About the PACC
A community center built by the Portuguese-American community in Yonkers — and kept alive by every member, family, and friend who walks through our doors.
Our Story
Rooted in Yonkers, Built by Many Hands
Our club was founded on October 5, 1930, as the Club Social Português — 118 founding members who wanted the Portuguese-speaking community of Yonkers to have a place of its own: a place to gather, celebrate, preserve language and tradition, and welcome the next generation. In 1986 the club moved to its current home at 117 Park Avenue and incorporated as the Portuguese American Community Center. Nearly a century on from those first 118 members, PACC is a multigenerational home that hosts cultural events, runs a Portuguese school, welcomes families for weekly programs, and opens its doors to neighbors of every background.
The Founders
118 Names, 5 October 1930
These are the men who signed the club into existence — printed on the founders' poster the club still holds. Spelling follows the poster exactly, including the forms they used for their own names. Search for a family name.
All Founding Members
All 118 founding members
- 1Jose da Silva Manta
- 2Antonio Amaral
- 3Augusto Branco
- 4Anastacio Ferreira
- 5Luiz Fernandes
- 6Laertes de Figueiredo
- 7Francisco Pires Martins
- 8Jose Deus Loura
- 9Manoel R. S. Motta
- 10Francisco Figueiredo
- 11Alipio Augusto Duque
- 12Joaquim dos Santos
- 13Jose Martins
- 14Cezar Fernandes
- 15Maximiano Marques
- 16Daniel dos Santos
- 17Silvestre de Matos
- 18Manoel J. da Silva
- 19Manoel da Silva Saleiro
- 20Agostinho Nunes
- 21Joaquim Estrela
- 22João Rodrigues Couto
- 23Manoel Rodrigues
- 24Joaquim S. Leal
- 25Joaquim Fonseca
- 26Julio Silva
- 27Francisco S. Luso
- 28Jose Henriques Camacho
- 29João Lopes Izabel
- 30Antonio Lopes
- 31Jose Alves
- 32Antonio Carvalho
- 33João dos Santos
- 34Francisco Rebelo
- 35Alexandre da Silva
- 36Diamantino Figueiredo
- 37Jose Maria Leitão
- 38Jose da Silva Larangeira
- 39Antonio Pinho
- 40Raul Marques
- 41João Ramos
- 42Casimiro Augusto
- 43Silverio Correia
- 44Joaquim Pereira
- 45Manoel Almeida
- 46João Almeida
- 47Thomas Gonçalves
- 48Antonio E. Pereira
- 49Joaquim Pereira 2.º
- 50Manoel Soares
- 51João Soares
- 52Jose Nunes Pereira
- 53Arthur Alves
- 54Manoel Fernandes
- 55Eduardo Martins
- 56Julio Santiago
- 57Henrique de Oliveira
- 58Antonio Henriques
- 59Jose Gonçalves Cachina
- 60Albino Henriques
- 61Antonio Florindo
- 62J. S. Aguiar
- 63Antonio Costa Pragana
- 64Frank André
- 65Jose João Carreira
- 66Manoel Costa
- 67Jack Alves
- 68Jose d'Oliveira
- 69Prudencio Luiz
- 70Antonio Paulo
- 71Manoel Dias
- 72Henrique Costa
- 73Peter Steves
- 74Adriano Santos
- 75Angelo Diogo
- 76Jose Simões Netto
- 77Almores Fernandes
- 78Paulo Duarte
- 79Mathias Thomas
- 80Antonio Francisco Carreira
- 81Domingos Baptista Carneiro
- 82Amadio Baptista
- 83Manoel Antunes
- 84João Catarino
- 85Jose Martins 2.º
- 86Manoel Peixoto
- 87Oscar Figueiredo
- 88Armando C. S. Manta
- 89Alfredo Justo
- 90Manoel Dias Ossining
- 91Jose Augusto Cardoso
- 92Antonio Pereira Patinha
- 93Manoel A. Cunha
- 94Jose Nunes Freire
- 95Antonio Lopes Figueiredo
- 96Antonio Cardoso Souza
- 97Antonio Dias
- 98Dameciano dos Santos
- 99Edmundo Neto
- 100Sebastião Leitão
- 101Manoel C. Vida
- 102Jose Lourenço
- 103Silvino Pedro
- 104Antonio M. Fialho
- 105Acacio S. Moraes
- 106Jose Horta
- 107João Leal
- 108Isaac G. Cachina
- 109Jesuino Martins
- 110Joaquim Paulo
- 111Angelo Gonçalves
- 112Joaquim Freitas
- 113Adolpho Rodrigues
- 114Carlos V. Rosa
- 115Antonio Branco
- 116Alexandre Nunes
- 117Jose Henriques
- 118Antonio Rodrigues
Directoria
- PresidenteJose da Silva Manta
- Vice PresidenteAntonio Amaral
- 1.º SecretarioAugusto Branco
- 2.º SecretarioAnastacio Ferreira
- TezoureiroLuiz Fernandes
- DirectorCezar Fernandes
- DirectorSilvestre de Matos
- DirectorPrudencio Luiz
- DirectorJoaquim dos Santos
- DirectorManoel Soares
- DirectorAntonio Paulo
Assemblea Geral
- PresidenteDr. Laertes de Figueiredo
- 1.º SecretarioFrancisco Pires Martins
- 2.º SecretarioJose Deus Louro
Conselho Fiscal
- PresidenteAlipio Augusto Duque
- RelatorManoel R. S. Motta
- SecretarioFrancisco Figueiredo
Our Mission
What We Stand For
Heritage
Preserve Portuguese language, food, music, and tradition — and pass them forward to the next generation.
Family
Welcome everyone, of every age, into a place that feels like home.
Community
Serve as the gathering place for our neighborhood — Portuguese, American, Hispanic, and beyond.
Service
Support members, host life's milestones, and contribute to Yonkers.
What We Do
How We Serve the Community
Cultural Programs & Festas
Year-round events celebrating Portuguese heritage — saint days, summer festas, holiday gatherings, and more.
See Events →Portuguese School (Escola)
Language and cultural classes for children and adults — passing the language forward to the next generation.
Learn More →Hall Rentals
Our spaces are open to the community for weddings, quinceañeras, anniversaries, and corporate events.
Plan Your Event →Membership
Members are the heart of the club. Join us and become part of something multigenerational.
Become a Member →Leadership
Governed by the Membership
PACC is a registered 501(c)(4) nonprofit governed by a volunteer board of directors elected by the membership. Officers serve in roles including President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary, with additional directors leading committees for events, the school, rentals, and operations. [Detailed board roster coming soon.]
Come See Us
The best way to understand what PACC is, is to walk through the door.