GAPASCA HISTORY
On January 25, 2014, six families living in Southern California who are descendants of the City of Gapan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines, came together and committed to continuing what the Gapan Club pioneers had started decades ago: gathering all Gapanenses to celebrate our hometown fiestas. They had a vision and mission to provide opportunities for higher education to disadvantaged students from their hometown City of Gapan while connecting Filipino American descendants of Gapan in the United States and around the world through cultural, social, religious, and charitable events.
Through their hard work and dedication, the six families, now called the “Founding Members,” organized the Gapan City Association of Southern California, and GAPASCA was born. Since then, GAPASCA has evolved into an organization dedicated to the growth and development of its members, their families, and the community of Gapanense here in Southern California and in its hometown of Gapan City. Our honorary membership is offered to all Gapanenses across the globe as well as to friends and family members. Our members are committed to contributing to the organization by offering their time and talents as officers of the organization or through the many volunteering opportunities available in our fundraising events.
The organization has achieved its vision to provide opportunities for higher education through its Scholarship Program, where forty-one(41) scholars have graduated from college, and twenty-one (21) remain on the GAPASCA scholars' roll.; Adopt-A-Classroom Program, where ninety-seven (97) public high schools and elementary schools were awarded funds for much-needed supplies for their technical, vocational, and feeding programs; Adopt-A-Grandparent Program, where one hundred fifty-six (156) indigent grandparents of age seventy (70) years and older were awarded a year supply of rice and groceries; Medical and Dental Mission where more than two thousand five hundred (2,500) patients were served in the City of Gapan in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Each year, GAPASCA’s cultural and fundraising events begin with the celebration of the Three Kings Fiesta on the first Saturday of January. Around the month of March, our religious event, PABASA, is observed. On the first Saturday of May, we celebrate our much-awaited event, the Divina Pastora Fiesta, and participate in Santacruzan May Crowning at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. The anchor event of the year is our annual Anniversary & Induction Ball held in the month of June, where officers and board of directors are inducted, Miss GAPASCA is crowned, and the organization’s achievements are showcased. The souvenir program published for this event is the main fundraiser for various Service Programs. GAPASCA also supports events in its community each year by volunteering at the St. Linus Church Oktoberfest event in Norwalk, California. To wrap up the year, an annual Christmas Party is hosted on the second Saturday of December, and through its Christmas Raffle Program, raises more funds for its programs.
GAPASCA is a 501(C)(3) public charity organization in good standing incorporated in the state of California. Our members are committed to promoting Filipino culture and influencing our children who were born in the United States. As Filipino-Americans from the City of Gapan, we welcome you to get involved in our organization and join our membership. Together, we can take pride in our heritage and make a difference in the lives of others.