Established in 1994, the IRCO Asian Family Center (AFC) was the very first culturally and linguistically specific one-stop community center focused on the diverse needs of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the Portland area. Guided by an advisory board and multilingual multicultural staff, the AFC ensures that its services reflect its local API cultures. The AFC's mission is to provide and promote culturally relevant services to API families and to contribute rich cultural values and unique experiences that enhance the overall quality of community life.

IRCO supports immigrants, refugees and mainstream community members to become self-sufficient. The organization strives in its programming, outreach, and education to foster understanding, compassion and communication between Oregon's established communities and newest arrivals.

Archival Materials

The Special Collections and Archives Research Center holds the IRCO Asian Family Center Records, which detail the establishment of the Center a "one-stop community center focused on the diverse needs of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the Portland area" with the mission of providing and promoting culturally relevant services to API families and to contribute rich cultural values and unique experiences that enhance the overall quality of community life.

Related, SCARC also holds the Asian Family Center Oral History Collection, which includes 12 digital recordings of interviews with staff and board members of the IRCO Asian Family Center.

More information about the Pacific Islander and Asian Family Center can be found at on their website.

A search for "Asian Family Center" on Oregon Digital yields several photos, several oral history transcripts, and mentions of the Center in other collections.