2011 ANNUAL REPORT VISION ACCESS STRIVes TO empower and enable individuals, families and communities to lead informed, productive, culturally sensitive and fulfilling lives. ACCESS honors its Arab American heritage while serving as a nonprofit model of excellence. We are dedicated to community-building and focused on service to all those in need. ACCESS is a strong advocate for cultural and social entrepreneurship as well as the values of community service, healthy lifestyles, education and philanthropy. CONTENTS Message From The Board President . 2 Message From The Executive Director . 3 Executive Board . 4 Arab Americans Of The Year . 5 Social Services . 6 Community Health & Research Center . 10 Employment & Training . 18 Youth & Education . 21 NNAAC . 25 Center For Arab American Philanthropy . 30 Arab American National Museum . 33 Statistical Report . 37 Treasurer’s Report . 38 2010 - 2011 Donors . 41 Committee Members & Partners . 45 ACCESS Locations . Inside Back Cover 2 A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Wadad Abed, President t is both humbling and inspiring to then, because ACCESS is a wraparound of the whole, using their collective energy serve as ACCESS board president. service provider, we’re able to refer to create change. Over the past year, I’ve seen firsthand that person or family to other services That’s how ACCESS’ local programs I how the supporters of ACCESS – from that will help move them beyond the have blossomed into three national our volunteers to our employees to our immediate need and, hopefully, into full initiatives: the National Network for board members – work long and hard to civic participation. Arab American Communities (NNAAC), keep ACCESS strong as our struggling So, for the child struggling to keep up the Arab American National Museum economy continues to put pressure on in school we not only provide tutoring, (AANM) and the Center for Arab American those in our community who are most we also look at the family’s needs: Do Philanthropy (CAAP). in need. My gratitude and respect for his immigrant parents need help with Just as ACCESS’ human services the commitment of these ACCESS English? Is a father unemployed? For programs take a wraparound approach supporters runs deep, for they are the the woman in the clinic, we examine the to assisting and improving, these ambassadors for ACCESS’ greatest illness that brought her to us, but we also national programs support one mission: empowerment. tell her about classes that can help her another in empowering our community Empowerment is the third component prepare nutritional meals for her family through advocacy, arts and culture in ACCESS’ holistic mission to assist, in a country where processed food is and philanthropy. improve and empower individuals to jeopardizing the health of our community. CAAP, is a groundbreaking way for go beyond personal challenges and Our goal is to help people to lead Arab Americans to pool their collective aspirations, and ultimately to rise to a place happy and productive lives – productive resources to support the philanthropic where they, too, can give back to society. not just in the sense of wealth, but in the causes and work that moves them. This When a person comes to ACCESS, fullest sense of the American experience, program is one of my deepest passions rather than take a silo approach by giving back. We empower people to because it is the point at which our that focuses on the narrow issue at become active within their community. community comes full circle: from reaching hand – a student’s poor test scores, And to me, that is the most important part out in need to reaching out to help. for example, or a family’s inability of citizenship in this remarkable country. The freedoms guaranteed us in the to pay their mortgage – we look at Citizens can give back or get United States allow us to practice and the whole picture. involved in their communities in any cherish our ethnic and faith traditions while First, we assist with their most way they choose. Their community embracing all that America has to offer. immediate needs through services can literally mean their neighborhood But with freedom comes responsibility – including health care, education, job or their community can extend to to participate fully in civil society, to be training, English as second language, Arab Americans nationwide. Once involved, to give back – in the American citizenship classes and much more. But empowered, individuals become a part tradition. In the ACCESS tradition. ACCESS 2011 ANNUAL REPORT 3 A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Hassan Jaber, Executive Director he traditional Arabic member organizations nationwide, is job training. To support this work welcome,“Ahlan wa sahlan,” building the capacity of Arab American internally, we grew our communications, translates literally as: “You community-based organizations for human resources, development and have come into family and stronger advocacy and grassroots information technology capacity. onto an easy plateau.” development. The results are clear. Hundreds each TThat greeting represents what ACCESS The Center for Arab American year become U.S. citizens thanks to our has offered the local community for more Philanthropy cultivates giving to immigration services and English and than 40 years as we have helped to ease support those and other organizations civics classes. More than 1,600 children, the transitions of so many – from new and works to bring Arab American students and their parents are served by immigrants seeking a place of safety, philanthropy to maturity. our high-quality preschool, after-school security and hope, to a growing number And the Arab American National tutoring, summer sessions, recreation of Americans challenged by painful Museum enhances the work of both and sports activities, youth leadership change: from employed to unemployed; these groups by harnessing the power and dialogue programs. from homeowner to renter, or worse, of arts and culture to promote a broad Our skills development, job training to homelessness; from healthy to ill, understanding of Arab Americans and and placement, and entrepreneurship and often uninsured. their contributions to society. programs are helping adults get and For 40 years, ACCESS has worked to The original ACCESS mission, born keep good jobs fueling Michigan’s meet the needs of individuals, families out of a spirit of volunteerism and giving economic engines. Our medical clinics, and communities with a comprehensive back, remains the bedrock of these public health campaigns, counseling system of programs and services that national initiatives. In a state with one and mental health services are keeping translate into a stronger society and a of the highest unemployment rates in the Michiganders healthy at a time when so brighter future. nation, where poverty undermines health, many are unemployed and uninsured. Today, our successful model of education and communities, ACCESS And our strong network of social services community empowerment has become now offers more than 90 programs – from emergency food to stopgap cash the foundation of a national movement. housed in eight facilities throughout assistance and family crisis intervention – Like our local programs, this movement metropolitan Detroit. still serves as the community’s safety net. is grounded in community, fed by vision, This year, families and individuals The success stories in this report grafted with cooperation and blossoming continued to turn to us for social services, are a snapshot of this work – poignant with hard work. medical assistance, job training, education reminders of the importance of our This year, our three national programs and more. In response, we broadened mission to assist, improve and empower. grew stronger both independently and our services in Hamtramck, expanded To all those supporters and community collectively. our health programs in metro Detroit, partners who share this vision and this The National Network for Arab more than doubled our school summer work, we extend our deepest gratitude. American Communities, now with 22 program capacity, and added important ACCESS 2011 ANNUAL REPORT ACCESS 2011 ANNUAL REPORT 4 EXecUTIVE STAFF ACCESS EXecUTIVE BOARD Hassan Jaber Executive Director Wadad Abed, President Maha Freij Yasser Al Soofi, Treasurer Deputy Executive Director & Chief Edward Bagale, English Secretary Financial Officer Amal Berry-Brown, Arabic Secretary Anan Ameri, Ph.D. Arab American National Museum David Allen, At-Large Director Aoun Jaber, At-Large Rashid Barkaji Information Technology Director Kathryn Casa BOARD OF DIRecTORS Communications & Marketing Director Hussein Berry Mike Makki Amne Darwish-Talab Social Services Director Ramzi Chraim Hassan Makled (East Dearborn Office) Greg Clark Linda Mansour Brigitte Fawaz-Anouti Amal David, Ph.D. Ron May Social Services Director (Main Office) and Special Projects Rasha Demashkieh Ziad Ojakli Najwa Hadous Dennis Denno Robert G. Riney Employment & Training Director J. Joseph Diederich Wafa Salah Adnan Hammad, Ph.D. Debbie I. Dingell Hussien Shousher Community Health & Research Center Senior Director Dr. Basim Dubaybo Gerald Smith Lina Harajli Charlene Elder James Stokes Business Operations Director Paul Good William Swor Mosein Hussein Human Resources Director Wassim Mahfouz Sonia Harb, LMSW Employment & Training and Youth & Education Senior Director EMERITUS BOARD MeMbeRS Wisam Qasem Fakhoury Ali Baleed Almaklani Finance Director Barbara Aswad, Ph.D. Anisa Sahoubah Youth &