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Arab American Chamber of Commerce Honors Mr. Halil Demir for his Humanitarian Leadership
Chicago, IL — Halil Demir, the Executive Director of the Chicago-based Zakat Foundation of America, was honored on Tuesday December 9th by the American Arab Chamber of Commerce for his life-long work and dedication to humanitarian relief in the United States and around the world.
Mr. Demir received the prestigious “Best of the Best” award alongside a distinguished group of community leaders, media personalities, local mayors and noted members of local governments at a ceremony held in Orland Park with Mayor Jim Dodge and Mayor Steven Landek of Bridgeview and other mayors of the area in attendance.
Mr. Demir told the Arab Daily News that he was “humbled “by the recognition and that Zakat Foundation will continue its work to serve and provide relief to poor and vulnerable communities everywhere possible.
“I am truly honored to have received this award and I am thankful for the Arab American Chamber of Commerce for recognizing the work Zakat Foundation has done to help the poor and needy in many cities in the United States, such as our great city, Chicago, and all over the world,” added Mr. Demir.
Most recently and in the spirit of the national holidays, the ZFA has embarked on over multi-million-dollar program in the U.S to feed thousands of poor and needy people from the city of Buffalo in the state of New York, down to the state of South Carolina, partnering with local churches and civil society groups.
Mr. Demir founded the Zakat Foundation of America ( ZFA) over 25 years ago in the Chicago area as a Muslim-American charity to support the poor and needy people in the United States and worldwide.
The non-profit organization provides emergency relief, post-disaster rehabilitation, sustainable development, education, healthcare, orphan sponsorship and seasonal programs such as Ramadan iftars and Udhiya in Muslim societies.
Earlier this year, Mr. Demir travelled to the West African nation of Gambia to inaugurate ZFA educational and economic-empowerment projects helping provide education opportunities to young girls and providing local farmers with direct support
This recognition celebrates Mr. Demir’s continuous efforts and dedication to humanitarian work and for providing aid to vulnerable people and to those in need both in the United States and abroad.
The Zakat Foundation programs has helped scores of poor communities across the United States and millions of people in over 50 countries worldwide without discrimination based on race, religion, color, and national origin.
For more information the Zakat Foundation visit www.zakat.org
For more information on the American Arab Chamber of Commerce, visit AACCUSA.org
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Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
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