Organization
Cambodian Health Professionals Association of America
The Cambodian Health Professionals Association of America (CHPAA) is a humanitarian health nonprofit based in Long Beach, California.[1] It works for the health and social well-being of medically underserved Cambodians in the United States and in Cambodia through service and education.[1] Its volunteers run annual medical, surgical and dental missions to Cambodia, where they give care and health education free of charge.[1]
History
Daniel Chan and other Cambodian medical professionals formed the association in Long Beach, and it became a nonprofit in 2010.[2] CHPAA names its president, Song Tan, as its founder.[3] Chan has said that the group has no religious or political backing, and that its members share one purpose despite their differences: "We have the same calling."[2]
By early 2024 the association had completed 11 missions and was preparing its 12th, to Preah Vihear Province in January 2024.[1] Its 15th mission is planned for Kampong Chhnang Province in 2027, to reach rural villages where care is often out of reach, and CHPAA has called for medical professionals, non-medical volunteers and donors to take part.[1]
In March 2025, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn honored CHPAA as one of 22 local Cambodian community organizations. The honor marked Cambodian Heritage Month in April 2025, the county's first, and the anniversary of the beginning of the Cambodian genocide.[4]
Programs
Besides its annual missions, CHPAA runs the Cambodia Pediatric Heart Surgery Mission. Volunteers pay all of their own personal expenses when they serve overseas.[1][5] The association keeps networks of health professionals in the United States and in Cambodia, and it supports the growth of its volunteers.[1]
In the United States, CHPAA promotes healthy lifestyles, regular checkups and health education among local Cambodians and other ethnic groups, and it gives families and individuals information about the U.S. health care system. It organizes local health events and fairs.[1] Students from junior high school to university can volunteer with the association, and it mentors local Cambodian American students entering the health professions. CHPAA says that all of its volunteering students have been accepted to graduate school.[1]
The association gives annual scholarships to students and volunteers pursuing careers in health care; in 2026, applications from incoming or current medical students were due by September 20, 2026.[1] It also holds fundraisers, cultural events and galas.[1]
Funding
CHPAA is a registered 501(c)(3) organization and says it is supported only by donors. Gifts are used as donors direct them: for the overseas missions, for local health work or for student scholarships.[5] Its federal filings trace its growth. Total assets rose from $197,223 at the end of 2013 to $1,110,238 at the end of 2024. For 2024 it reported $194,327 in contributions and $116,976 in liabilities.[6]
Leadership (2024)
Officers and members listed in the federal filing for 2024. All served without pay.[6]
- Song Tan, President
- Kosal Kom, Vice President
- Visal Nga, Vice President
- Daniel Chan, Secretary
- Dan Durke, Treasurer
- Salan Thong, member
- Toni Chi, member
- Christina Lee, member
- Chamroeun Heng, member
- Peter Ferrera, member
- Kestutis Kuraitis, member
- Richard Kong, member
- Cathy Nou Paolim, member
See also
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Cambodian Health Professionals Association of America, home page
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Patch, After Surviving Genocide, a Local Doctor Returns to Help His Native Cambodia (February 2013)
- ↑ Cambodian Health Professionals Association of America, Song Tan bio
- ↑ Supervisor Janice Hahn, Hahn Honors Cambodian Leaders Ahead of Cambodian Heritage Month and 50th Anniversary of Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day (March 2025)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cambodian Health Professionals Association of America, Donate
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Cambodian Health Professionals Association of America