The name of the foundation is called the AJ Kalinga Foundation Inc. It is named after St. Arnold Janssen, S.V.D. (5 November 1837 – 15 January 1909). St. Arnold is the founder of three religious congregations, namely the Society of the Divine Word, Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit, and Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters. Before the foundation was registered as a non-profit organization with the SEC in 2017, the Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center has already been established in 2015 by a young SVD priest, Fr. Flaviano L. Villanueva, SVD. For the Center, KALINGA is an acronym for the programs offered by the center: Kain-Ligo-Nang-Ayos. Then in 2017, Fr. Villanueva enjoined kind hearted persons to form the Board of Trustees to establish the AJ Kalinga Foundation Inc. Thus, the foundation was registered with the SEC on March 8, 2017.