Uniting America at Zakat Foundation of America-Southwest Suburbs
January 12, 2012
Although I have lived in the Chicagoland area for most of my life, there are still many regions I have yet to explore. Uniting America has now offered me the opportunity to familiarize myself with the southwest suburbs, where I will be working at the Zakat Foundation of America. Located in Bridgeview, the Zakat Foundation is an organization that provides international relief work, as well as social services to the local community. It is an extremely well-respected organization in the area, due to the variety of individuals they serve.
I began reaching out to local organizations that are known to promote Uniting America's mission of integration through volunteerism. This morning, I met with Marwa Abed from Arab American Family Services. Marwa graciously took me on a tour of their facilities and introduced me to her co-workers. We discussed the services AAFS offers to community members and how my work as an Uniting America fellow fits into the picture.
Other than AAFS, I have been contacting local libraries and community organizations to set up appointments to discuss the opportunities we can create for local residents. We hope that these opportunities, such the February 4th Illinois Immigrant Integration Summit, will pave the way for greater community unity.
