About TAF

Who Are We?

Originally founded as the Midwest Formosan Christian Fellowship (MFCF) in 1966 by Bill Cho and Jim Chen, the organization focused on bringing families together and building a strong, connected community for first generation Taiwanese Americans and their children.

In 1980, MFCF renamed itself as the Taiwanese American Foundation (TAF) and went on to create the Junior, Junior High, Youth and Labs Programs, in addition to a Parents weekend program during the summer conference. The implementation of small groups, advising staff, and four rotating themes changed the nature of the conference to become more youth-focused, emphasizing appreciation of Taiwanese heritage while encouraging personal growth.

Since its establishment as a non-religious and apolitical 501(c)3 NPO, TAF has expanded beyond simply being an annual conference, with a Board of Directors, a growing alumni network, and an annual New Year’s gala. As TAF expands, the organization continues to make a deep impact while simultaneously building a stronger presence within the broader Asian American community.

Impact

Over the past 40 years, TAF has impacted thousands of Taiwanese Americans, across multiple generations. We strive to help former campers to reconnect and engage themselves with TAF, foster beneficial cross-generational relationships, and leverage the TAF network to provide unique services for our community.

If you would like to get back involved with TAF, please email us at hello@tafworld.org

TAF Mission


To foster personal growth and develop servant leaders in the Taiwanese American community for the benefit of society.

TAF Vision


For people of Taiwanese heritage to make a profound impact on mankind in unique and compassionate ways.

TAF Values

  • Honor and respect our Taiwanese American heritage
  • Explore and embrace individual uniqueness
  • Nurture individual well-being in the context of family
  • Lead by example in service to others
  • Foster an environment for our community to thrive
  • Create opportunities for growth and connection throughout life 

Our Themes

For 40 years, the Taiwanese American Foundation has been proud to host the largest and longest-running summer camp for children and teens of Taiwanese descent in the US and Canada. Every summer, over 300 campers get together at TAF’s flagship event for a fun-filled week of learning about themselves and their Taiwanese heritage.

The theme of the conference rotates every year between four key ingredients designed to help your child become confident individuals and grow into their fullest potential. 

Identity

Whether your child is first generation, second generation, third generation, or multiracial, TAF helps attendees explore their self-identity, a building block of developing self confidence.

Ethics & Values

To help build character, TAF gives tools to help attendees think critically about the Taiwanese values that older generations have passed on in today’s context, and the values they have gathered from their communities.

Communication

Understanding the various styles of communication is key to building strong relationships. TAF aims to give tools to help campers connect more effectively with their parents, peers, and the world around them. 

Leadership

TAF teaches campers how to be servant leaders, a philosophy that encourages leaders to understand their strengths and talents and to use it to serve others with compassion, respect, and an open heart.