leaders in our schools and communities
3. Katarungan (Justice): Taking action in youth organizing campaigns and community events that make positive changes for our communities