History

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The Filipino American Association of Rochester, or FAAR, was created and established in 1969 to connect fellow Filipinos who resided in the Rochester Area. Since its inception, the connection of Kababayans has grown in the Western New York region and beyond. FAAR

started as a way for Filipinos to share culture, food, language, love of their homeland,

and an opportunity to socialize with other Filipinos. 

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FAAR, as an institution, continues to create history through its own journey every day. With our daily encounters with life, we show our support to Filipino Arts, Culture, and Tradition. FAAR hosts 5 annual events: Spring Post Easter Brunch, Bi-Annual Philippine Consular  Outreach Program, Philippine Independence Day Picnic, Halloween and Annual Holiday Party.  FAAR  participates each year at the Asian Pacific American Heritage Celebration Day at the Memorial Art Gallery with both a cultural display and cultural dance performance. We have shared our cuisine with each other and now we share our talents with others. We have grown into an organization that puts community first, by helping those in our local Rochester Community as well as those who are back in the Philippines. 

Over the past 50 years, we have helped those in need in the Philippines with supplies, clothing, and funds during major catastrophic events. We are active in helping our own local Filipino community with our Alay Sa Kawpa fund, which helps out fellow Filipinos (Kababayans) who are in need of emotional and sometimes financial support. An overpowering “ Bayanihan Spirit” is felt during this period of a difficult time to help our affected countrymen. 

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FAAR has committed to assist those in the Rochester community through volunteerism- sorting food at Foodlink, preparing a meal at the Ronald McDonald House, and donating food and non-perishable items at the Sr. Regis’s food pantry. And now we support our younger Filipino students who reside in the Rochester area with the FAAR Scholarship fund.