About IDIC Filipino Senior and Family Services

IDIC Filipino Senior and Family Services is dedicated to providing a range of programs and services to enhance the well-being of Filipino seniors and their families. Our team is committed to delivering compassionate care and support, ensuring a high quality of life for our senior community. Through our website, supporters can contribute donations to aid our mission. Explore our photo and video galleries, access e-copies of our recent magazines and newsletters, and sign up to volunteer to make a difference in the lives of Filipino seniors.

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Mission

To provide advocacy in health & wellness and deliver social services to underserved Filipino and Asian elderly immigrants and vulnerable families.

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Vision

IDIC envisions a unified, culturally diverse, and multigenerational Filipino community. Its vision is to serve as THE resource and home of the community’s vulnerable population through its various programs and services, elevating their quality of life and to allow them to age with dignity.

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IDIC's History

In 1970, Vietnam veteran Sabino Cabildo returned to Seattle to resume his studies at the University of Washington (UW). During his youth, Cabildo’s father introduced him to the elderly Filipino citizens living in Chinatown, and he quickly developed a deep connection with the resident manongs. Upon his return from Vietnam, Cabildo witnessed the harsh living conditions of many elderly Filipinos in the area, who resided in cramped, run-down quarters. These seniors often relied on seasonal work in Alaska and other regions to sustain themselves and had few, if any, relatives to support them. Cabildo’s activist spirit led him to address the plight of these elderly Filipinos, who were living in deteriorating conditions and passing away in obscurity. Motivated by this cause, Cabildo founded the International Drop-In Center (IDIC) at 6th and Maynard Street in the summer of 1971.

 

At the time, no other organizations in the International District were focused on aiding elderly Filipinos. IDIC quickly became a vital resource, dedicating itself to advocating for the aging Filipino community in Chinatown. Together with Norma Berona Asis, a counselor at UW, Cabildo and a team of young volunteers actively staffed IDIC. As the founding director, Cabildo welcomed the participation of elders such as Chris Mensalvas, Magno Rudio, Frank Bolima, Sam Figueras, and others.

 

The creation of Seattle’s original Dome Stadium (now the Kingdome) became a significant catalyst for activism among young Asian Americans, who feared the project would displace the Chinatown community and its elderly residents. These activists included Silme and Nemesio Domingo, Tessie Tampico, Vic Pineda, Cayan Topacio, Ally Alfonzo, Eddy Daba, Narsing Nazario, Al and Dick Sugiyama, Jamie Lee, Diane Wong, May Lee, Ruthanne Kurose, Kyle Kinoshita, Mayumi Tsutukawa, and others. Their protests highlighted the potential loss of housing for the manongs and amplified the need to protect the community.

 

Shortly after, IDIC’s efforts gained the attention of compassionate adult volunteers from health and religious professions. Key supporters included Sister Heidi Parreno from the International District Health Center, Reverend Stan de Pano of the Beacon Hill Methodist Church, and Father Manuel Ocana of Immaculate Conception Church. These collaborative efforts ensured IDIC’s early momentum and laid the foundation for its mission to serve elderly Filipinos. In August 1974, IDIC was officially recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization by the IRS.

 

Today, IDIC operates from its home on Beacon Hill in South Seattle, offering a wide range of services to its members and King County residents. These services include:

• Information and assistance

• Veterans’ advocacy and benefits assistance

• Health seminars

• Estate planning guidance and referrals

• Subsidized housing advice

• Advocacy for disability and social security benefits

 

To address mild depression among seniors, IDIC offers the PEARLS program (Program to Encourage Active, Rewarding Lives for Seniors), supported by the City of Seattle’s Human Services Department.

 

IDIC is led by an Executive Director who reports to a 9-member Board of Directors. With its current resources, IDIC employs nine staff members who work closely with community-based organizations such as Sound Generations, Food Lifeline, Filipino War Veterans of Washington (FWVW), Asian Counseling & Referral Service (ACRS), Filipino Community of Seattle (FCS), Muckleshoot Tribe Foundation, King County, the City of Seattle Human Services Department Aging & Disability Services, and the Seattle Foundation, among others.

 

IDIC continues to honor its legacy by serving the Filipino-American community, ensuring that the needs of elderly Filipinos are addressed with dignity, respect, and compassion.