Nov 15, 2024

​ Zaman Featured in Giving Machine ​in Downtown Detroit

 

From Nov. 14 through Dec. 8 visitors to Campus Martius in downtown Detroit will be able to donate to Zaman and four other local nonprofit organizations through the Giving Machine – a “reverse vending machine” sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The popular Giving Machine works in reverse by allowing users to donate much-needed items through local and global charities, and is now available for the first time to Michiganders. It provides an instant act of service for people looking to help those in their community and around the world – something that is in line with Zaman’s work to empower women to lift their families out of poverty.

“Every child has the right to dream, and every mother has the right to hope. Our work is to build a world where those dreams are not stolen by poverty,” said Najah Bazzy, Zaman CEO and Founder. 

For those looking to support Zaman’s mission of helping women to break the cycle of poverty, there are five items they can “purchase” ranging in cost from $15 to $100. One hundred percent of all of the donations go directly to Zaman.

Zaman Items in Giving Machine
 

• $15 Halal Meat for a Family
  Give a family in need halal chicken or beef for culturally appropriate meals.
• $25 ESL Instruction
  Provide increased understanding with one hour of ESL literacy instruction.
• $50 Winter Coats for a Family
  Provide coats for a single mother and two children.
• $75 Therapy for a Single Mom
  Provide a private session for a single mom with a licensed therapist.
• $100 Refugee Housewarming Kit
  Supply household essentials for a refugee family to make a new home in Michigan.
   

Donations can also be made at lighttheworld.org/give for those unable to come to the machines in person. Just be sure to select Zaman from among the charities. Serving the Poorest of the Poor Zaman offers “one stop hope” at its Hope For Humanity Center in Inkster, Michigan. It serves marginalized women facing extreme poverty and typically trying to support their families on about $1,000 a month. Many are impacted by divorce, abuse, mental illness, abandonment and other challenges.

Zaman provides everything from basic necessities, such as food and clothing, to education, vocational training, and onsite employment. Its clients come from communities with some of the highest poverty rates in Michigan, including Inkster, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and Detroit. Many of the women identify as Middle Eastern or North African and are refugees.

Other Detroit-Area Charities Featured 

In addition to Zaman, other Detroit-area nonprofit beneficiaries from the Giving Machine include: 

• Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan
• Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County
• Focus: HOPE
• Pope Francis Center

Donations can also be made at lighttheworld.org/give for those unable to come to
the machines in person.

​
Giving Machine Donations Have Major Impact

"We are called to care for those in need and to be a light to the world,” said Jeff Day, a stake president in metro Detroit for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “We strive to follow the example of Jesus Christ by loving others as He loves each of us. We’re excited to come together with diverse faith communities to demonstrate this love.”

During the 2023 holiday season alone approximately 600,000 individuals visited Giving Machines in Australia, Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines and the United States, contributing US$10.4 million in donations. 

These generous donations resulted in:

• More than 2 million meals to feed the hungry
• 11,000 backpacks or boxes of school supplies
• More than 17,000 goats, 125,000 chickens, 2,100 beehives, 1,500 pigs and 1,400 sheep providing families with long-term nutrition and income potential
• And so much more!

Since the Giving Machines first launched in 2017, more than US $32 million has been collected.
​

Sep 30, 2024

15th Annual Run Walk Picnic Draws Nearly 1,200 While Celebrating the Marriage of Two Zamanitarians

The 2024 Run Walk Picnic was held on a stunningly beautiful day in Dearborn’s Ford Field Park with a celebration befitting an event that has brought the community together for 15 years to raise awareness about Zaman’s mission to break the cycle of poverty.

Nearly 1,200 Zamanitarians gathered on Saturday, Sept. 21, a day of family fun that featured a timed 5K run, kids’ runs, a 5K walk, and a picnic in the park with food and activities, including face-painting, basketball contests, a petting zoo, and pony rides. 

Zaman was also joined by a team of runners from Ainsley’s Angels — an organization that empowers individuals with disabilities to participate in races around the country to educate, advocate, and celebrate inclusive communities. 

But the show stopper, as covered by WXYZ Ch. 7, was when Dearborn residents, Alia Sareini and Morteza Fradi exchanged wedding vows during a ceremony officiated by the honorable Judge David Turfe, who also chairs the Run Walk Picnic. 

Alia and Morteza met in October 2023 as part of the Zaman Detroit Run Team, a local running club that helps its members achieve their personal fitness goals while serving the community. Discovering shared values and interests on the running club’s Sunday morning runs sparked a relationship, eventual engagement, and ultimately, the marriage celebrated at the event.

“Since we met through the run team, it is only natural that we would want to celebrate our marriage where it all started. Zaman has become a second family to us,” said Sareini, noting how volunteering for the organization’s Plots for Tots program and Ramadan food drive provided opportunities to serve the community.

“It felt great to share our day with our fellow Zamanitarians, not just because we met through them, but because Zaman fosters such a loving atmosphere. We really felt how happy people were for us, it made the day so much more memorable,” said Fradi.  

That was a sentiment shared by event organizer and Zaman Detroit Run Team lead Ali K. Bazzi. 

“When the run team learned that two of our runners, Morteza and Alia, wanted to get married, we were overjoyed,” said Bazzi. “We knew we wanted to celebrate this special moment together as a community. With the entire team and community gathered, it felt like the perfect opportunity to celebrate love, compassion, and humanity—especially in times like these when those qualities matter most. Morteza and Alia truly embody these values, and we’re honored to celebrate with them.”

Hundreds of attendees cheered the ceremony looking on from the activities and picnic – a fitting way to wind down the event.

This year’s race winners are available here.

Also, see photos from the event.

Big Thanks to this Year’s Sponsors!

The 15^th annual Run Walk Picnic would not have been possible without the generous sponsors, including: 
Diamond Sponsor: Hamood Law, PLLC
Platinum Sponsors: AAA Auto Club Group/Middle Eastern and North African Employee Resource Group; Hamzavi Dermatology & Dermatology Specialists
Gold Sponsors: DQ at 4600 Greenfield; Dearborn Federation of Teachers; Elite Air Innovation; El-Sayed Meat Market; RE/MAX Team 2000; Saad Wholesale Meats
Silver Sponsors: Dellah Coffee and Brunch House; Equitable / Progressive Wealth Group; Greenland Markets; The Lending Key; Maison Farola; Mike Dorian Ford; Omnex Accounting & Tax Services; Pat Milliken Ford;  Rafic's Falafel; Rising Hope Bakery; RUNdetroit; The University of Michigan – Dearborn.

Jul 09, 2024

Bringing Solar Power to Schools and Hospitals Amid Lebanon’s Economic Crisis

The approximately 350 students attending the Qana Intermediate Public School in Southern Lebanon now have reliable electricity and access to clean drinking water because of a new solar photovoltaic system installed on the roof this past May. Collaborating with the respective Rotary Clubs of Dearborn and Troy as well as local rotaries in Lebanon, Zaman provided a portion of the $15,000 to fund the project in Qana, a small town that has faced crisis due to conflict near the border with Israel for decades. The solar collection system converts sunlight into electrical energy and is expected to provide electricity for at least 30 years. It is also essential to operating the school’s water filtration system so students have access to clean drinking water. 

 

Longtime Rotarian David Donnellon led fundraising for the project to bring relief in a country facing severe inflation and economic crisis that’s disrupting all aspects of life; leaving many critical institutions like schools, hospitals, and orphanages with limited or no electricity. “The government in Lebanon cannot provide more than an hour or two of electricity a day,” said Donnellon. “But with the solar collection system, we are providing the school with electricity 24 hours a day. The school can now also function like a community center and help the students and their families beyond just education.”

As part of a broader effort, Lebanese Rotary clubs are working to provide similar solar panel systems for 30 schools, two hospitals and two orphanages with funding through local and international clubs as well as the Rotary Foundation – the efforts are expected to cost $750,000 as fundraising efforts continue. Donnellon is an architect, designer and urban planner with J & A Architectural Engineering in Troy, who designed the Islamic Center of America in the late 1990s and whose wife is a first-generation American of Lebanese descent. He undertook the project, in part, to support his friend Allie Fayz who was born and raised in Qana, and who has family and friends suffering amid Lebanon’s economic crisis. “I feel thankful for all those who donated to make it happen and am grateful for Zaman’s generous support to make this project a reality,” said Donnellon, noting how the project reflects the reach of Rotary’s global network. “That’s the beauty of the Rotary, it’s non-denominational and non-political,” he added. “It is a community without borders and networking for the good of your company and your community to promote peace and understanding through projects around the world.”

The project is part of Zaman’s international work, which has impacted 26 countries as it provides funding to international partners to provide disaster relief, humanitarian aid, access to potable water, and support for orphans. “We believe people deserve dignified experiences that restore self-worth and empowers inner strength that poverty often threatens to strip it away,” said Zaman CEO and Founder Najah Bazzy. “By providing reliable electricity and access to clean water, this project can bring hope to children and their families who’ve been facing crisis for quite some time. We were proud to support the Rotarians’ work to help change children’s lives in Lebanon.”

Prior to the Rotary project, Zaman’s most recent effort in the country, the “Lift Lebanon” campaign, provided more than $463,000 to International Medical Corps. It resulted in unlocking $13.8 million in leveraged funds to provide health care and medical supplies following the devastating explosion in Beirut in 2020. 

Learn more about Zaman’s International relief work.

Jun 26, 2024

Zaman Opens Community Health Center, Removing Key Barrier to Breaking the Cycle of Poverty

 

Today, Zaman celebrated the grand-opening of its Community Health Center, where clients can receive supplemental health care and health education to help them prioritize their wellbeing and work toward a healthy, sustainable future. This is a major milestone for Zaman and removes a key barrier to breaking the cycle of poverty: Access to quality health care. 

Led by Health Services Director and Certified Nurse Practitioner Maya Mortada and volunteer Chief Medical Director Dr. Karen Weaver, the clinic offers exceptional,
culturally competent and compassionate health care to systematically disadvantaged women regardless of their ability to pay.

“We believe that everyone deserves the dignity of good health, and our goal is to help empower the women we serve to prioritize their health because oftentimes they put themselves last,” said Mortada. “And when (a mother) falls, her children fall with her. So, we empower, we educate, and we provide care and resources to lift the mothers and
their families to treat, prevent and improve health, and to essentially break the cycle of poverty.”

The Community Health Center offers numerous services to Zaman’s clients, including:

• Preventative care
• Chronic disease management
• Medication management
• Nutrition education
• Mental health therapy
• Health education courses
• Health care navigation

Housed in Zaman’s Hope For Humanity Center in Inkster, the Community Health Center relies on volunteers from the health care field and features an advisory board of local physicians, nurses, and other health care providers. The goal is to provide supplemental health services that are time-equitable, culturally competent, and offered in the primary
languages spoken by Zaman’s clients. 

Zaman believes all people deserve the opportunity to live healthy lives, and that creating equitable health care outcomes for low-income families is a critical step in breaking the cycle of poverty. “I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to our generous donors, partners, volunteers, staff and everyone who has supported this initiative,” Mortada said. “Together, we are not only improving individual lives but also strengthening the fabric of families and our community.

 

To make a donation to support Zaman’s new health services, select the “Health Center” purpose on the donation form.

Jun 12, 2024

Graduates Shine at Zaman’s Annual Student Recognition Ceremony

With more than 100 women proudly looking on, Zaman’s Chief Workforce Development Officer Gigi Salka summed up the annual adult student recognition event best: 

“There’s a lot of happy tears today.”

The June 5 event at Ford Field Park in Dearborn, celebrated 140 resilient women who completed nearly 18,000 hours of instruction at Zaman’s workforce development program BOOST (Building Ongoing Opportunities through Skills Training). 

Founded in 2009, BOOST provides the education and vocational training its graduates need to get a job that pays livable wages or establish a business, helping them lift their families out of poverty.

“Look at how many people will do something for their life,” Amira Elhady, who is finishing her culinary apprenticeship at Zaman later this month. The mother of five from Yemen started in the English as a second language culinary program in the 2022-2023 academic year and is now starting her own small business called Yeminite Cafe. 

“You have to always work hard because we can do it,” she said. “We are women, we can do it.”

Amal Fawaz, a graduate of Zaman’s entrepreneurship program, echoed those sentiments.

“This was a journey that profoundly transformed us. This program was not just about learning basic business concepts, it was about finding our potential, challenging our creativity and equipping us with the tools to turn our ideas into realities,” she said. 

Honorees received recognition for their academic work in culinary arts, entrepreneurship, literacy, and sewing – many of them completing professional certifications that position them for careers in industries such as industrial sewing and hospitality; or to start their own small business.

“I want all my students … to have experience in fashion design, costume design, and industrial sewing, so that when you finish my class, you will be able to get a job working in automotive, manufacturing, and (other industries),” said Industrial Sewing Instructor Lisa Reed. “I say to my students: Failure is not an option.”

For many of the graduates, the program marked a journey of a year or more at Zaman, which initially provides its clients with basic necessities through its Bayt Al-Zahra program.

Once clients are stabilized, Zaman guides them on a journey of self-discovery from crisis and instability to stability and sustainability. Zaman’s staff, which includes social workers and career navigators, helps clients make strength-based goals and a plan of service as it identifies women who are good candidates for employment and additional program resources, such as BOOST.

 “We are here to support you in what you decide you want for yourself. The kind of life change you want. The kind of job you want. The kind of career you want. The future you see in your mind, but also see in your heart,” said Zaman CEO and Founder Najah Bazzy. 

“Our job is to help you find your dream. Your job is the hard work, ours is easier. We want to congratulate you because you decided to take a big step in your life. A step for yourself, a step for your families, and a step for your community. People will look at you and say ‘They did it, I can do it.’ You will inspire other people to do what you’ve done.”

 

Mar 27, 2024

Michigan Tabs Zaman for Expanded Role Helping Refugees

Recognizing the organization’s expertise and success in supporting refugees, the Office of Global Michigan named Zaman as the state’s Lead Private Sponsor Organization (PSO) under the national Welcome Corps program launched in February 2023. As the Lead PSO, Zaman provides support and technical assistance to groups of Michigan residents (known as Private Sponsor Groups, PSGs) working together to welcome and resettle newcomers in their community. Zamanitarians interested in learning more about this program or applying to sponsor refugees should contact us here.
 

Mar 19, 2024

Maximize Your Impact for Women & Children This Ramadan

Zaman is thrilled to announce our participation in the newly-launched 'For Mama' Campaign during the month of Ramadan.

In 2023, the ‘For Mama’ Campaign launched as a response to the urgent – but solvable – global maternal health crisis. Mothers are the heart of healthy families, vibrant communities, and prosperous societies. At Zaman, we know first-hand that lack of access to nutritious food and preventative health care has multi-generational effects, and that when a mother falls, her children are quick to follow. 

Led by a coalition of U.S. and U.K. faith-inspired philanthropies and donors, the ‘For Mama Campaign’ aims to mobilize the power of our communities to put an end to preventable maternal deaths around the world, which unjustly impact our most vulnerable women whose needs and experiences are too often overlooked. 

Mar 19, 2024

URGENT FUNDS NEEDED: Give Gaza Hope

As we are all aware, the crisis in Gaza continues to deteriorate for the civilians trapped amid escalating violence with no reliable humanitarian corridor available. At Zaman, our unwavering commitment to creating Hope for Humanity is anchored in our core value of dignity for all – and creating a world where all can live in peace, safety, and freedom.

Amid this tragedy, we see it as our human responsibility to attempt to bring relief and hope to those in harm’s way, even in the darkest of times. Throughout recent weeks, we have been in contact with American-based NGOs on the ground in Gaza. While it remains difficult to move food, water, fuel and medical supplies into Gaza, our partners are making some limited progress reaching those in need.

Through our Give Gaza Hope fundraising campaign, our donors have begun answering the call to support these efforts to deliver as many resources as possible in the days and weeks ahead.

We invite you to watch this video for additional information about this campaign. As always, 100% of your donation will be provided to Zaman’s partners on the ground to create maximum impact. We will continue to provide updates as they become available through social media and direct email communication.

Jul 29, 2023

Zaman’s Success Celebrated Throughout Region

his summer has served as an inspiring reminder about Zaman’s growth over the past six years. Founder and CEO Najah Bazzy had the dual honors of delivering the keynote address at the Impact100 Global Conference in Detroit and accepting the Richard Huegli Award for Program Excellence from the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan.

Upon receiving the prestigious Richard F. Huegli award, which annually recognizes a nonprofit in southeast Michigan that has a history of achieving excellence in human services programming, Najah shared:
“Through holistic, client-centric programs and support, we empower individuals to break the cycle of poverty, fostering a ripple effect of hope throughout the community. This recognition adds to our determination to continue bridging gaps, increase inclusivity, and create a world where no one is left behind.”

In Najah's June 22 keynote address at the Impact100 Global Conference in Detroit, she shared that the growth of Zaman's culinary arts and workforce development programming into two state-of-the-art kitchens would not have been possible without a $135,000 grant from Impact100 Metro Detroit in 2019. 

When Zaman made its first significant efforts toward securing major grant funding in 2017, Impact100 and Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan were two of the first organizations to invest in the growth of our mission. Their support has been critical to building out our vocational training and workforce development programming and putting our clients on successful career pathways.

The fact that these two organizations selected Zaman to highlight from among their many grantees speaks to how well we’ve done with the resources provided from our generous donors and the philanthropic community.

Together we truly are breaking the cycle of poverty in Southeast Michigan in new and exciting ways, and all Zamanitarians should take pride in the role we played in securing these recent recognitions.
 

Jun 27, 2023

2023 Mother’s Day Brunch a Wonderful Success

This year's Mother's Day Brunch was the largest yet, with 1,000 women coming together to support Zaman's mission! The beautiful Saturday was full of raffles, desserts, a marketplace featuring our BOOST sewing and culinary graduates, and, best of all, the company of Zamanitarians committed to providing hope for humanity.

Thank you to all of our sponsors, volunteers, committee members, marketplace vendors, and attendees. Your contributions ensure that Zaman can continue to empower women and their children to disrupt the cycle of poverty.

Silver Sponsor
Youssef Investments

Bronze Sponsors
Executive Dentistry
Huntington Bank
Melt ‘n’ Dip Restaurant
Original Chicken Restaurant
Shamiat Restaurant

Community Champion Sponsor
Dearborn Pediatric & Adolescent Medical Center (Dr. Lobna Fakih)

In-Kind Sponsors
Maison Farola
The Great Commoner
Ox Decore
Paper Plaits
SM Photography

 

May 18, 2023

Zaman Takes Mission Trip to Hospital, Orphan Schools in Iraq

Earlier this month, Zaman CEO and founder Najah Bazzy led a small delegation of health care professionals and volunteers as part of its first official mission trip in partnership with Imam Al-Hujjah Hospital, a reputable non-profit healthcare institution in Karbala, Iraq. 

The hospital provides a wide range of medical services, including emergency care, surgery, radiology, laboratory services, and specialized care for women and children.

“It was an inspirational trip that reflects how Zamanitarians can have an impact nearly anywhere in the world through our international partnerships,” Najah said. “The hospital is aligned well with Zaman’s mission of empowering women and children to break the cycle of poverty.”

Joining Najah on the weeklong trip were Senior Liaison Mohammed Sadiq Qazwini; and three advance practice nurses from Michigan: Eman Hazimi, Christina Hazime, and Zainab Ali Hachem. 

During the trip, the three nurses volunteered at the hospital, conducted workshops, and trained nurses on infection control and patient safety. Learning modules included proper hand washing, sterile gloving, wound care, and medication safety. They also assessed the hospital's operations and provided specialized recommendations for improving care and efficiency.

“Our nurses were excited to help the hospital advance its goal of becoming an internationally accredited hospital and improve the well-being of those it serves,” said Najah. 

In addition to their work at the hospital, the nurses also visited various projects of the Development & Relief Foundation, the mother organization for Imam Al-Hujjah Hospital, including two schools that primarily serve orphans -- Al-Sadiq Elementary School and Al-Salihat Academy, an all-girls prep school which Zaman has previously supported.

“Zaman continues to support orphans in need globally,” said Najah. “It was good to see firsthand how Zaman’s support from so far away helps provide such great care to these children.”

At the end of the trip, the Zaman team received the "Hands of Mercy Award" from Imam Al-Hujjah Hospital for their support and dedication.

May 02, 2023

Detroit Free Press Highlights Maison Farola and Zaman Leading into Mother’s Day

The Sunday, April 30 edition of the Detroit Free Press featured the amazing story of generosity and altruism of Maison Farola co-founder Oula Siblini donating her 50% ownership in the Livonia-based e-commerce luxury floral business to nonprofit Zaman.

Appearing on page 3B in the Michigan Business section, business columnist Carol Cain told the story under the headline: “Livonia florist teams up with Inkster nonprofit to help women in need.” It outlines how purchasing flowers from Maison Farola now helps support Zaman’s work to break the cycle of extreme poverty.

Cain covers the story of the two mothers creating a business that can employee nearly a dozen contractors – many of them mothers – during busy floral seasons leading up to holidays like Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. An excerpt of the article, which is available to subscribers at the Detroit Free Press, is below:

“The story begins with Maison Farola, a local floral company launched in 2015 by Oula Siblini, then working as a pharmacist, and Farah Saleh, an occupational therapist, who happen to be sisters-in-law. Both women, with young children at home, wanted to start a company that would allow them to have more flexible schedules, spend time with their families and do something they loved — designing floral arrangements. They started Maison Farola from Siblini’s basement with just the two of them, and it grew.”

The story goes on to recount how a few years ago Oula had the idea to donate her ownership stake after attending Zaman’s Very Important Philanthropy gala where Zaman founder and CEO Najah Bazzy spoke about how the organization was seeking ways to become self-sustaining. 

Since then, having built Maison Farola into a profitable venture with an established brand, Oula donated her ownership to Zaman in January – giving the Inkster-based nonprofit her 50% ownership and a new revenue stream to support its mission.

To learn more about Maison Farola or purchase floral arrangements with delivery in Metro Detroit, visit MaisonFarola.com or call 313-400-2074.

Nov 15, 2022

Second Day of Dignity Serves 650 Neighbors in Need

On a brisk Saturday morning, Zaman served more than 650 community members at its second annual Day of Dignity 2022, exceeding the inaugural year’s totals by more than 100. The event, sponsored by Islamic Relief USA, provided health screenings, hygiene kits, cleaning kits, fresh produce, vaccines, school supplies, and local resources to members of the community.

The event was possible with the additional support of our local partners: Wayne State Medicine, Molina Health, the City of Inkster, Michigan Works!, Starfish Family Services, Dearborn Pharmacy and Apothecary, Hunger Relief Inc., American Cancer Society, Starfish Family Services, and our volunteers and staff. 

Nov 15, 2022

Zaman and Mend on the Move “All In” on New Partnership

At their essence, Zaman International and Mend on the Move share the same mission.

They empower women to overcome crisis and embark on a journey of healing that leads to gainful employment, self-reliance, and the quality life they deserve after enduring traumatic experiences including extreme poverty and abuse.

This fall the two like-minded nonprofits near Detroit are partnering to expand Mend’s leather line of goods and produce a high-end, upcycled leather tote handcrafted from leftover materials from the automotive industry. 

The “All In” tote bags will be produced in Zaman’s recently opened cut-and-sew manufacturing center at the Hope For Humanity Center in Inkster. The partnership will initially employ a seamstress that graduated from its industrial sewing vocational arts training program, BOOST. 

“We wanted to expand this line but we’re struggling to find a quality seamstress. That’s where Zaman’s workforce development program was able to step and fill that gap with one of its graduates,” said Joanne Ewald, founder of Mend on the Move, which is housed in Troy Design and Manufacturing Company, a Ford Motor Company subsidiary located in Plymouth.

The bags, which will retail for $165, are handcrafted from leather donated last year by Ford and include straps made from seat belts. 

“This is a really fantastic, handcrafted bag that reflects our automotive heritage,” Ewald said. “People are really going to like this bag. It’s a perfect gift for someone who likes fashionable leather goods, but also wants to make a difference in the world.”

Portions of the proceeds will also go to support Mend’s efforts to empower women survivors of abuse through the creation of handcrafted products, providing them with an income to promote independence and healing.

“Our missions are so well aligned this partnership was a complete no-brainer,” said Gigi Salka, chief workforce officer at Zaman. “The ‘All In’ tote will help provide employment to one of our clients who’s working to lift her family out of poverty, while increasing Mend’s ability to positively impact abuse survivors.” 

Mend, which primarily produces jewelry from donated or discarded automotive parts, designed the bag in 2021 following Ford’s donation, and piloted a limited 15-bag line that sold out in six hours.

“We are excited for this tote to hit the market and for people to see the talents of our clients,” Salka said. “We hope it gets the attention of employers looking for talented seamstresses in the Detroit region. Our graduates are top-notch with professional certifications and are ready to help fill the skills gap in garment and industrial sewing.”

The “All In” Tote will be sold online via Mend’s website and at holiday events.

The two organizations, both of which empower their clients to launch entrepreneurial ventures and small businesses, came into contact at Hope Lutheran Church’s alternative holiday market, which features products that support or address needs in the community.

“It was so wonderful when I found out Zaman was training professional seamstresses and industrial sewers while we were looking to expand further into leather goods,” said Ewald,  an abuse survivor who founded Mend to make a difference in the lives of women who shared her experience. “It’s just a perfect match of mission and resources.

Photo: BOOST graduate and apprentice, Naeila, creates an "All In" tote at Zaman's Industrial Sewing Center.

Nov 15, 2022

Practice Makes Perfect for Zaman Apprentice

Israa Yousif’s long-time dream is to be a chef, something that felt out of reach not long ago. 

As an Iraqi refugee, Israa could speak Arabic and Turkish, but still struggled with English after having spent her first decade in the country mostly at home raising her three children, who are now 20, 13, and 9 years old.

When COVID hit, she decided to pursue her passion through Zaman’s workforce development program BOOST, which also provides literacy support in addition to vocational training in the culinary arts and sewing.

“It’s the first time outside the usual errands using limited English,” said Israa, who came to the USA in 2012 with her husband and their children. “So, I said ‘I need to do it, I need to believe I can do this.’ … When you believe you can do it. When you can imagine you can do it, if you say you can do it, you can. That’s the first step.”

Well on Her Way After Graduating from BOOST

Israa is closer to achieving that dream after graduating from BOOST’s culinary arts program  in the spring, and starting a yearlong apprenticeship as a certified cook at Zaman in June.

“She was very quiet at first, but I could tell she was curious and wanted to learn more. A few months into BOOST she became comfortable and her English really began to pick up,” said Zaman’s Chef Kim Marks-Ball, who oversees the apprenticeship and provided the culinary arts training when Israa enrolled at Zaman.

Earning Experience and Livable Wages at Hope For Humanity Center

As an apprentice, Israa is employed in Zaman’s culinary arts training kitchen, as she gains professional culinary experience while earning a livable wage at the organization’s Hope for Humanity Center in Inkster.

As part of a three-person team with some additional volunteers pitching in, Israa helped make over 4,500 lunches during the summer that were distributed to underserved people through local churches, community centers, and food pantries. She also recently cooked for over 100 people for a BOOST student recognition ceremony, about 80 more people than she had ever cooked for in Iraq.

“When you work, it’s a more fulfilling life,” said Israa.

It’s professional experience that puts her in position to pursue a career as a certified kitchen cook or chef, or to run an entrepreneurial venture out of her home as part of Michigan’s cottage food industry.

“When it came time to decide the next apprentice, Israa came to mind. She’s not only a good cook, she wants to learn and is a good collaborator,” said Chef Kim. “Israa practices over and over when she wants to learn something.” 

Building a Business Plan for What Comes Next

Using what she’s learned in BOOST’s entrepreneurship program, Israa is building a business plan for her next venture when the apprenticeship concludes. She is also teaching community education classes to children for Zaman, including roasted vegetable pizzas, as she promotes healthier eating to the next generation.

“It’s like a dream, there’s too much love here (at Zaman),” Israa said.

Photo: Israa and Chef Kim pose at the BOOST 2022 end-of-year celebration. Courtesy of Hanaan Haque.

Nov 14, 2022

Zaman’s Adult Vocational and Literacy Program Ranks No. 1 in State

Zaman’s adult vocational and literacy program ranked No. 1 in Michigan based on educational performance outcomes during the 2021-2022 program year, reflecting the resilience of more than 70 women who are pursuing literacy, vocational, and entrepreneurship training.

“The growth of our students has been amazing to watch,” said Gigi Salka, Zaman’s chief workforce officer. “This achievement speaks to their resilience and hard work, but also validates our holistic, client-centric approach, We provide everything conveniently onsite where we can provide our clients integrated training and education with wraparound services that support their success.”

The vocational and literacy program teaches English as a Second Language, from basic reading to grammar skills to more advance levels needed to pursue postsecondary education or employment. Literacy students often also receive life skills, vocational training, and career navigator support through culturally competent programs designed for mothers facing additional barriers to employment such as low literacy, lack of English proficiency, childcare, and transportation.

The program ranking is annually determined by the state based on adult learner outcomes – known as measurable skill gains. These include educational attainment and academic gains, high school credential completions, employment after program exit and media wage earnings if employed. 

Zaman’s students notched an 81.69% measurable skills gain, surpassing the state’s target of by more than 30%.

“This is a tremendous achievement on many levels, one being the ongoing implications from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, what it more greatly reflects is the dedication, passion and determination of Zaman’s program staff, partners, and most its importantly learners,” said Patrick Brown, executive director, Michigan Adult, Community and Alternative Education (MACAE) Association, the state’s largest advocacy organization for adult education.  

Zaman’s vocational and literacy work is part of its workforce development and vocational training program known as BOOST (Building Ongoing Opportunities through Skills Training) . Its literacy efforts are funded by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult Program through the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. 

“Zaman has found a niche and now we’re working to perfect and scale it,” said Zaman CEO and Founder Najah Bazzy. “One-size-fits-all doesn’t work, and it certainly doesn’t maximize resources. We’ve focused on the intersection of poverty and workforce development and developed specific programming tailored to the needs of our client communities. It’s really a model that can be emulated and customized.”

WIOA provides participants with workforce investment activities that increase employment, retention, earnings and occupational skill attainment which improves the quality of the workforce, reduces welfare dependency, and enhances the productivity and competitiveness of the economy.

Sep 06, 2022

URGENT APPEAL: Pakistan Flood Relief

Click here to contribute today.

An extreme monsoon season continues to devastate Pakistan as heavy rainfall has caused widespread flooding and landslides, creating a dire situation and urgent need for crisis relief.⁠
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In total, some 2.3 million people have been affected since mid-June—with more than 1,000 people killed and almost 950,000 homes damaged or destroyed—in what local officials are calling a “climate catastrophe.” The situation is expected to worsen, as more rainfall is forecast for the coming weeks.⁠
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Zaman is collaborating with our long-term partner, International Medical Corps, to help those affected by recent flooding in Pakistan.
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Shelter, food, health, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) have been identified as priority needs. Due to floodwaters and lack of access to clean drinking water, authorities expect water-borne diseases, respiratory tract infections, skin infections, malaria and flood-related injuries to rise—while significant infrastructure damage and displacement are limiting access to health services.⁠
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International Medical Corps, which has been in Pakistan since 1985 and has roughly 120 team members on the ground, is responding and urgently needs help to expand our response efforts.⁠
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Due to their longstanding presence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, International Medical Corps already has provided local health officials with enough medicines and medical supplies to care for around 4,000 patients for more than one month. They will be providing additional medicines and medical supplies, and plan to deploy mobile medical teams to deliver essential health services directly to flood-affected communities in both KP and Sindh provinces. They are also in the process of conducting additional assessments to better understand and address growing mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and WASH needs.

Jul 09, 2022

‘I Can Dream Again’

For the resilient women who come to Zaman to better their lives and lift their families out of poverty, their journey takes them from crisis and instability to sustainability and success. 

On June 9, Zaman’s vocational and literacy program – BOOST – brought together 80 Zaman clients, past and present, to celebrate their progress in breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

“Zaman brought me back to life. I now have an opportunity to realize all of the goals that I had put on hold. I can dream again,” said Arwa, a BOOST graduate and owner of Arwa's Corner who was selling her intricately embroidered products at the event, which Zaman hosted in its Hope for Humanity Center.

Arwa’s Corner is the small business she developed and opened with the guidance of Zaman’s entrepreneurship class and reflects the ultimate goal of a client achieving sustainable success after graduating from Zaman.

“To bring back someone like Arwa who has completed the program and now runs her own small business sends a powerful message to our clients who have similar goals,” said BOOST Director Gigi Salka.  “The ceremony was such a beautiful way to recognize the hard work these women are putting in every day and showcase what they can accomplish in pursuit of their dreams.”

The end-of-the-year ceremony honored 105 students at various stages of their Zaman journey whether they improved their English skills, gained U.S. citizenship, advanced their education, learned new life and vocational skills, started their own business, or found employment outside Zaman.

During the program, Yolanda Gardenhire announced she had achieved one of her major goals of earning a high school diploma as she continues to work to build a better life with her son. 

“I did it, I completed (earning my diploma) and I want to thank you so much,” Yolanda said. “It has been a wonderful journey for the seven months I’ve been here.”

Yolanda, who is employed onsite at Zaman’s Rising Hope Bakery earning a livable wage, had shared her story with Subaru’s CNN Hero Success Story last year as it highlighted Zaman’s success since the 2019 CNN Heroes Award.

Jun 23, 2022

Zaman Travels to Geneva for World Refugee Day

Zaman CEO and Founder Najah Bazzy attended the “Welcoming the Stranger: Shaping the Future” international conference in Geneva, Switzerland on June 20-21 as part of World Refugee Day. The invite-only event brought together more than 50 local and national practitioners of faith-sensitive response from at least 37 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.

The world is facing an unprecedented displacement crisis, according to HIAS, as more people have been forced from their homes than ever before, with over 100 million people – 1% of the entire global population – now seeking sanctuary from war, violence, and persecution. 

“We are talking about all the barriers and pain points and complexities that people are seeing at every single level imaginable,” said Najah, noting attendees included government officials, faith-based leaders and NGOs who are working together to create recommendations to the world’s refugee crises.

Zaman’s origins as an organization date back to helping Iraqi refugees displaced by war in the 1990s and continues today as it aids resettled refugees from multiple countries, including Afghanistan.

“The gathering taught us that working in the trenches for the betterment of our humanity and advocating for policy improvements helps our nations cope with the growing number of displaced people -- the highest percentage which are women and children,” said Najah.

The event was hosted by HIAS, Islamic Relief Worldwide, and Lutheran World Federation with the support of the UNHCR. The conference improves partnerships between grassroots faith actors and the international humanitarian system to better include them in responses. It fosters collaboration to provide better protection and an improved welcome to displaced people around the world.   

“I was so proud of Zaman’s work to help share best practices and mentor next-generation leaders at the event,” Najah said. “We thank IRUSA for thinking of us and IRWorldwide for sponsoring us. A great big thank you to all the organizers and new friends as we work together to help bring relief to refugees around the world.”

Jun 07, 2022

Zaman Piloting Online Workforce Prep Path This Summer

When women complete their Zaman journey the goal is for them to set out on a sustainable path to education, employment, or small business ownership – and ultimately a better life that lifts their family out of poverty.

This summer Zaman is piloting the Workforce Prep Path, a program designed to ensure clients have all the skills they need to succeed at work or in the classroom after they leave Zaman. 

“When you walk into a job interview, you bring your whole self and all that’s happening in your life with you. So many of the obstacles to successful employment start outside the workplace. It’s important that workforce prep programming is holistic and helps people manage things like mental wellness and finances so they can pursue better jobs and education and succeed over the long term,” said Gigi Salka, Zaman’s director of BOOST ((Building Ongoing Opportunities through Skills Training).

The 12-week program offers online instruction in four distinct areas of curriculum, including: mental wellness, health and nutrition, job readiness, and financial literacy. Courses are available for native English and Arabic speakers as well as those who are learning English as a second language.

The prep path is open to clients receiving support through the Bayt Al-Zahra social work program or those pursuing vocational and literacy training through Zaman’s BOOST program. The goal is to test the pilot over the summer and eventually offer the program twice a year in the fall and winter.

May 20, 2022

Zaman CEO and Founder Inducted into Michigan Business Women Hall of Fame

Alongside five other talented women leaders, Zaman founder and CEO Najah Bazzy was recently inducted into the Michigan Business Women Hall of Fame on May 12 at the 26th annual Women Thrive Conference in Dearborn. The award is a recognition of Zaman’s work to break the cycle of poverty.

“It’s humbling to be recognized alongside so many other brilliant women,” said Bazzy, who beyond her work at Zaman, also mentors women of all ages as they navigate their careers, motherhood, and family decisions. 

“It’s important for women to be there for each other and to learn from each other. The world is a better place with strong leadership, both men and women, leading the way,” she added.

MichBusiness, which hosted the event, annually honors Women Workplace Leaders who make significant contributions to their fields and the community. The hall of fame award recognizes “women whose careers have reached exceptional levels of success and have elevated and encouraged women in the workplace.”

“I am motivated by seeing women on Zaman’s staff creating an organization that has grown to have a worldwide impact, but also offers them a fulfilling career pathway to pursue their own personal and professional goals,” said Bazzy. “And the beauty is, as our staff grows professionally, their work empowers the women who come to Zaman to pursue vocational training and employment to lift their family out of poverty.”

Other inductees honored at the event hosted by MichBusiness, included:

Linglong He, Chief Leadership Advisor, Rocket Central

Christina Lovio-George, Founder, Lovio George, Inc.

Dr. Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, President, Oakland University

Dr. Cynthia Taueg, Vice President of Community Health Services, Ascension Southeast Michigan

Dorothy Zehnder, Co-founder and Co-owner, Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn

“It’s an amazing group of accomplished women,” MichBusiness President and CEO Jennifer Kluge said of the award-winners. “There’s something magical about us being together in-person again.”

Apr 14, 2022

Rising Hope Comes from the Children Zaman Lifts Out of Poverty

The hope Zaman creates is best represented by the potential of the children it helps lift out of poverty. That was a key message from the 16th annual Community Iftar Dinner, held on Saturday, April 9, at the Bint Jebail Cultural Center in Dearborn.

“When you have organizations like Zaman, it's important to recognize they are necessary to ensure that the next family who is in poverty is uplifted and they're able to break that cycle,” said Dearborn Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud, who delivered the keynote speech and reflected on his family’s own journey to break its cycle of poverty.

“And maybe it is the hope that the next child Zaman uplifts out of poverty is not one that rises to become a mayor, but is one that rises to become governor or U.S. senator or president of this great nation,” he added. 

Zaman CEO and founder Najah Bazzy highlighted how Zaman’s strength is in its donors that step up when poverty threatens to strip away the dignity of marginalized mothers and children.

“You shield the families from that poverty because you’re willing to stand up with good hearts as the great people you are and do something about it,” said Najah. She explained that increased funding from donors has increased the organization’s budget by over 60% in the past four years and is helping Zaman build a new client corridor with expanding workforce and employment opportunities onsite, including an industrial sewing center and the Rising Hope Bakery. 

“We are on the cusp of a new era in workforce development as more clients can move to become employees onsite at Zaman or a business outside of Zaman,” Najah said. “The goal is to break the cycle of intergenerational so that the kids don't have to grow up the same way and suffer the way their mom did.”

She noted Zaman has helped more than 70 women secure employment and break the cycle of poverty, including 10 who have been hired onsite at Zaman at a livable wage since December.

Longtime Zamanitarians Share Their ‘Why Zaman’ Moments

The event marked Zaman’s first in-person Iftar dinner since 2019 due to the pandemic, and brought together approximately 800 Zamanitarians for a night of reflection and fellowship in celebration of the Holy Month of Ramadan. 

Speakers throughout the program shared their “Why Zaman” moments, explaining their continued support for the organization. For Zaman Treasurer Dr. Nader Bazzi, he had seen too many children come to his dentistry practice lacking proper care.

“Zaman really fit in into my vision to improve the world, one child at a time,” Nader said. “Once you have a mother that's able to take care of their kids, the kids are then able to succeed and come back and give back to the community. It's a big circle and we're all part of it.”

Board Chairman Gehad Alawan, spoke to the altruism his parents instilled in him growing up to provide for those in need. In January, Gehad saw another poignant example of that need as Afghan refugees started arriving at Zaman.

“There was a woman holding a little baby less than two years old who had no socks and no shoes. It was probably about 10 to 15 degrees outside,” Gehad said. “That's what drives me to this organization. We continue to realize there's a need out there, whether they're a refugee or somebody in our community in need, there's always going to be a need for Zaman.”

For emcee and another long-time Zamanitarian Tarik Turfe, the organization continues to resonate with him as it has grown from the early days of Najah working out of the back of her van to become a mainstay in the region’s nonprofit community.

“Zaman now graduates people out of the cycle of poverty,” Tarik said. “As Zaman grows and it reaches so many more throughout the Metro Detroit region, you are all contributing to the mission of advancing the lives of marginalized women and children.”

Mar 11, 2022

Hope Rising: Annual Report Available Online

At Zaman, we have used the past two years during the pandemic to double down on what we do best. These efforts are outlined in our 2021 Annual Report, which is now available online.

Under the theme “Hope Rising,” the 22-page report highlights the past year of Zaman’s newest efforts to break the cycle of poverty including the launch of Rising Hope Bakery, our new industrial sewing program and client-choice food pantry. It also offers a snapshot into the renovations underway to add new literacy and industrial sewing centers, health clinic, and Bayt Al-Zahra offices at the Hope for Humanity Center.

To download your copy today, visit this link.

Mar 08, 2022

2022 Ramadan Campaign Launches

This Ramadan, your gift supports a family of four:
 $50 provides an Iftar meal

• $100 provides food pantry visits
• $200 provides food and Eid gifts
• $300 provides food, Eid gifts, and clothing.
• $600 sponsors two families' food, Eid gifts, and clothing.
• $900 sponsors three families' food, Eid gifts, and clothing.

Visit bit.ly/zramadan22 to make your Rising Hope gift today.

MORE WAYS TO GIVE:
Zelle: info@zamaninternational.org (Please include your name and email in the memo section.)

Click here to donate cryptocurrency at Every.org.

Mar 07, 2022

Global Woman Magazine Recognizes Zaman CEO Najah Bazzy Among Top 6 Muslim Female Thought Leaders

On the day before International Women’s Day, Global Woman Magazine recognized Zaman Founder and CEO Najah Bazzy as one of the top six Muslim female thought leaders.

The article recognized the women as: “Making a positive impact in a sea of billions of voices is difficult enough in itself. The following six women have been doing it anyway by kicking down the doors that contained long-standing, outdated mentalities that have held Muslims — especially Muslim women — back for too long.”

Along with Bazzy, highlighted for Zaman’s humanitarian work to empower women to break the cycle of poverty, the list included:
Hoda Katebi, Iranian-American Writer

• Asma Khalil, Professor of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine at St. George’s University Hospital
• Amna Mirza: CMO, Zakat Foundation of America
• Dena Takruri: Palestinian-American Journalist
• G. Willow Wilson: Comic Book Writer

Global Woman Magazine strives to inspire, connect, and empower women across the world. It aims to unite professional women regardless of age, culture or race and encourages them to stand in their power, invest in themselves, and grow their skills and abilities by learning and leadership development.

In highlighting Najah and Zaman’s work, the magazine wrote: “An internationally recognized healer, humanitarian and interfaith leader, Najah Bazzy is the founder of Zaman International, a nonprofit organization advancing the lives of marginalized women and children by enabling them to meet essential needs and break the cycle of poverty. Providing a blend of urgent assistance and self-reliance, the community-driven approach empowers households through vocational training and proudly states that it has transitioned “from a hand-out to a hands-on model.”

Bazzy has previously been recognized as a 2019 CNN Hero, 2020 Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame honoree, a Detroit News 2020 Michiganian of the Year, and 2021 Crain’s Detroit Business 100 Most Influential Women. She and her family appeared in the PBS film “Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet,” which was viewed by over 15 million people when it premiered in the U.S. and has been seen by hundreds of millions worldwide since.

Read the original article here.

Dec 15, 2021

Zaman Featured As ‘CNN Heroes Success Story’

On December 12, Zaman was featured during the CNN Heroes All-Star Tribute broadcast in a “CNN Heroes Success Story” short film. The piece highlighted Zaman's workforce development programming and the recently launched Rising Hope Bakery.

Produced by Courageous Studios (CNN’s brand studio), the video chronicles the impact of Subaru's matching grant during Zaman’s CNN Heroes experience in 2019. It follows the stories of two Zaman clients who are now employees of Rising Hope Bakery, building sustainable futures for themselves and their children.

Click here to watch the short film.
Click here for a story from Local 4 News about Rising Hope.

Dec 07, 2021

Zaman Launches ‘Rising Hope Bakery’ Product Line

Zaman International recently launched its Rising Hope Bakery product line featuring four cookies branded to reflect the mission of Zaman to empower women to break the cycle of extreme poverty. The baked goods, created onsite in Zaman’s commercial kitchen, are part of Zaman’s expanded workforce development programming at the Hope for Humanity Center.

“Access to sustainable employment is the best way to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty,” said Najah Bazzy, founder and CEO of Zaman. “Our goal is to create a robust product-to-market line that will provide increased onsite employment opportunities for our clients. It allows them to take the vocational skills they learned here and create a sustainable income that empowers them to achieve self-reliance and eventual employment outside Zaman.”

The Rising Hope Bakery product-to-market program is being led by Panera Bread’s former lead bakery market manager for Southeast Michigan, Gary Waxler, who used to train Panera bakers locally and bakery managers across the country, and now serves as Zaman’s lead baker. As part of the program, Zaman hired two of its clients who have completed culinary arts training at the facility to make the cookies as part of its efforts to provide onsite employment and break the cycle of poverty.

Currently the product line features four gourmet cookies developed in Zaman’s commercial kitchen, which opened earlier this year, and are available for online purchase at RisingHopeBakery.com. The flavors are: Fearless Fudge Walnut, Everyday Hero Peanut Butter, Beat the Odds Oatmeal Fruit, and Champion Chocolate Chip. The names are designed to raise awareness about Zaman’s mission and help customers understand that a portion of the proceeds from their purchases will help support Zaman’s programming.

“These names are inspired by the resilient women who come to Zaman facing extreme poverty and overcome it to achieve self-reliance and better lives for their families,” said Waxler.

Zaman is currently seeking distribution retail partners for Rising Hope Bakery.

Zaman’s typical client family is a single mother raising two children on an annual income of less than $12,000. They often come from overlooked populations facing challenges such as domestic abuse, abandonment disability, and language and cultural barriers. Women entering the Hope for Humanity Center typical enter in crisis and embark on a journey from crisis to sustainability that provides basic needs, education, training and life skills, and eventually employment or the skillset and training to start a business.

Zaman opened its workforce development kitchen – its second state-of-the-art kitchen onsite – to create more employment opportunities for clients who complete courses through the BOOST’s (Building Ongoing Opportunities through Skills Training) culinary arts program, which has its own training kitchen.  

About Zaman International – Hope for Humanity
Zaman International is a non-profit organization committed to advancing the lives of marginalized women and children by empowering them to break the cycle of poverty. Founded as a grassroots group of volunteers in 1996, Zaman has grown to a world-class non-profit organization that has helped approximately 2.5 million people around the world. Operating from its 40,500 square-foot facility in Inkster, Zaman offers assistance ranging from basic necessities to life skills, education and vocational training and workforce development programs. Internationally, Zaman collaborates with partners to assist those in need of clean water and relief from natural disasters. Learn more at zamaninternational.org.

Nov 21, 2021

Direct Assistance Begins for Afghan Refugees Arriving in Michigan

Zaman's social work team has begun meeting with Afghan refugee families arriving in Michigan to assess urgent and long-term needs. Zaman will provide material items, including hygiene and cleaning kits, winter gear, and food, to meet immediate needs, and will enroll women in our BOOST vocational training programs.

Zaman continues to work in collaboration with resettlement agencies like Samaritas and Jewish Family Services and with community partners like the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to provide continued and culturally-competent support for refugees.

To contribute to these efforts, click here for a list of items needed, or click here to donate funds.

Nov 17, 2021

Former Panera Executive Leading Zaman’s Product-to-Market Initiative

As Panera Bread’s lead bakery market manager in Southeast Michigan for 20 years, Gary Waxler helped test new products locally before the corporation took the items nationwide. He also traveled the country to train lead bakers at other stores as products rolled out.

Today, Waxler is leading the product-to-market effort at Zaman’s newly formed Rising Hope Bakery and fulfilling a calling to positively impact the community dating back to his days coaching youth basketball in Redford.

“I fell in love with Zaman’s mission and the opportunity to give back to the community,” said Waxler, who joined Zaman after recently deciding to seek a role in the non-profit sector after more than 30 years working for corporations in the food and beverage industry, including Panera Bread, Sunshine Foods, and Dunkin’ Donuts.

The Rising Hope Bakery is part of Zaman’s growing workforce development initiatives and will provide onsite employment opportunities for graduates of BOOST’s culinary arts program while creating revenue to help sustain the organization’s work to empower women to break the cycle of poverty.

“With today’s busy lifestyles, food often revolves around convenience, so baking is a dying art form because fewer people can do it well. But there are many companies looking for employees with skills in the kitchen,” Waxler added.

Using Zaman’s recently opened commercial kitchen, Waxler is leading efforts to launch a product line of Zaman-branded cookies and secure distribution in stores throughout Southeast Michigan ranging from gas stations to large retailers. The cookies’ branding is in development, but will include naming to help customers understand that purchasing the cookies will support Zaman’s overall mission.

“People like buying products with a purpose that help the greater good, and these cookies and future bakery items will convey Zaman’s mission and message of hope,” Waxler said.

Hired in August, Waxler’s new role harkens back his days in Panera Bread training kitchens as well as his 40 years of coaching girls’ basketball in Redford, both of which helped his trainees and players grow in the kitchen and on the court, as well as in life.

“I used to see it when I was at Panera with trainees, starting a career in baking can be discouraging at first,” Waxler said. “But once you give someone hands-on opportunities to put their skills to work, they get confidence and flourish. It’s the same here at Zaman and it’s wonderful to be a part of.”

Oct 11, 2021

Fighting Poverty Requires an Unprecedented Commitment: Are We Up to It?

October 17 was the United Nations’ “International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.” While I applaud the awareness the day creates, the fact that poverty exists in a country as wealthy as the United States is a moral failure. It is holding back this nation and is as shameful as it is heart-breaking.

With COVID-19 forcing a reevaluation of nearly every aspect of society, perhaps we can use this opportunity to adjust our approach to eradicating poverty and food insecurity by better linking philanthropy with workforce development. Doing so would help address two issues: poverty and our employers’ need for talent.

Such an effort is going to require rethinking how we do things in philanthropic and business circles as well as understanding where we stand amid the health and economic crises caused by the pandemic. The barriers to prosperity and social mobility are long-standing and well known. Lack of transportation, limited access to health care, illiteracy, and language and cultural barriers – are disproportionately felt by underserved communities, including women, immigrants, and people of color as the pandemic reminded us.

At Zaman International, our typical client is a single mother with two children living on less than $12,000 annually. Over 20 years of work, we have learned that the best way to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty is through a holistic approach that empowers our resilient clients to overcome the barriers they face and pursue sustainable employment.

Our Hope for Humanity Center in Inkster is a one-stop for hope that first provides for basic needs then positions women to complete vocation training in the sewing and culinary arts industries. It provides a secure, safe environment as they develop the skills and confidence needed to eventually pursue outside employment or start their own business. It is a proven model we are proud of and working to expand to meet growing need in our community.

While I remain hopeful we will put the lessons of the pandemic to work to meaningfully address poverty and increased food security, my fear is that this crisis will pass without the changes needed to correct the systemic issues that perpetuate intergenerational poverty.

The American Rescue Plan, for instance, is a major step in the right direction, but it cannot damper our sense of urgency. We won’t lift everyone out of poverty without a commitment across all facets of society for generations, and it’s going to need to happen family by family. Yes, government can help, and perhaps lead the charge – but it is going to take a broader coordinated effort across the public, private and philanthropic sectors.

At Zaman, like so many other non-profits, we are taking on poverty one life and livelihood at a time, but we know it’s not enough. It’s going to take us all working together in new ways. But most of all, it requires a sustained, long-term financial commitment to fund a nationwide workforce-based philanthropic strategy that can be replicated and tailored to individual communities.

I know this country can overcome any challenge when it puts its collective mind to it. In terms of eradicating poverty, I hope we choose to do so.

Najah Bazzy, RN, is founder and CEO of Zaman International, a 2020 Detroit News Michiganian of the Year, Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame Inductee, and CNN Hero.

Sep 24, 2021

2021 Winter Drive

Each winter, Zaman provides winter essentials to our client families, ensuring that each family member has what they need to keep them safe and warm during the coldest months.

This year, we are committed to addressing the needs of the mothers we serve, as well as those of their children. Because of this dual focus, and based on our current inventory, we're focusing our efforts on the following items (new and never used):

1. COATS: Women's and older boys'/men's sizes
2. BOOTS: All sizes
3. HATS & GLOVES: All sizes
4. SOCKS & SLIPPERS: All sizes
5. WINTER PAJAMA SETS: All sizes
6. WARM BLANKETS: Twin & Full/Queen

Click here to donate funds.
Click here to donate goods.

Aug 27, 2021

International Action Alert

Currently, Zaman is ramping up our efforts through local and international partnerships to provide relief to those impacted by the tragedies unfolding in Afghanistan, Haiti, and Lebanon. With so many suffering through life-altering events, it is going to take an extraordinary response to meet the increased need.

Please consider contributing in any way you are able to support:

• Afghan Refugees
• Lebanon
• Haiti

Zaman to Provide Basic Needs, Vocational Training to Afghan Refugees
Zaman’s mission began with refugee resettlement more than 20 years ago, and we remain committed to this work today. Zaman is in contact with local resettlement agencies and is poised to provide basic needs resources, case management and vocational training for Afghan refugees arriving to Michigan.
Zaman is currently accepting monetary donations as well as new or like-new clothing and other basic supplies.

• Click here to donate. Select the initiative you would like to support under "Website Donation Purpose."
• Click here for a list of in-kind donations needed.
• We anticipate a need for bilingual volunteers able to provide translation support for our case management and vocational training teams. Contact us if you are able to help.

Help Procure Life-saving Medications through Mobile Medical Unit in Lebanon
Zaman is launching a 2021 Lift Lebanon campaign in an effort to help procure life-saving medications and medical supplies as a recent explosion has compounded the ongoing economic and health crises there. Through our partnership with International Medical Corps, donations through Zaman will go directly to support a health care system severely strained by prolonged crisis.
As in previous response efforts, International Medical Corps is able to secure matching dollars of at least 30:1 from their larger partner organizations like the European Union, World Bank, and USAID. To learn more about International Medical Corps directly, visit their webpage.

• Click here to donate. Select the initiative you would like to support under "Website Donation Purpose."
• Email us to support this initiative.

Need Grows for Emergency Medical Relief in Haiti Following Devastating Earthquake, Tropical Storms
Collaborating with renowned global first-responder International Medical Corps, Zaman is committed to help provide a mobile medical unit to those in need following the devastating Aug. 14 earthquake in Haiti. According to UNICEF, a total of about 1.2 million people, including 540,000 children, have been affected by the quake, with relief efforts further hampered by tropical storms that have swept the area, creating flooding and disrupting access to water, shelter and other basic services.

• Click here to donate. Select the initiative you would like to support under "Website Donation Purpose."

Aug 04, 2021

Lifting Lebanon, One Year Later

August 4, 2021, marks one year since the devastating explosion in Beirut, which left more than 220 dead, more than 7,000 injured, and more than 300,000 homeless. Soon after the blast, through our partners at International Medical Corps, Zaman launched the "Lift Lebanon" fundraising campaign.

With the support of donors around the globe, the "Lift Lebanon" campaign raised over $463,000. Because International Medical Corps is able to leverage donations, on average, 30:1, this has resulted in more than $13.8 million in impact on the ground.

Watch this video, provided by International Medical Corps, to see your generosity in action. 
 

In the past year, you have:

1. Supported more than 500,000 health consultations;
2. Reached nearly 90 facilities with medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE);
3. Rehabilitated three primary healthcare centers;
4. Provided 10,259 mental health consultations;
5. Reached 2,327 people through awareness-raising sessions to prevent gender-based violence;
6. And much more

On behalf of Zaman and International Medical Corps, we thank you for your commitment to our global human family.

May 18, 2021

Mise En Place

Sister Chefs Daniela Mancinelli Abel and Adriana Kalota Reflect on Their Time at Zaman

With Zaman opening a second kitchen, everything is in place for its culinary arts program to expand its impact in workforce development and onsite job opportunities for its clients and enter a new era of breaking the cycle of poverty.

Two of the women who’ve been central to building the culinary arts program over the past several years are chefs, culinary arts instructors, and sisters, Daniela Mancinelli Abel and Adriana “Adri” Kalota.

Both recently left the organization to pursue the next chapter in their professional lives, Abel to a culinary school in Royal Oak and Kalota to pursue recipe development and launch a food blog. Valued Zamanitarians, they recently reflected on their time at Zaman.

Note: Answers have been condensed and edited for clarity.

What about Zaman’s mission appeals to you?

DA: The first thing that attracted me to the organization is helping women. We grew up in a very female-centered household. It was me, Adri and my mom and dad, and my dad was the odd one out as the man in the family. My mom, raised us to be very strong opinionated forward-thinking women. And so helping women seemed incredibly natural to me and something that I want to do.
 

Adriana, talk about what your experience at Zaman has been like?

AK: I agree with Daniela. I love Zaman because I've witnessed firsthand the impact it has on women's lives. Whether you are making just a small donation of clothing or volunteering your time, all of that is going back into the organization and changes lives. I've seen women graduating from the vocational programs and passing their citizenship tests, and it's incredibly rewarding to see.
 

What’s it like watching the growth of the culinary arts program during your time at Zaman?

DA: When Najah took me into the first proposed kitchen space it was still just tile. The equipment wasn't even in the kitchen yet. And it was a blank canvas. And it's what I needed in my life at the time. I was bursting at the seams with creativity. So going from a blank canvas to all of the programs and the second kitchen, I'm proud of that growth.
 

What would you say to someone thinking about participating in Zaman’s culinary arts program?

DA: I would say it's not just about culinary arts, it's about life skills. It also gives them an extreme amount of confidence that they didn't know they had. Even if cooking isn’t something they end up pursuing, they study extremely hard to pass their exams. And they all came out with this huge sense of accomplishment and confidence. They feel that they can go out and conquer the world.
 

What did you learn from working with the clients at Zaman?

AK: I'm not a natural born teacher. So, taking on Zaman’s first apprentice was something that I really wanted to do because I had never done something like that before. It was a way to push myself. It was an incredible amount of responsibility because I felt like her education was in my hands and I did not want to let her down. I learned a lot from that first apprenticeship experience and from all the students. Seriously, to teach is to learn twice. I learned so much more about my craft when I was teaching it to other people. It was great experience.

What’s it like working in the Hope for Humanity Center?

AK: To see the amount of people that came together when COVID hit and the boxes being made constantly in the warehouse was incredible. Every time Zaman would get a phone call from anybody, we were like: “Come get a box of food.” Zaman does not turn people away. And I see that firsthand in the building every day. It doesn't matter what someone needs, they will never be turned away.

What does it mean to you to be a Zamanitarian?

DA: The first thing that comes to mind is my favorite quote by Pablo Picasso: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” And I think that's what it means to be a Zamanitarian and a humanitarian, and just a good person. Everyone has a gift. It could be small or large or in between. But you need to figure out how to give it away. It's our responsibility as human beings.

You both live your lives by the mantra: “mise en place,” which means “everything in its place.”  How do you apply that to your work at Zaman?

AK: In culinary school that is drilled into your head over and over again. You can't even approach the stove until everything is ready to go and prepped and organized, because the last thing you want to do is be cooking and be like: “Where are the peppers?” It puts you behind and it's not efficient. I think that is the most important skill that you can share with somebody. It makes you succeed by making sure that you are organized, that you're in the right mental place to begin cooking, and you're ready to go no matter what you’re taking on in life.

Apr 05, 2021

“Hope Amid Crisis” Ramadan Campaign Launches

As the Holy Month of Ramadan, observed by many within our Zaman family, approaches, we invite you to join us in providing Hope Amid Crisis to families in need. 
 

How can you help?

1. Sponsor a Family - Your gift of $100 provides food and household necessities for a family of four.
2. Donate Goods - Complete a "Journey to Hope" charity kit with your family, collecting funds, food, hygiene items and Eid gifts to support client families. Both physical and virtual kits will be available, free of charge.
3. Volunteer - Fully vaccinated? Browse our Ramadan volunteer opportunities and help us spread hope to local families in need.

For details about any of these options, visit our "Hope Amid Crisis" landing page by visiting bit.ly/ramadanhope.

While this Ramadan may still be different than what many are used to, know that your charitable acts during this month will truly make a difference in the lives of families living in extreme poverty. Stay tuned to your email and to Zaman's social media accounts for further updates.

As always, we ask you to take all recommended precautions to keep yourselves, your families, and your communities safe and healthy during Ramadan.

We wish you peace and blessings throughout this Holy Month!

Jan 01, 2021

Drive-Thru Food Distributions Continue As Needs Rise

Zaman continues to provide emergency food support for families in need by offering drive-thru distributions at the Hope for Humanity Center in Inkster (26091 Trowbridge St.). No-contact service for our next distribution will begin at 12:00 on March 25, 2021, and will continue until 2:00, while supplies last. Food will be available on a first come, first served basis. Team members and volunteers will be taking all necessary precautions to distribute food safely.

These distributions are offered in partnership with Gleaners Community Food Bank's School Food Mobile Program.  

This initiative is a critical component of Zaman's emergency response to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.  Through partnerships with United Way for Southeastern Michigan, Gleaners Community Food Bank, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Zaman has helped to provide on-site food distribution to those in need since mid-March, serving low-income families, seniors, and students who rely on free and reduced meals during normal school operations.

To date, Zaman has distributed over 370,000 pounds of food during its COVID-19 response.

For the latest information about upcoming distributions, be sure to follow Zaman on Facebook or Instagram at @zamaninternational.

Nov 12, 2020

The Sewing Machine Project Grants 25 Sewing Machines to Zaman

Zaman International is continuing to serve its clients amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and that includes virtual sewing instruction as part of its BOOST vocational arts programming. Recently, The Sewing Machine Project granted 25 sewing machines for Zaman to loan out to its students.

“I reached out to The Sewing Machine Project in August because we needed sewing machines so students could continue instruction at home,” said Gigi Salka, Director of BOOST. “The Sewing Machine Project delivered for Zaman and it has helped these women continue to pursue careers through our program. We are so thankful for their support.”

Currently, there are 26 students receiving instruction remotely. Students attend sewing classes using Google Meet, quizzes and homework are administered using Google Forms, and students snap a picture of their completed sewing project and upload it to Google Classroom or send it to the teacher via email.

“Instruction is continuing on schedule and students are progressing well,” said Salka. “Their skills have actually improved because they are able to spend more time on their sewing projects at home to do more practice. It is also helpful that all the machines are the same, it makes it easier for the teacher to troubleshoot and for the students to help each other outside of class.”

The BOOST sewing program provides multi-level sewing instruction ranging from alterations to custom tailoring and use of industrial sewing machines to help students who progress through the program enter the job market or start their own business.

During COVID shutdown Zaman transitioned to online instruction, including our sewing program.  

In 2016, The Sewing Machine Project originally granted Zaman sewing machines and tables currently in the organization’s sewing center. The Sewing Machine Project was formed in 2005 for the purpose of bringing sewing into peoples’ lives by offering sewing machines, tools, and education. The non-profit works with groups committed to using the machines to provide opportunities to create, learn new skills, build self-confidence, and contribute to their own livelihoods and the well-being of their families and communities. 

Nov 12, 2020

Lift Lebanon Campaign Raises More Than $450,000

In partnership with International Medical Corps, Zaman raised more than $450,000 through the Lift Lebanon Campaign to support the more than 300,000 people displaced by the Aug. 4th explosion in #Beirut. International Medical Corps used the funds to mobilize the initial medical response and aid efforts as outlined in this video.

However, as a global NGO, International Medical Corps is able to leverage those donations at 30:1 through institutional donors such as USAID, the European Union, and the World Bank, meaning Zaman’s contributions will unlock more than $13.5 million to support our neighbors in need in Lebanon as recovery efforts continue.

While the Lift Lebanon campaign has concluded, donations will still be accepted via Zaman’s website, and the need will remain great as COVID-19 exacerbates ongoing political and economic crises in Lebanon. Moving forward, International Medical Corps' focus will be on expanding access to quality and affordable health services, mental health services and protection for vulnerable groups, including women & girls and those who are differently-abled.

For the latest update from International Medical Corps, visit this link.

Sep 14, 2020

Zaman Founder Najah Bazzy Featured by Lay’s to Benefit Operation Smile

Those walking the snack aisle may have seen a familiar face on the bags of Lay’s potato chips recently.

Zaman Founder and CEO Najah Bazzy is one of 30 people across the United States selected to appear on the bags in the third annual promotion to benefit Operation Smile, an international medical charity that provides access to safe surgical care to those who have cleft conditions. 

“There’s a transformative power in hope and I’m proud to participate in this effort to support Operation Smile and bring smiles to people as we work through these trying times,” Bazzy said. 

The campaign, which will provide up to $1 million to Operation Smile, highlights Najah and her work through Zaman to combat extreme poverty. In addition to her smile and photo, the bags share a quick story on Najah:

“Inspired by her experience as a nurse, Najah and Zaman International are providing basic needs assistance and vocational training to women, children and refugee families — empowering over two million people worldwide to break the cycle of poverty.”

The Lay’s Smiles packaging and brand’s digital media channels will also spotlight the unique stories of these 30 “Everyday Smilers” whose impact includes helping the homeless, veterans, youth, elderly and more – in hopes that their inspiring work will bring smiles to the faces of people across the country. 

Read more about the campaign and other “Smilers” featured here:
https://fritolay.new-media-release.com/lays_smiles_campaign/index.html

Aug 24, 2020

“We Need Bread”: Teaching Virtual Culinary Classes Amid a Pandemic

The request was simple, the need heart-breaking.

“Can we move up the bread chapter? We need bread.”

That’s the question students asked Chef and Culinary Arts Instructor Daniela Abel as they pursued adult education in Zaman International’s Building Ongoing Opportunities through Skills Training (BOOST) program.

Chef Abel, of course, switched up the curriculum to meet the need just like Zaman pivoted to  virtual learning when COVID-19 hit Michigan in March and the Governor issued the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order.

“When COVID-19 surged there wasn’t bread on the store shelves, and there was a lot of desperation and increased food insecurity across the board,” said Chef Abel, a veteran of the restaurant industry who now teaches the free of charge culinary arts classes. Her students are marginalized adult women facing extreme poverty, many of whom are members of immigrant and refugee communities.

Led by registered transcultural nurse Najah Bazzy, Zaman had been planning for the eventual shutdown weeks in advance. When the executive order came, it quickly transitioned BOOST’s vocational and literacy classes to virtual platforms while its social workers managed their caseloads by phone.

Chef Abel turned to Facebook Live, demonstrating the cooking techniques from her home kitchen as the 11 women enrolled followed along on their smart phones, often revisiting lessons once a paraprofessional added notes in Arabic to the video.

In switching to virtual lessons, Zaman still provided the basic supplies needed to participate such as a good set of knives and gift cards to purchase the food items. In some cases, staff provided home delivery to those without transportation.

The transition also reintroduced other challenges serving an impoverished population. A lack of a stove or microwave, for instance, something Zaman would normally provide for in-person instruction via its state-of-the-art commercial kitchen inside its Hope for Humanity facility in Inkster.

“We went raiding the facility for everything we could find, from plug-in skillets to heating plates to crockpots, anything they could cook on,” Chef Abel said. “One student sent a photo of her children smiling around the panini maker we provided which allowed them to have heated sandwiches. Such a simple thing brought so much joy and made such a big difference."

Despite the obstacles, the program succeeded with the students completing the coursework. One student used her newly acquired training to land a job at a local restaurant, earning a higher starting wage.

“It was really a lesson of adaptive leadership and making the impossible, possible,” said Gigi Salka, who serves as director of BOOST and managed the transition to virtual learning. “We have a lot to build on heading into the fall.”

Zaman is applying the lessons it learned in the spring to improve the experience for its fall programming, which it again intends to conduct virtually.

It will switch from Facebook Live to Google Classroom and loan students Chromebooks which will help centralize the curriculum and ensure better monitoring and communication. It will also provide start-up kits up front filled with basic spices, oils and cooking supplies needed to complete the coursework.

Similar steps will be incorporated to accommodate BOOST’s commercial sewing, literacy and English as a second language classes.

Aug 16, 2020

Zaman International Founder Najah Bazzy Inducted into Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame

LANSING – The Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame inducted Zaman International founder and CEO Najah Bazzy on Thursday, Oct. 15. Bazzy, a Canton resident, along with five other inductees from this year’s class, join the 333 other Hall of Fame inductees whose contributions to Michigan’s history inspire the women and girls of today and tomorrow.

“It’s a tremendous honor to have my name placed along so many inspiring leaders who’ve paved the way for women to make this world a better, more equitable place,” Bazzy said. “There isn’t a challenge in the world we can’t overcome if we embrace our collective humanity. But that requires leadership that understands that collective solutions come from empathy, understanding, and compassion. That philosophy has guided me throughout my journey and my work whether it be as a mother, a nurse, or CEO.”

Born and raised in Southeast Michigan, Bazzy is an internationally recognized healer, humanitarian and interfaith leader who has specialized over the past three decades in critical care and transcultural nursing while founding Zaman International. The Metro-Detroit based non-profit empowers marginalized women and children to break the cycle of extreme poverty. In 2019, she was recognized as a Top Ten CNN Hero highlighting Zaman’s growth from a grassroots team of volunteers to a world-class organization with a global reach that has helped more than 2.1 million people in 20 countries since 2010.

“Najah is a mother, nurse, educator and leader who saw the human suffering caused by extreme poverty and just couldn’t walk by and ignore it,” said Colleen Ezzeddine, Ph.D. and Vice Chair of Zaman’s Board of Directors. “Through Zaman she started a movement and people became attracted to it. Najah has provided a way for us all to give back. Now we are working every day to help marginalized women and children get back on their feet and create better lives for themselves and their families.”

Other 2020 inductees include:

·      Glenda Price, former Detroit Public Schools Foundation and Marygrove College President

·      Martha Teichner, CBS Sunday Morning Broadcaster

·      Dorothy Zehnder, Frankenmuth Restauranteur

·      Elizabeth Jackson, Union Leader (historical category)

·      Atlas Ruth Westbrook, Apollo 11 Pioneer (historical category)

“Today’s strong women can learn so much by studying the paths of our those who came before us,” said Carolyn Cassin, president and CEO, Michigan Women Forward, which operates the Hall of Fame.  “These amazing honorees have conquered so many obstacles and accomplished so much throughout their lives.  We are proud to salute them and want to be sure their stories are told.”

For a complete list of inductees since its founding in 1983, visit www.miwf.org/herstory/hall-of-fame/.

About Zaman International – Hope for Humanity

Zaman International is a non-profit organization committed to advancing the lives of marginalized women and children by empowering them to break the cycle of poverty. Founded as a grassroots group of volunteers in 1996, Zaman has grown to a world-class non-profit organization that has helped nearly 2.1 million people around the world. Operating from its 40,500 square-foot facility in Inkster, Zaman offers assistance ranging from basic necessities to life skills, education and vocational training. Internationally, Zaman collaborates with partners to assist those in need of clean water and relief from natural disasters. 

Contact: Jim Martinez 
313.348.0424

Aug 08, 2020

Annual Winter Drive Underway

Again this year, Zaman is providing brand new coats, gloves, hats, and other winter essentials to our client families. Your gift of $25 will help keep a child safe and warm, while $100 will allow us to serve a family of four.

To donate, click here.

Aug 05, 2020

Help Lift Lebanon in Wake of the Tragic Explosion in Beirut

The August 4 explosion in Lebanon has left hundreds dead, thousands injured, and more than 300,000 displaced. 

While still reeling from the tragic death and pain, our brothers and sisters in Beirut will face devastating food, hygiene and health needs that were already severe given the COVID-19 and economic crises that have left so many vulnerable and in need of aid.

In response to this rapidly growing humanitarian need, Zaman International is partnering with International Medical Corps on a “Lift Lebanon” fundraising campaign. Through International Medical Corps, every dollar donated unlocks an additional $30 in humanitarian aid from institutional donors, ensuring that your contribution will have a significant impact. Money raised through Zaman International will be sent directly to Lebanon.

With your help, International Medical Corps, which is already leading a robust COVID-19 response effort in Lebanon, will be supporting local hospitals and health facilities to secure medical consumables and supplies. Tragically, much of these types of supplies were in storage at the port prior to the explosion. 

Please consider donating what you can and share this message with your network. A swift response is needed to prevent further suffering and loss of life.

A long-time partner of Zaman, International Medical Corps began operating in Lebanon in 2006 and provides health, mental health, and gender-based violence prevention to refugees and vulnerable Lebanese. They support a network of 59 primary healthcare clinics and dispensaries across the country that provide, on average, more than 47,000 people with health services and nearly 1,000 people with mental health services each and every month.

Donate today to "Lift Lebanon".

Jul 22, 2020

Zaman International Releases Loaves For Hope Focaccia Bread

INKSTER – Today, Zaman International released its “Loaves For Hope” Italian-style focaccia bread marking the first product created in its Culinary Arts Kitchen, which is utilized to provide vocational training to women pursuing careers in the culinary arts. A portion of the proceeds from the sales will help support Zaman’s operations and programming.

“As people break bread together, they can also help break the cycle of poverty,” said Najah Bazzy, founder and CEO of Zaman. “‘Loaves For Hope,’ offers delicious focaccia bread, but more importantly supports sustainable career pathways for courageous women who are trying to beat the odds by overcoming extreme poverty.”

“Loaves For Hope” is the first commercial product prepared and baked in Zaman’s state-of-the-art Culinary Arts Kitchen at its Hope for Humanity Center in Inkster. Through the kitchen, Zaman offers clients hands-on instruction and training in food preparation essential to pursuing careers in the culinary arts. The classes are provided free of charge.

Focaccia bread is known for its crisp crust and soft pillowy inside and is associated with the Liguria region of Italy, which is renowned for its superb extra virgin olive oil. “Loaves For Hope” will initially come in za’atar flavor, which is a dried herb and spice blend popular in the Middle East. Olive oil is also a central ingredient in the recipe.

“Pairing focaccia with za’atar blends together two iconic flavors from Italy and the Middle East,” said Zaman Chef Adriana Kalota. “Za’atar is often eaten with bread and matches perfectly with olive oil, so this flavor is going to appeal to a broad range of pallets. It’s great for sandwiches or pairing with a variety of sauces, dips and oils.”

As of October, 2020, Loaves for Hope is available at the following locations:
12596 10 Mile Rd.

Holiday Market520 S. Lilley Rd. Canton, MI 48188 Westborn Market21755 Michigan Ave.Dearborn, MI 48124 Alexander's Farm Market6925 Whitmore Lake Rd.Whitmore Lake, MI 48189 Miller's Orchard14711 Clinton River Rd.Sterling Heights, MI 48313 Country Acres Market South Lyon, MI 48178

“Bringing a food product to market is a big step in growing our vocational and culinary arts programming,” Bazzy said. “We are looking for additional corporate partners to distribute ‘Loaves For Hope.’ Creating viable pathways to opportunity for people is really the only way to effectively eradicate poverty over the long-term.”

Zaman opened its Culinary Arts Kitchen in December of 2017 largely due to the generosity and support of Hussein Siblini, owner of the New Yasmeen Bakery. Since its opening, the Culinary Arts Kitchen has supported BOOST students (Building Ongoing Opportunities through Skills Training) while also generating revenue by providing catering services and hot café lunches. In May 2019, Zaman was awarded an Impact100 grant to support equipment purchases to enhance the kitchen’s offerings.

About Zaman International – Hope for Humanity

Zaman International is a non-profit organization committed to advancing the lives of marginalized women and children by empowering them to break the cycle of poverty. Founded as a grassroots group of volunteers in 1996, Zaman has grown to a world-class non-profit organization that has helped nearly 2.1 million people around the world. Operating from its 40,500 square-foot facility in Inkster, Zaman offers assistance ranging from basic necessities to life skills, education and vocational training. Internationally, Zaman collaborates with partners to assist those in need of clean water and relief from natural disasters. Learn more at zamaninternational.org.

Jun 29, 2020

Zaman Distributes 134,500 Pounds of Food in First 3 Months of COVID Response

With schools closed and many families facing unemployment due to COVID-19, food insecurity surged throughout Michigan starting in March and hit those in poverty harder than others. 

Expanding its typical efforts to meet the increased need, Zaman mobilized to serve as an emergency food distribution center despite dealing with its own budget crunch brought on by the pandemic.

“The demand skyrocketed and we went from serving the same number of families in a week that we would typically feed in a month, and we did this facing a $175,000 budget shortfall due to lost revenue,” said Zaman Chief Impact Officer Monica Boomer. 

In the first three months of its COVID-19 response, Zaman distributed more than 134,500 pounds – or 67 tons of food through emergency home deliveries and drive-through food distribution events. 

Through partnerships with Gleaners Community Food Bank, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and local school districts, Zaman has provided 5,000 emergency food kits to those in need to date. This includes low-income families, seniors, and students who rely on free and reduced meals during normal school operations.

“It’s heart-breaking to see vehicles lined up for blocks filled with people who had no other way to consistently put food on the table,” said Zaman Founder and CEO Najah Bazzy. “We knew we had to find a way to meet the increased need. We were blessed to have many organizations and donors step up and offer financial support.” 

Supporters of All Sizes Step-up to Help Meet Food Crisis
As Zaman transformed its Hope for Humanity Center in Inkster into an emergency food distribution center, organizations and Zamanitarians rallied to provide the funding to help meet the increased need.

Support came from throughout the region from organizations and donors of all sizes. Contributions ranged from donations from a Fortune 500 company, to grants from nonprofits and municipal partners, to crowdsourced fundraising efforts online by individual Zamanitarians.

“We are so thankful to everyone who trusted Zaman to lead during this crisis. It speaks to where we are as an organization,” Bazzy said. “The diversity of the organizations also says something about this region and the impact of coming together collectively when crises arise. It’s awe-inspiring and suggests a path forward to tackle the challenges ahead that  threaten to further entrench extreme poverty in our country.”

Click here to contribute to Zaman's ongoing COVID response.

Jun 04, 2020

An Affront to Humanity

An Affront to Humanity – Zaman Stands in Solidarity in Fighting Racism and Inequality

A statement by Zaman Founder and CEO, Najah Bazzy and
Zaman Board Chairman, Gehad Alawan

At Zaman we are heartbroken. And like many, amid our tears, we are struggling to find words as we attempt to process such blatant disregard for human life. 

The murder of George Floyd and so many before him is an affront to everything we believe in as an organization. It is an affront to the entire human family and an insult to God.

Our mission to eradicate poverty has always been based on the fact there is dignity and value in all human life, no matter the color of our skin. It includes compassion and stewardship of all of our brothers and sisters in humanity.

Today, we see laid bare the ugliness and brutality of a system that does not extend that dignity to all. A system that fosters oppression and lets racism perpetuate with each new generation in every aspect of life. A system that denies the value of Black lives and perpetuates extreme poverty while so many enjoy unprecedented privilege. 

It is unacceptable and cannot persist. 

In condemning this blatant racism, we do so with the understanding that words are important, but true change requires intentionality and action. It takes a collective commitment to dismantle the system of oppression that has continued since this country’s founding. It takes a long-term, generational commitment. 

While we take pride in helping marginalized women and children overcome extreme poverty – it is not enough. True stewardship requires every person and organization to do more, and that includes Zaman. As an organization, we are reflecting on how we can better advance racial equity and diversity in everything we do.

To our neighbors in Inkster, you are in our thoughts and prayers. We stand alongside you and city leadership to help bring about the systematic change needed. We do not pretend to have all the answers. We are listening and ready to embrace an expanded role to help push back against hatred and inequity. 

As we mourn the lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many more whose names we likely will never know, we prepare to move together as one human family until everyone is afforded the equality and dignity in life our Creator intended.

May 15, 2020

Tackling Poverty Through Literacy

Zaman International is expanding its literacy curriculum and adding 15 adult students in the coming year thanks to a $2,000 grant from the National Book Fund.

“When women come to Zaman in crisis, the goal is to help meet their basic needs but also put them on a path toward reliable income,” said Gigi Salka, program director of BOOST (Building Ongoing Opportunities through Skills Training).

The BOOST Literacy Program offers one-on-one and small group tutoring in English as a Second Language (ESL) and Adult Basic Literacy. These offerings are paired with vocational training in either sewing or the culinary arts over the course of the year.

BOOST currently serves approximately 55 students many of whom advance beyond the current curriculum offerings before finishing the program.

“This grant allows us to add levels of literacy and ESL curriculum while growing our future cohorts by nearly 30 percent,” Salka said. “The more we can challenge our students, the more they will be empowered to change their lives by pursuing sustainable livelihoods.”

The National Book Fund provides adult literacy and basic education programs with materials to help teach adults to read. The fund was created by ProLiteracy, the largest adult literacy and education membership organization in the nation. To date, ProLiteracy has distributed more than 1,900 grants totaling more than $3 million worth of materials to organizations.

“There are few greater tragedies than the loss of human potential due to lack of opportunity, and few greater barriers to opportunity than illiteracy,” said Zaman Founder and CEO Najah Bazzy. “Zaman International is appreciative to the National Book Fund for helping our BOOST Literacy Program reach more women who simply need a viable path to support their families.”

For more information, on the National Book Fund, visit www.proliteracy.org/What-We-Do/Programs-Projects/National-Book-Fund#

May 12, 2020

Zaman Donation Bins Reopened

Founder and CEO, Najah Bazzy, announced on May 12 that pickups of gently-used clothing and shoes from all of Zaman's donation bins will resume this week, following an extended suspension due to COVID-19.  

Donors are asked to only deposit clothing and shoes into the bins.  Household goods and toys are not being accepted at this time.

As Zaman continues to strategically and safely resume regular activities, in-home and porch pickups remain unavailable until further notice.

To find the bin location nearest you, visit bit.ly/zamanbins.

Apr 22, 2020

Ramadan Campaign: Let Hope Connect Us

Zaman has launched its “Let Hope Connect Us” campaign in support of our families and clients who are fasting during Ramadan. During the holy month, many families experience the pain of hunger and poverty. For $100, you can provide a family of four with food and basic hygiene products for a month.

Donations are accepted at bit.ly/zamanconnect.

Apr 08, 2020

Zaman International’s Glow Blue to Honor Front-Line Heroes

INKSTER – Zaman International’s Hope for Humanity Center was illuminated in blue on the evening of Wednesday, April 8, to honor the front-liners – including health care professionals, first-responders, and food service workers – who are leading the fight against COVID-19. 

Footage of the effort, as well as a reflection from Najah Bazzy, RN, Zaman founder and CEO was shared online on April 9.

“We are taking a reflective moment to honor the front-liners who are so courageously serving our country and putting their lives on the line to save others,” added Bazzy.  “Please join us in lighting up our homes, our cities and our nation. We need to show these heroes and their families that they are loved and respected.”

Bazzy, a transcultural nurse, urges other organizations to join Zaman “to glow blue” as it lights the 40,500 square-foot Hope for Humanity Center on Trowbridge Road in Inkster.

“Zaman’s ethos is built on the transformative power of love and hope,” Bazzy said. “Our front-liners continue to serve selflessly against this global pandemic. They are the true heroes in this country and Zaman wanted to show them we care.”

Zaman is currently closed to the general public per the Governor’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order, but continues to serve its clients through online courses and telecommunications. It is also operating as an emergency food and basic supplies distributor. In partnership with various other non-profit organizations, Zaman has provided more than 2,000 emergency food kits to families in need in Southeast Michigan. 

“Glowing blue is just Zaman’s way of letting our heroes across the country know that we are thankful for their service,” said Gehad Alawan, Chair of Zaman’s Board of Directors. “We all have a role to play. Rising together we can meet the challenges of COVID-19 and emerge a stronger more connected country.”

Mar 26, 2020

Urgent Appeal: COVID-19 Emergency Fund

Dear Zamanitarians,

The COVID-19 pandemic is challenging us all during these unprecedented times, and Zaman is no different. As we work to help the most impoverished in our community, we need your support now more than ever. 

Please consider increasing your support of Zaman by contributing whatever you are able to spare at this time. $25 feeds a family of four, $50 feeds two families, $100 feeds four families, and $500 feeds twenty families — for a week.

As you know, Zaman has been closed to the general public since March 11 as we do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19. We have converted our vocational, literacy and life skills courses to online platforms. We are also employing telecommunications to manage our social work caseload and reach clients with basic needs. 

In adhering to the Governor’s “Stay at Home” order, we have canceled fundraising events and temporarily closed our Good Deeds Resale Shop. As a result, we are anticipating revenue losses of at least $175,000. To remain responsive during this crisis, we have realigned staff to best serve our neighbors in need. Unfortunately, we have had to put a limited number of staff on unpaid furlough. This is occurring as we increase our efforts to meet rising demand during this crisis. Under the Governor’s order, Zaman is considered an essential service as an emergency food provider.

Through our partnerships with local school districts, Gleaners Community Food Bank and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have already distributed emergency food to nearly 2,000 families. With key support from additional partners and donors like you, this work will continue to grow as we all grapple with the realities of COVID-19 in the months ahead.

Please consider donating whatever amount you can. Donations can be made directly online at zamaninternational.org or by contacting Zaman at info@zamaninternational.org or (313) 551-3994.

Together we must, and will, rise to meet the challenge presented by COVID-19. I appreciate your continued leadership and support as we serve our neighbors in need.

Wishing you safety and wellness,
 

Najah Bazzy, RN
Founder & CEO
Zaman International

Mar 12, 2020

COVID-19 Response

Out of an abundance of caution, we are taking steps to continue to serve our clients while doing our part to help slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). We will be closing Zaman to outside visitors until further notice, but we are making arrangements so we can still serve those in need. Our employees are aware and will report as usual unless advised otherwise.

We have engaged our clients informing them of the actions below:

• We are ramping up home delivery services for those in need of basic necessities such as food.
• All participants in literacy, vocational training, culinary arts and life skills classes will participate in virtual learning.
• Social workers will contact clients by phone so case management continues as scheduled.

Those wishing to drop off clothing can still leave donations at bins listed on our website.  Volunteers are being informed, and updates will continue to the general public via our social media pages.

Stay tuned for further updates. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 313 551-3994 or info@zamaninternational.org.

In the meantime, we encourage everyone to take steps recommended by health officials, such as: 

• Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoiding contact with people who are sick.
• Staying home if you are sick and contacting your doctor or health care provider.

Thank you for your continued patience.

Wishing you safety and wellness,
 

Najah Bazzy, RN
Founder & CEO
Zaman International

Mar 09, 2020

People Magazine Selects Zaman CEO Najah Bazzy for Women Changing the World in 2020 Issue

INKSTER – People Magazine has selected Zaman International Founder and CEO Najah Bazzy for its  Women Changing the World in 2020 issue which recently hit newsstands around the country. Released nationally on March 6, the issue highlights CEOs, activists and actresses who are creating positive change.

“I am honored by the recognition, but it’s the resilience of the women and children who come to Zaman to escape extreme poverty that is creating change,” said Bazzy. “I think too often people underestimate the impact of hope and empathy and what can happen when you empower someone. That’s what our team at Zaman is focused on every day and where we draw our inspiration to make a difference.”

The full-page profile “Breaking the Cycle of Poverty,” features Zaman’s work providing basic necessities and life skills training from its facility in Inkster designed to be a one-stop center for low-income women and children. The article highlights the more than 8,000 hours of vocational training Zaman provided women in 2019 through its vocational, literacy and culinary arts programs.

Other women featured in the issue are: Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, Law & Order SVU’s Mariska Hargitay, actresses Eva Longoria and Emily Blunt and Awkwafina, Rent the Runway founder Jennifer Hyman, astronaut Christina Koch, activist Nadya Okamoto and Directors and Producers Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Trish Dalton.

About Zaman International – Hope for Humanity

Zaman International is a non-profit organization committed to advancing the lives of marginalized women and children by empowering them to break the cycle of poverty. Founded as a grassroots group of volunteers in 1996, Zaman has grown to a world-class non-profit organization that has helped nearly 2.1 million people around the world. Operating from its 40,500 square-foot facility in Inkster, Zaman offers assistance ranging from basic necessities to life skills, education and vocational training. Internationally, Zaman collaborates with partners to assist those in need of clean water and relief from natural disasters.

Dec 09, 2019

CNN Heroes Update

Najah Bazzy, CEO and Founder of Zaman International, has been named a 2019 Top 10 CNN Hero, highlighting the transformative hope that Zaman brings to hundreds of thousands of women and children living in extreme poverty. 

On December 8, 2019, Najah accepted her Top 10 CNN Hero Award on behalf of all Zamanitarians during the live broadcast of 13^th Annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute.  In her remarks, Najah shared, "We are at the peak of grace when we provide for essential human needs.  When Zaman unlocks the shackles of poverty, mothers are able to realize their full human potential and create a dignified life for their children."

The broadcast also marked the start of Subaru's "Share the Love" campaign, which pledged to match the first $50,000 donated to each Hero through their CNN Heroes GoFundMe campaigns.  In just 16 hours, Zaman reached this cap, resulting in more than $100,000 raised for women and children living in extreme poverty.  Additional matching opportunities are anticipated, but until then, donors can still contribute at bit.ly/ZamanHeroMatch.

Sep 12, 2019

CNN Heroes Honors Najah Bazzy

After receiving thousands of nominations from around the globe, CNN has selected Najah Bazzy, Zaman’s CEO and founder, as a CNN Hero for 2019. 

CNN announced Najah, featuring Zaman, as the Hero of the Week on September 12, and CNN is currently highlighting Najah online at CNNHeroes.com. You can watch the segment here.

As Najah will be first to say, empowering households and breaking the cycle of poverty to achieve hope for all of humanity rests not on the shoulders of one but the support of many.

“Though the CNN Hero honor may be in my name, the successes CNN highlights reflect the collaboration of our entire Zaman family,” said Najah. “By realizing the mission of Zaman, our team members, supporters, partners and volunteers are the true heroes of a hopeful vision for the future.”

Being named a CNN Hero will help us spread the word of Zaman’s message, grow its impact and show the world the impact of our collaborative work in Southeast Michigan and beyond. All supporters of Zaman can help.

Inspired? Donate Today.

CNN has created a CrowdRise page in honor of Zaman to help us further our work. Please consider making a contribution to the CrowdRise fundraising page and share it with others so they can learn more about Zaman and how they too can support Hope for Humanity.

In the coming weeks, from approximately 20 selected CNN Heroes, the list will be further narrowed by the news network to the Top 10. If Najah is selected by CNN for this recognition, she will become part of a global voting process to select a CNN Hero of the Year. 

Each of these additional honors come with financial rewards Najah will reinvest into the Zaman mission to empower marginalized women and children facing injustice and poverty through our programs and outreach. 

Jul 01, 2019

Weekly Cafe Lunches Available at Zaman

Zaman's Culinary Kitchen is thrilled to announce two new ways to support Zaman's programs, which provide basic needs assistance and vocational skills training to families in need.  

For those Zamanitarians in need of a quick and healthy weekday meal, the Kitchen hosts Cafe Lunches for the public every Wednesday from 12pm - 2pm, at the Hope for Humanity Center.  Made in-house by Chefs Adriana Kalota and Daniela Abel, the food is halal and delicious. 

Chef Adriana and her team also offer catering for off-site events of 25 guests or more.  Click here to browse our extensive Catering Menu, sure to please any crowd. 

All proceeds from both culinary initiatives go directly to Zaman's programming.

View our monthly Cafe Lunch line-up and access our Catering Menu at http://bit.ly/zamancafe.

Jul 01, 2019

Healthy meals, Healthy Kids

For the past five years, Zaman has partnered with United Way for Southeastern Michigan and local food vendors to provide meals to children through the Summer Food Service Program. This summer, we’re slated to serve over 15,000 meals to local students, all of whom qualify for free lunch during the school year, at more than twenty sites throughout Metro Detroit.

For the first time, Zaman’s own Culinary Kitchen has become a vendor for the program and will be providing freshly-made meals to two of these service sites. Led by Chef Adriana, our team will be preparing and serving these meals Monday-Thursday for the next two months. We hope to expand our reach next year and provide Zaman-made meals to even more of our Summer Food locations!

If your children, or children you know, are in need of meals this summer, text FOOD to 877-877 to find the Summer Food Service Program meal site closest to you

Jun 05, 2019

Zaman raises $75,000 during Ramadan

Ramadan calls for self-discipline and sacrifice as well as reflection upon and compassion for those suffering from poverty. Giving to organizations working to improve conditions for people with low income through hunger-relief, housing, and skill building are often part of the holiday’s celebration. Thanks to each of you who chose Zaman as your Zakat-eligible charity! Your gift makes a difference in the lives of our clients.

Jun 05, 2019

Zaman earns highest rating possible from Charity Navigator

Charity Navigator is a trusted source for people seeking a non-profit organization to invest time, talent, and treasure in. A four-star rating means we have taken the steps to show our donors and constituents that we are accountable, transparent, and financially healthy. We could not have achieved this ranking without your belief and support. Thank you for all you do!

Jun 05, 2019

Zaman Awarded DetroitImpact100 Grant

Gratitude and surprise describe the staff's reaction upon being selected as Impact100's 2019 grantee. The volunteer group of women invest in positive change by uniting women in collective giving. They make one grant a year, and competition is fierce! We are excited to receive this $135,000 to support our Culinary Arts Kitchen Workforce Development program.

May 19, 2019

Mother’s Day Brunch Delivers Hope Beyond Measure

Nearly 700 women attended this year's Mother's Day Brunch on April 27. Sponors provided 85 gift baskets, which when auctioned off, raised more than $40,000 for marginalized families in southeast Michigan. This year's event theme, "Hope Beyond Measure," highlighted the work of our BOOST Vocational Training Program, which trains local women in literacy, sewing, and culinary arts.  Gorgeous potholder favors were created by our sewing students, and our Culinary Kitchen made nearly 700 almond biscotti for our guests. Our BOOST Marketplace Booth sold over $500 worth of handcrafted items, with all funds going directly to the student who created each masterpiece.

May 19, 2019

Abby DeMars Receives Fellowship

The Community Engagement (CE) Fellowship provides managers of volunteer departments with professional development and technical assistance to help them attract and support volunteers. CE Fellows will participate in monthly webinars through a volunteer management training tool called VolunteerPro. They will share research, best practices, and emerging innovations to engage today’s volunteers. 

Apr 02, 2019

Zaman’s New Logo

In 2018, Zaman leadership decided that it was time to turn a new page. In the 13 years since the original logo was created, Zaman has grown exponentially from a grassroots team to one with global reach. It was time to establish a fresh look that would convey this evolution and Zaman's renewed vision for the future. We are pleased to introduce the new logo and brand for Zaman.

Zaman worked closely with Metro Detroit - based branding agency, Zoyes Creative, to pinpoint exactly what the new look should convey about the organization. After an enthusiastic workshop and wonderful input, the team arrived at a refreshed, welcoming, and hopeful new brand.

The design aims to elevate Zaman's logo to better reflect the current organization -- one with worldwide reach, longevity, and endless heart. It is bold and iconic with the strength of a global brand. The range of colors reflects the growing number of Zaman's programs and celebrates the diverse backgrounds of the Zaman family.

The symbolism is universal without being literal, supporting brand longevity and utility. It welcomes the viewer to connect with it and project onto its meaning. Some see a sunrise, a warm embrace, uplifting wings, a globe, a flower, or a swaddled infant. All of these interpretations are relevant to Zaman, but the emotion it evokes is what makes the logo memorable. It is a symbol to represent Zaman's brightest vision for the future -- Hope for Humanity -- in all its brilliant colors and forms. 

Oct 01, 2018

9th Annual Hope for Humanity Run Walk Picnic Raises $20,000 for women and children

More than 900 people came to Dearborn’s Ford Field Park on Sept. 29 for Zaman’s Ninth Annual Hope for Humanity Run Walk Picnic, presented by Remax Team 2000.  This record number of attendees enjoyed a day of food, fun and fitness while raising over $20,000 for Detroit-area women and children experiencing extreme poverty.

The event, organized largely by the Zaman Detroit Run Team and supported generously by individual and corporate donors, featured a barbecue lunch, 5K and 10K runs, a kids’ run, and a host of activities for children and adults that included pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting, pumpkin decorating, basketball and tug-of-war challenges, and a photo booth. 

Ali Bazzi, event director and captain of the Zaman Detroit Run Team, said Zaman’s Run Walk Picnic is gaining ground as one of Metro Detroit’s premier fall running events. All proceeds from the event go to help low-income women with children receive essential needs and job skills training, he noted, adding that many runners love the idea of helping others while engaging in one of their favorite pastimes.

The 2018 Run Walk Picnic was supported by Presenting Sponsor Remax Team 2000, Gold Sponsor Superior Buick GMC, Silver Sponsors Ally Financial, Assured Capital Funding, AXA Foundation, Butter Bear Shop, Crowded Kitchen, Detroit Medical Center (DMC), Greenland Markets, Omnex Accounting & Tax Services, RUNdetroit, Saad Wholesale Meats, The University of Michigan-Dearborn, Venture Title and Village Ford, and Picnic Sponsors Mike Dorian Ford, IHT Insurance Agency, and Pat Milliken Ford.

Zaman also thanked the following organizations, businesses and individuals whose assistance, donations and supplies made the day possible: The Ann Arbor Track Club, CAVA, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Dearborn Parks & Recreation Department, The Dearborn Police Department, Dearborn Fire & Rescue, Law Offices of Ashraf al-Awamleh, Mohamad & Nadia Ayoub, Dr. Ali & Nada Najar, and the University of Michigan School of Pharmacy.

Pictures from the event, as well as race results, may be found at RunWalkPicnic.org.

Aug 29, 2018

Zaman gives more than 1,700 backpacks to low-income kids with funding from Ford

More than 1,700 kids from low-income homes will head to school this fall with the supplies they need to thrive thanks to Zaman’s recent Back To School Initiative, which was supported by a $25,000 grant from Ford Motor Company Fund.

This is the fourth year that Zaman has partnered with Ford Fund to give kids in grades K through 12 backpacks filled with study staples such as notebooks, paper, pens, pencils, pencil cases and – for high school students – scientific calculators and binders. The backpacks and supplies were purchased by Zaman and packed at the Hope For Humanity Center by members of the Ford volunteer corps, their family members, and members of the University of Michigan–Dearborn’s Lebanese Student Association.

Ford Fund this year expanded Zaman’s role in the Back To School Initiative, having it work with other community leaders preparing kids for the school year. Zaman directed $10,000 of the Ford Fund grant to former Detroit Lions linebacker Brandon Copeland, who used the funds to distribute 750 backpacks to school kids in Baltimore. Ford also asked Zaman to provide Lions safety Miles Killebrew with nearly 200 backpacks to distribute to the Yemeni community in Hamtramck.

The remainder of the funding was used by Zaman to provide 315 backpacks to its own client families, 200 to clients of Detroit-based Matrix Family Services, and nearly 300 to a local initiative called Unity in the Inkster Community to give away at Episcopalooza, a free back-to-school carnival held Aug. 18 at the Dozier Rec Center in Inkster. By availing itself of discounts, bulk rates and other smart shopping strategies, Zaman was able to save enough money to purchase school supplies for all of the women enrolled in its literacy and skills training programs this fall.

The Back To School Initiative began four years ago when longtime Zaman supporter Farah Harb, who serves as global education programs analyst at Ford Fund, arranged for a $10,000 grant to furnish Zaman families with 250 backpacks. Monica Boomer, director of community engagement for Zaman, said the grant’s expansion this year shows that the partnership is growing to the benefit of kids across Metro Detroit and beyond.

“With the help of the Ford Fund, we have been able to support thousands of students throughout Metro Detroit since 2015,” said Boomer, adding that client families were invited to the Hope For Humanity Center on Aug. 15-18 so their kids could choose their own backpacks. “We strongly believe that by providing these children with every opportunity for success, we will move closer to our ultimate vision: ending the intergenerational cycle of poverty.”

Harb said it is “always a great feeling starting the school year off with new backpacks and supplies.”

“At Ford Fund, we believe that education is the cornerstone of future success,” Harb said. “It is the key ingredient for better jobs, prosperity and an improved quality of life.”

Aug 01, 2018

Detroit entrepreneurs turn to Zaman Sewing Program for expert services

Zaman’s Sewing Program is gaining momentum as a provider of high-quality sewing services to local entrepreneurs seeking customized items or help with commercial ventures.

Developed with curriculum and evaluation expertise from more than 30 community-based partners, the Sewing Program has provided beginning, intermediate and advanced sewing instruction, entrepreneurial training and (if needed) English language tutoring to more than 90 unskilled, low-income women since its launch in 2016. The year-long program, which teaches quilting, alterations, custom tailoring, pattern-making and the use of industrial machines, includes weekly presentations by local professionals on business fundamentals as well as service projects and sales opportunities at Detroit-area markets and venues.

Designed to help women heads of household secure reliable income and financial stability, the program imparts job-ready skills for positions in the commercial sector as well as for work in the home. One of the program’s chief objectives is to connect students with prospective employers and clients, who may be entrepreneurs or small business owners looking for customized items or help with small-scale production.

One such entrepreneur is Will Coleman, a local chef, cookbook author and television personality whose blog and Bold spice product line are available online. Seeking a unique apron to wear at his Eastern Market sales booth and when teaching classes, Coleman approached the Sewing Program to commission something tailor-made. His consultation with a Sewing Program student, who worked from sketches and a color scheme approved by Coleman, produced a masculine teal-and-denim apron with buckles.

“When it comes to giving people my business, I try to stay local and small because I know how it feels to put your name out there,” said Coleman, who showed off his apron to a crowd of thousands at the upcoming Maker Faire Detroit, a two-day festival showcasing inventors and entrepreneurs at The Henry Ford in Dearborn. “I wanted to support Zaman because I really like what they stand for and what they do. The person who made my apron has a story to tell, and it’s a story I can share with others when I wear it.”

A bigger commission came from startup clothing line Umami Wear, a playful collection of shirts, accessories and baby “onesies” made from subtle snack-food-print fabric and marketed to the “modern foodie.” After quickly selling out of men’s dress shirts following the line’s January launch, creator Hussein Saab learned it would be at least two months before his Detroit-based supplier could refresh his inventory.

“It was important to me to source my products locally, but the company I was using was very expensive and very busy,” said Saab, a business strategist at Ford who runs Umami Wear and three other startup businesses on the side. “I realized it just wasn’t sustainable to continue that relationship long-term.”

Saab reached out to Sewing Program Coordinator Raghida Abraham, who recommended two students to make the shirts. They made the shirts better and more quickly than the original supplier, prompting Saab to order two batches and to plan to move production of Umami Wear bowties to Zaman from their overseas manufacturer.

“It’s a great feeling to empower women by giving them work, especially work they can do from home when their family obligations require it,” said Saab, who leverages social media and influencers to promote his products. “But there is also tremendous benefits to entrepreneurs when they can find local labor.”

For one thing, communication barriers – both from language and time zones – are challenging when using overseas suppliers, Saab pointed out, adding that in-person meetings lead to better business relationships. He met several times with the sewing students the first week his shirts were being made, he notes, saying the ease of consulting with them made the product better and the process more efficient.

“If Zaman could increase its production capacity, I would not hesitate to order my entire line of clothing from the Hope For Humanity Center,” Saab said.

That day may come. According to Gigi Salka, director of the Sewing Program, the creation of an in-house sewing center that could hire program graduates and accept higher-volume commissions is one of Zaman’s goals. The center would be similar to the new Culinary Arts Kitchen, Salka noted, in that it would create revenue streams to support the organization’s free services while providing a state-of-the-art training space.

In the meantime, Salka said, the program is working to keep its students and their skills in the public eye. A perfect opportunity came in April, when Dearborn Public Library (DPL) Commission Member Jihan Jawad suggested inviting the Sewing Program to participate in programming around DPL’s 2018 Big Read selection, “The Namesake” by Jhumpa Lahiri. In honor of the novel, which tells the story of a young couple newly immigrated to the United States, Zaman’s students created a quilt depicting dwellings from around the world and invited patrons to help sew the quilt’s border during an evening at Henry Ford Centennial Library.

DPL Librarian Henry Fischer, who serves on the Big Read planning committee, said the library is “very thankful for the partnership with Zaman.”

“It brought a multicultural perspective to the library and helped strengthen our community ties,” Fischer said. “We have a beautiful quilt now that we will put on permanent display, and we hope we can work with Zaman on more projects in the future.”

Aug 01, 2018

Zaman’s literacy program receives $27,000 in WIOA funding

Zaman International has received two Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) grants totaling $27,000 to make curricular and capacity improvements to its Literacy Program.

Under WIOA, the federal government provides funding to organizations that help individuals access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. It has been a significant source of support for Zaman’s Literacy Program for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic years, providing $154,000 to the organization on the strength of its success helping women acquire English language proficiency as well as civics instruction.

The two most recent grants – which bring Zaman’s total WIOA funding to date to $181,00 – include $20,000 for an instructional initiative and $7,000 for capacity improvement. Specifically, the $7,000 will be used to purchase a commercial copier that is quicker and more efficient than existing equipment – achieving cost savings with respect to staff time, toner, and paper – and that can support the program’s marketing and enrollment activities.

The $20,000 grant will be used to solidify the program’s English as a Second Language (ESL) and Vocational English as a Second Language (VESL) curricula to make it easier for tutors to deliver. Among other things, this will include the refinement of multi-level English acquisition lesson plans and assessments that cover reading, writing and listening, the development of instructional packets covering national holidays, civics, and workforce preparation activities, and the streamlining of the Laubach and Burlington English curricula used by tutors.

Literacy Program Director Gigi Salka said the WIOA funding is a strong endorsement of the program’s value to Metro Detroit.

“WIOA funding has helped Zaman’s literacy program by providing us the resources needed to continue to grow and strengthen our program, which has put us on the forefront of the most up-to-date initiatives at the state and federal level regarding workforce development,” Salka said.

Jul 24, 2018

Najah Bazzy named 2018 Health Care Hero by Crain’s Detroit Business

Crain’s Detroit Business has recognized Najah Bazzy, CEO and founder of Zaman International, for her work to lift women and children out of poverty, naming her a 2018 Health Care Hero in the Allied Practitioner category.

The 17th annual Health Care Heroes awards honor metro Detroit health care professionals in nine categories who have improved quality of life, either by directly saving lives or by alleviating human pain and suffering. This year’s 11 winners (there were co-winners for lifetime achievement and administration) were announced on March 16.

A registered nurse specializing in transcultural care and training, Bazzy practiced for Detroit Medical Center and Oakwood Beaumont Healthcare before establishing Zaman International as an outreach organization providing emergency relief to severely impoverished women and children. With help from thousands of volunteers and hundreds of community partners, Bazzy has grown Zaman’s outreach initiatives to include crisis assistance, infant burial, literacy and job skills training, international and domestic orphan sponsorship, a summer meals program for youth, disaster relief partnerships, a resale shop, and a Gleaners-affiliated food pantry – all housed within the organization’s 40,500-square-foot Hope For Humanity Center in Inkster. These programs have served more than 215,000 individuals since Zaman’s founding in 1996, providing 8,000 hours of job skills and literacy instruction and distributing more than one million pounds of food among many other accomplishments.

Bazzy, who was named a 2017 Hometown Health Hero by the Michigan Public Health Partnership, posits Zaman’s outreach initiatives as community-based preventive health care, noting that poverty is strongly correlated with poor physical, behavioral, and social health outcomes including obesity, disease, depression, and family systems dysfunction.

“Breaking the cycle of poverty that is so deeply entrenched in Greater Detroit is critical to improving wellness among residents and one of the ways health care practitioners are thinking more holistically about health,” said Bazzy. “Empowering people – be it financially, physically, emotionally or spiritually – is entirely consistent with our health care training and a powerful extension of our mission outside the walls of traditional health care settings.”

Jul 20, 2018

Mother’s Day, Iftar fundraisers bring in $68,000 to support Zaman’s programs

May was a boon month for Zaman International’s fundraising efforts, with its annual Mother’s Day Brunch and Community Iftar Dinner raising $68,000 to support crisis assistance and job training programs.

With the theme “Destination Hope,” the Mother’s Day brunch on May 6 netted a record high of almost $51,000 from ticket sales, raffle ticket purchases, donations, product sales and contributions from vendor sales. Nearly 650 women and girls gathered at Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Southgate to enjoy whimsical table settings inspired by major international cities, vie for raffle baskets, and shop in a “marketplace” offering products by Planet Bakery, Creme au Beurre, Soap 4 Hope, Inspired Home Co., Modesty Michigan, Narang Chocolates, and Zaman’s Culinary Arts Kitchen and Sewing Program. More than 100 donated raffle baskets teemed with specialty foods and teas, gift certificates and cash, designer luggage and handbags, children’s toys and crafts, and a bonanza of cooking supplies – an homage to the organization’s new Culinary Arts Kitchen.

Just two weeks later, the Community Iftar Dinner drew more than 550 people to Dearborn’s Bint Jebail Cultural Center to break the Ramadan fast, netting approximately $17,000 to support Zaman’s clients. Guests were treated to Dairy Queen and Tim Horton’s gift cards, the gifts of Ali and Amane Haidous and Hassan and Sikney Charara, respectively.

Both events provided guests with highlights of Zaman’s programmatic accomplishments. At the Mother’s Day Brunch, students in the Sewing Program serenaded attendees about their success learning English to the tune of Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” while Women’s Interfaith Solutions for Dialogue and Outreach in MetroDetroit (WISDOM) was recognized for its ongoing support of Zaman’s students. The Iftar dinner featured presentations by Amanda Saab, director of Zaman’s crisis assistance operations, and her husband, Hussein. Hussein spoke about Umami Wear, a new line of “foodie” clothing with items sewn by Zaman’s sewing students, while Amanda pitched the book signing by nationally renowned pastry chef Stella Parks, which took place on July 15 at the Hope For Humanity Center.

Zaman CEO and Founder Najah Bazzy said the Iftar dinner, which had not been planned for 2018 due to its close proximity to Mother’s Day, was organized at the last minute due to overwhelming demand from the organization’s supporters.

“The dinner has a loyal following, particularly among our many male Zamanitarians who do not attend the Mother’s Day event,” Bazzy said. “The dinner is a beloved and much-anticipated occasion for Zamanitarians and we were happy not to disappoint. I am deeply grateful to the staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly to organize the event upon very short notice – as are the women and children who are benefiting from the funds raised.”

Jul 19, 2018

Zaman promotes community-based education at University of Notre Dame conference

Community engagement leaders from Zaman International attended a recent conference on community-based learning hosted by the University of Notre Dame’s Center for Social Concerns, sharing Zaman’s approach to infusing volunteer initiatives with educational components as well as learning techniques for teaching Zaman stakeholders about the organization’s mission.

Director of Community Engagement Monica Boomer and Volunteer Coordinator Abigail DeMars attended the three-day conference, which was held in South Bend, Ind., for the university’s faculty and community partners. Both Notre Dame alumnae, Boomer and DeMars attended plenary and small group sessions on community-based learning courses, community-based research, and service opportunities for students and faculty. They also engaged in networking to raise the visibility of Zaman outside of Michigan.

The 30-year-old Center for Social Concerns provides programs that help students, faculty, staff, and alumni think critically about complex social realities and about their responsibilities in facing them. Boomer said the center’s Catholic social tradition emphasizes eradicating poverty and injustice, which is fully aligned with Zaman’s mission to break the cycle of poverty. The conference’s keynote address brought together South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former university president Rev. Edward A. Malloy, and Steve Camilleri, executive director of South Bend’s Center for the Homeless, to discuss how collaboration between government, nonprofits and universities can address homelessness – a major programmatic goal for Zaman.

DeMars said the conference furnished excellent advice on building relationships with university students and faculty, which is critical to building Zaman’s volunteer corps.

“Zaman has historically drawn a great deal of its volunteers from schools and universities where students need service hours for class projects, civic or sacramental preparation, honor society membership, or any number of other reasons,” DeMars said. “These volunteers are looking for ‘value-added’ service opportunities that enhance their understanding of societal problems and solutions in addition to providing a benefit to Zaman and its clients. Zaman believes all of its community-based activities, from cooking classes to food drives, can educate participants about poverty in Metro Detroit and we are constantly pursuing best practices for doing that.”

DeMars said Zaman was particularly interested in hearing about how professors make connections within structured classroom settings between the academic content and the “real-world.”

“Just hearing about something may not help you retain it,” DeMars said. “A number of our longtime volunteers have gotten their children involved in direct service because they realized they could not simply tell their children about poverty – they had to see it themselves. We realize that many of our volunteer groups may not have that opportunity for immersion, so we are looking for ways to build that empathy and understanding through reflection exercises and by sharing client stories.” 

Jul 02, 2018

Local news media, celebrity chef raise visibility of Zaman’s innovative Culinary Arts Kitchen.

Zaman’s new Culinary Arts Kitchen is gaining visibility as a workforce training and community education innovator thanks to recent television news attention and an upcoming visit by one of America’s most creative pastry chefs.

The state-of-the-art kitchen, which opened in December at Zaman’s Hope For Humanity Center in Inkster, has been featured in two WXYZ broadcasts since it began offering cooking classes for kids and adults early this year. Chef Daniela Mancinelli Abel, who overseas day-to-day operations and curriculum development for the kitchen, visited Action News This Morning in April to show Keenan Smith how to perfect pizza and again in June to teach Jennifer Ann Wilson the trick to great gnocchi. Both foods have been featured in Zaman’s cooking classes, which are taught by Abel and cover everything from easy weeknight meals to a sophisticated Italian supper celebrating an evening in Rome. Adult and children’s class descriptions, prices and registration information can be found here.

Meanwhile, Zaman on July 15 will host a book signing by Stella Parks, the James Beard Award–winning cookbook author of BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts. Trained at the Culinary Institute of America and named one of America’s best new pastry chefs by Food & Wine magazine, Parks will be at the Hope For Humanity Center from 3:30 to 6 p.m. for the signing and a Q&A moderated by Zaman's head chef, Daniela Abel. Tickets for the event, which include a copy of Bravetart and a sampling of desserts featured in the cookbook, can be purchased for $45 here.

In addition to offering classes to the general public, the Culinary Arts Kitchen provides tuition-free culinary arts training to low-income women seeking employment opportunities. Abel is overseeing enhancements to the kitchen’s operations, including the development of vegetable and herb gardens to supply the kitchen and the sale of proprietary food items. Led by David Kalota, a 30-year veteran construction supervisor from the Metro Detroit area, a dozen volunteers in May built up and installed a filtration system in four beds on the center’s grounds. The beds, which are fed with compost from the kitchen, are now teeming with more than a dozen types of herbs as well as carrots, lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, swiss chard, and a variety of peppers – all of which are incorporated into cooking classes or given at no-cost to Zaman’s clients.

The kitchen is also supporting its program through the sale of humus, salsa, and halal stock, as well as protein-packed “Ramadan power muffins” containing dark chocolate, blueberries and oats. All items are available for purchase at the Hope for Humanity Center, although Abel recommends calling ahead to order in light of their popularity.

“It has always been our goal to run a full-circle kitchen that makes the best possible use of our resources and demonstrates the same self-sufficiency we encourage in our clients,” said Abel, who recently represented Zaman as a featured chef at the Inkster Meet Up & Eat Up, United Way Block Party on June 28. “The gardens and the products we are selling from our kitchen both save and generate money that we can use to help lift families out of poverty.”

Mar 16, 2018

Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan grant helps staff Zaman’s new Culinary Arts Kitchen

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan recently awarded Zaman International a $65,000 grant to help staff the organization’s new Culinary Arts Kitchen, a state-of-the-art food preparation and training space that will address community needs for education, workforce development, and community engagement.

Planned, constructed and partially equipped through the generosity of individual and business donors under the direction of New Yasmeen Bakery owner and longtime Zaman supporter Hussein Siblini, the Culinary Arts Kitchen enjoyed a grand opening on Dec. 4 and launched a range of programming in January. Specifically, the kitchen is offering a no-cost Culinary Arts Training Program to give clients job-ready skills and fee-based cooking classes for children, adults and corporations. Revenue from the classes, and from food products the kitchen will develop and sell, will support kitchen operations and the cost of training clients free of charge.

The Community Foundation grant will help cover the cost of Culinary Arts Kitchen salaries during its first year of operation.  Zaman’s head chefs are Amanda Saab, a popular food blogger and former contestant on Fox TV’s “MasterChef,” and Daniela Mancinelli Abel, a culinary instructor with extensive curriculum development and public speaking experience. Saab and Abel are assisted by sous chef Adriana Mancinelli Kalota, a graduate of Schoolcraft College’s Culinary Arts Program, and by case workers who coordinate services for clients in the vocational training program.

This is the second grant that the Community Foundation has awarded Zaman to support workforce development among vulnerable women in Greater Detroit, noted Najah Bazzy, Zaman CEO and founder.

“The Community Foundation’s support for our Literacy and Sewing Programs in 2016 was invaluable to the success of those initiatives, which have provided thousands of hours of free instruction since their launch and are now attracting state and federal funding on the strength of their results,” Bazzy said. “We are grateful for the Community Foundation’s investment in our kitchen and thrilled to be strengthening a relationship rooted in a mutual desire to see all residents of our region thrive.”

Mar 05, 2018

Abigail DeMars joins Zaman as volunteer coordinator

Zaman International has chosen Abigail DeMars, a University of Notre Dame graduate and former AmeriCorps member, to serve as its new volunteer coordinator.

A political science and theology major, DeMars brings to Zaman diverse skills and experience in administrative support, volunteer coordination, refugee outreach, and direct service to children and families as a result of her service work during and after college. Most recently, she served through AmeriCorps for one year as volunteer coordinator of the Boys & Girls Club of St. Joseph County in Indiana, in which role she worked to provide quality after-school care to children by recruiting and coordinating both adult and youth volunteers and helping to foster sustainable organizational relationships for the clubs with schools, organizations and companies. Prior to that, she served as a research and education intern for the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation in Washington, DC, assisting with event planning, survey creation and data analysis for its first annual National Seminar on communism and researching and writing for varying education platforms.

A native of Indiana, DeMars spent four years living with her family in Cairo before moving to Spartanburg, S.C. She also spent a semester of college in Athens, during which she traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Middle East and volunteered at a center for Syrian refugees. She credits her time abroad and her AmeriCorps service with her familiarity with African American, Latino and Arab American cultures, which she will utilize as she works with volunteers and volunteer organizations from Greater Detroit’s diverse communities.

In her role as volunteer coordinator, DeMars will manage and track Zaman’s volunteers, oversee service learning projects, and assist in community engagement and outreach. She reports to Monica Boomer, director of community engagement, who describes DeMars as “an excellent fit with Zaman’s mission, clientele, and focus on organizational efficiency.”

“Abby brings to Zaman a profound passion for service and an incredible ability to identify and develop this commitment in others,” Boomer said. “Paired with her commitment to nonprofit best practices and professional development opportunities, these skills have already elevated the work of our department and the organization as a whole."

Feb 12, 2018

Zaman hires culinary instructor, Daniela Mancinelli Abel

Zaman International has hired Daniela Mancinelli Abel, a culinary instructor with extensive curriculum development and public speaking experience, to oversee the day-to-day operations and client training activities of its new Culinary Arts Kitchen.

A native of Livonia, Abel for the past 15 years has worked concurrently in restaurant management, communications, and culinary instruction. In the newly created position of lead chef of the Culinary Arts Kitchen, she will integrate this career experience to keep the kitchen stocked, equipped and in compliance with health codes, to oversee kitchen volunteers, and to serve as lead teacher for the Culinary Arts Training Program, Zaman’s newest workforce development initiative.

After studying communications and public speaking at Eastern Michigan University, Abel worked from 2005 to 2014 as a national spokesperson for the country’s leading car manufacturers and as a trainer and facilitator for their dealership staffs nationwide. When not traveling for speaking engagements and training assignments, she worked in varying capacities for restaurants in Michigan, California and North Dakota. From 2015 to 2017, Abel received her culinary arts training and certification at the Culinary Center of Kansas City while working as a culinary instructor, designing and teaching scores of cooking classes for children and adults.

Abel, who while studying and teaching in Kansas also worked full-time as an administrative coordinator for an international chemical concrete manufacturing company, said she is delighted to find her “perfect fit” at Zaman. Her role as head chef, she observed, combines in one position her passions for teaching, communicating, and cooking – which she learned as a child from her large Italian-American family. With a social media presence on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, Abel is committed to helping others create dishes that are locally sourced, organic, and non-GMO. 

These are qualities that Abel emphasizes in the Culinary Arts Training Program, a 12-week curriculum comprised of classroom and hands-on instruction in food safety and sanitation, nutrition, food procurement and storage, basic skills and techniques, advanced cooking and baking techniques, menu formulation, and food display and service. The program, which is free to Zaman’s clients, follows the success of Zaman’s vocational Sewing Program and similarly incorporate professional guest lectures and workshops, entrepreneurial opportunities, mock interviews, financial literacy, and (if needed) English language literacy instruction.

Abel praised the Culinary Arts Kitchen – which was designed, constructed and equipped entirely by donors under the leadership of New Yasmeen Bakery owner Hussein Siblini – for its innovative, “full-circle” approach to resource management. The kitchen will incorporate produce from the Zaman’s outdoor gardens, which are under development and will be tended by Zaman volunteers and clients, into its cooking classes, while dishes prepared during classes will be given to clients through Zaman’s Mobile Hot Food Pantry. Abel is also using any meat and produce not used during classes to create lamb, chicken and vegetable stock, which Zaman can sell to support its outreach programs.

“One of the most discouraging things you see in the restaurant industry is the ridiculous amount of good food that is thrown away, so it’s wonderful to run a kitchen with so many opportunities to make sure nothing goes to waste,” Abel said.

Abel is married to WXYZ-TV reporter Brian Abel, whose reporting took them to North Dakota and Kansas. She counts traveling, writing, reading and film among her many interests.

Oct 04, 2017

Zaman’s literacy program to receive $154,000 in federal workforce funding

Over the next two years, Zaman International will receive $154,000 in Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding to support its literacy program for women living in poverty.

Signed into law in 2014, WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. Zaman’s literacy program was awarded two WIOA grants, each providing a respective $49,000 and $28,000 a year for two years, on the strength of its first-year results in helping women acquire English language proficiency as well as civics instruction. Nearly three-quarters of the students who participated in the program in 2016 advanced to a higher literacy level.

According to Gigi Salka, director of the literacy program, the grants will be used to purchase books, tests and equipment and to help pay the salaries of program staff. Salka said the literacy program distinguished itself as a grant candidate in many ways, not least of which is its place within a comprehensive case management model that gives students wraparound services to help them maintain attendance. The program is also noteworthy, Salka said, for its student-tailored instruction and the daily feedback tutors get from the program coordinator to help students attain their literacy goals.

“Zaman’s success is due to the integration of our adult literacy education and our skills-based job training,” said Salka, referring to the organization’s sewing program, which was launched in 2016, and the culinary arts program slated to begin in early 2018. “Our vision of providing basic needs to our clients and then empowering them to make a positive change toward their financial future emphasizes Zaman’s forward-looking approach, which is in line with the federal and state mandates.”

Sep 23, 2017

Eighth Annual Hope for Humanity Run Walk Picnic raises more than $14,000 for women and children

About 800 people came to Dearborn’s Ford Field Park on Sept. 16 for Zaman’s Eighth Annual Hope for Humanity Run Walk Picnic, enjoying a day of food, fun and fitness while raising $14,200 for Detroit-area women and children experiencing extreme poverty.

The event, organized largely by the Zaman Detroit Run Team and supported generously by individual and corporate donors, featured a barbecue lunch, 5K and 10K runs, a kids’ run, and a host of activities for children and adults that included pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting, pumpkin decorating, basketball and tug-of-war challenges, and a photo booth. New to the Run Walk Picnic this year were an ice cream-generating “dessert laboratory” and a double run, which allowed more ambitious runners to combine the 5k and 10k for a 15-kilometer race.

Ali Bazzi, event director and captain of the Zaman Detroit Run Team, said Zaman’s success this year in maintaining last year’s record-breaking attendance shows the Run Walk Picnic is gaining ground as one of Metro Detroit’s premier fall running events. All proceeds from the event go to help low-income women with children receive essential needs and job skills training, he noted, adding that many runners love the idea of helping others while engaging in one of their favorite pastimes.

“The Run Walk Picnic is a unique event in Metro Detroit as it allows for people of all abilities to have an event they enjoy, be it the run, walk, picnic or all three,” said Bazzi.

Judge David Turfe of 20th District Court in Dearborn Heights, who serves as chair of the Run Walk Picnic, said “the great combination of competitive running events, family fun, and a worthy cause attracts people from all over Greater Detroit.” This year’s attendees included a number of public officials, Turfe noted, including Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, Mayor of the City of Dearborn Jack O'Reilly, 3rd Circuit Court Judge Adel Harb, and Dearborn City Councilman Tom Tafelski.

The 2017 Run Walk Picnic was supported by Gold Sponsors Carhartt, Remax Team 2000 and Superior Buick GMC, Silver Sponsors Ally Financial, Assured Capital Funding, Dr. Nitro’s Dessert Lab, Greenland Markets, Omnex Accounting & Tax Services, RUNdetroit, Saad Meats, The University of Michigan-Dearborn, Venture Title and Village Ford, and Picnic Sponsors Mike Dorian Ford, Monroe Bank & Trust, Pat Milliken Ford, Tropical Smoothie Cafe East Dearborn, Yogurtown, IHT Insurance Agency, and Tim Hortons on Michigan Ave. and Evergreen.

Zaman also thanked the following organizations, businesses and individuals whose assistance, donations and supplies made the day possible: The Ann Arbor Track Club, Bams BP, Big Apple Bagels on Ford Road, Dearborn Parks & Recreation Department, The Dearborn Police Department, Dearborn Fire & Rescue, Mohamad & Nadia Ayoub, Mohamad Rami, Saj Bakery and the University of Michigan School of Pharmacy.

Najah Bazzy, CEO and founder of Zaman International, said community turnout for this year’s picnic was “exciting and greatly appreciated.”

“It is always wonderful to see families coming together to help other families,” Bazzy said. “Everyone who came to eat helped others eat. Everyone who came to run helped others experience wellness. As always, the credit for this event goes to the many donors, attendees and volunteers whose support made it possible.”

Aug 31, 2017

Urgent Aid Requested: Hurricane Harvey Relief

The devastation wrought by Hurricane Harvey, as well as the heroic actions of individuals and organizations in its aftermath, have compelled Zaman to initiate a Hurricane Harvey Relief Campaign.

The funds that we collect through this campaign will honor Zaman’s mission to provide basic needs assistance to women and children.  In that spirit, we will ensure that funds raised go to vetted and efficient nonprofits living our shared principles in affected communities throughout Texas and Louisiana.  These include Feeding America, which works to fill the shelves of food pantries around the country (including Zaman’s) and the Texas Diaper Bank, which provides critically important and often overlooked resources to mothers and children.

We trust that our network of Zamanitarians will give generously as we work to build hope for humanity in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

Click HERE to Donate to Zaman's Hurricane Harvey Relief Campaign

Jul 31, 2017

Ford Fund sponsors Zaman’s Back To School drive for needy kids

More than 600 Metro Detroit kids will have the backpacks and supplies they need when school begins this fall thanks to the Ford Back To School Initiative, which Zaman will help coordinate with a $12,500 grant from the Ford Fund.

This is the third year that Zaman has been a partner in the Ford Back To School Initiative, which helps low-income families with children in grades K through 12 that are served by Zaman. In addition to the backpacks, the grant purchases supplies that include writing and drawing utensils, paper, notebooks, scissors, glue, lunch bags, and study aids such as highlighters, sticky notes and index cards. High school students will receive supplemental totes that contain scientific calculators, geometry sets and binders.

The backpacks, a portion of which will be given to Detroit-based Matrix Human Services for distribution to its clients, will be filled at Zaman’s Hope For Humanity Center by the Ford Volunteer Corps and distributed there in August at a party for recipient families. The gathering will feature food, games and face painting and provide children the opportunity to select the backpack they want based on style and color.

Farah Harb, coordinator of Ford Fund Education Programs and a long-time supporter of Zaman, said Ford’s strong commitment to education goes back to founder Henry Ford, “who believed that in order to have a sustainable company, we need to have a sustainable society.”

“Education is the key building block of a sustainable society, because among other things it creates wealth and economic development and drives social mobility,” Harb said. “Investment in education is critical not only for our company, but also for our community and for the future of our students. We are proud to partner with Zaman to help prepare our students for success.” 

Monica Boomer, director of community engagement, said the Ford Fund’s commitment to helping kids succeed academically “aligns perfectly” with Zaman’s work to break the cycle of generational poverty by helping families keep their kids in school.

 “Ford has grown into a strong supporter of Zaman’s work in large part because of our mutual emphasis on education,” Boomer said. “It’s an honor to be trusted with these funds and to help advance this important work in the community.”

Jul 31, 2017

Zaman receives Michigan Fitness Foundation grant to encourage healthy eating in underserved communit

Zaman International has received an $18,000 grant to establish the Learning Kitchen, a program to teach low-income families in Southeast Michigan how to purchase and prepare healthy foods.

Funded by the Michigan Fitness Foundation through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Department of Agriculture, the Learning Kitchen consists of six, two-hour educational sessions covering nutrition, food safety, reading food labels, and cooking and shopping on a budget. Sessions will also include food tastings and cooking demonstrations. Zaman will offer the Learning Kitchen three times in Fall 2017 and once in early 2018.

Michele Economou-Ureste, chief development officer for Zaman, said the project is part of Zaman’s work to advance health and wellness among high-need families in Southeast Michigan.

“Low-income families face many barriers to nutrition, including lack of transportation, fewer educational opportunities, and limited choices and higher prices at local grocery stores,” Economou-Ureste said. “With the launch of its client-choice food pantry in November, Zaman greatly increased clients’ access to nutritious food. Now, with the Learning Kitchen, we are teaching people how to incorporate these foods into healthy meals and to make smart, economical choices when they shop.”

As part of the project, Zaman will also conduct assessments with 10 grocery stores across Inkster, Dearborn and Dearborn Heights. The assessment will help cultivate relationships with store owners, evaluate how to better promote healthier food choices to consumers, and implement changes at the stores.

“The Michigan Fitness Foundation works to inspire healthy food choices and active lifestyles in communities across the state,” said Dr. Marci Scott, Michigan Fitness Foundation vice president of health programs. “Zaman’s work pairing nutrition education with grocery store partnerships will help Southeast Michigan families and their communities learn how to make healthy food choices the easy choices.”

Jul 20, 2017

Community rallies to repair roof of Hope For Humanity Center, keeps the doors open

In a rapid and overwhelming show of community support, donations totaling more than $80,000 have poured in over the past two months to help Zaman International seal the roof on its Hope For Humanity Center in Inkster. Widespread leaking throughout of the 40,500-square-foot roof, intensified during heavy spring rains, had threatened the tons of food, furniture and clothing on the floor below and given rise to health concerns related to staff exposure to mold.

The urgent, multi-platform fundraising appeal began on May 5, when Zaman’s roof emergency was shared with the public by Local 4 reporter Paula Tutman, who filmed a four o’clock news segment surrounded by buckets catching water from the ceiling. That same day, Zaman issued an urgent appeal via email to its supporters for help raising $75,000 to seal the roof with a two-inch membrane of silicone coating – a less expensive alternative to replacing the roof at a cost of $250,000.

The response was swift and steady. At Zaman’s annual Mother’s Day brunch and fundraiser the day after Tutman’s broadcast, guests donated $26,500 to the roof campaign in just three hours. An additional $25,000 was provided by a generous longtime donor, and nearly $17,000 in donations came in through Zaman’s website, personal appeals, and a Go Fund Me page created by Zaman supporters. An appeal organized by Zaman donor Yusuf Hai via the crowdfunding platform LaunchGood followed, bringing in donations of $13,000 from around the world to raise the total roof funding to nearly $82,000.

With sufficient funds now in hand, Zaman has scheduled work on the roof to begin later this month. Najah Bazzy, Zaman Founder and CEO, noted that the roof is decades old and that repairing breaches has been on Zaman’s “to do” list since 2014, when Zaman purchased the former auto supplies facility for its outreach center. But the rapid acceleration of the leaking was unexpected, she said, and could have forced Zaman to shut its doors out of concern for the health of its staff.

“It would have been devastating to the hundreds of women and children who rely on us for their basic needs to stop services even temporarily,” Bazzy said. “Fortunately, the overwhelming concern and generosity of the community meant we didn’t have to contemplate that seriously. We are a crisis assistance provider, and suddenly we were the ones in crisis. We are so grateful to all who gave.”

Jul 20, 2017

Art Van Charity Challenge raises more than $6,500 for Zaman International

Leveraging their personal networks for a worthy cause, supporters of Zaman International raised more than $6,500 to support the organization’s outreach programs during the 2017 Art Van Charity Challenge.

The furniture retailer’s annual fundraising competition, which ran from April 4 through April 25, allows Midwest charities to compete for $100,000, $50,000 and $10,000 cash prizes by raising the most money online. The online fundraising platform used by the Charity Challenge allows donors to create individual fundraising pages for their charity of choice to motivate friends, colleagues and family members to give as well. Charities can keep all the money raised for them during the competition, even if they don’t win a prize.

Zaman’s tally at the end of the competition was $6,720, which according to Chief Development Officer Michele Economou-Ureste will be used to support Zaman’s crisis assistance and skills training programs for Southeast Michigan’s most impoverished women.

“We thank Art Van for the opportunity to compete, all the people who gave, and the individuals who helped build awareness about the work we do by reaching out to their contacts for donations,” Economou-Ureste said. “The competition raised the visibility of Zaman and expanded our network of supporters, which will benefit the women and children we serve.”

May 23, 2017

Zaman International receives programming, Ramadan food drive support from Islamic Relief USA

Zaman has received $50,000 from Islamic Relief USA to support its crisis assistance and job skills training programs. The money represents the second installment of a multi-year, $75,000 grant providing for $25,000 in 2015, $50,000 in 2017, and $25,000 in 2018.

Najah Bazzy, Zaman CEO and Founder, said the Islamic Relief USA funding has helped Zaman provide food, clothing, shelter, and mattresses to needy families through its Bayt Al-Zahra Urgent Needs Program as well as job skills and literacy training through its Building Ongoing Opportunities Through Skills Training Program.

Islamic Relief USA has also given Zaman approximately $16,000 worth of food to distribute to needy families for the Ramadan month, which begins May 27. The food will fill 250 boxes and feed about 1,000 people.

“Zaman is grateful to Islamic Relief USA for supporting our outreach to the most vulnerable residents of Southeast Michigan,” said Najah Bazzy, Zaman founder and CEO. “As it works to expand its presence and increase its impact across the United States, Islamic Relief USA has chosen Zaman as one of its partners for the important work it wants to do in Greater Detroit. We look forward to continued collaboration around our shared objectives of alleviating poverty and helping the marginalized.”

May 11, 2017

Zaman International’s Mother’s Day brunch brings in $80,000 for women and children

Zaman International’s annual Mother’s Day brunch, held May 6 at Crystal Gardens in Southgate, raised almost $80,000 for the organization. The gross proceeds – which were nearly 20% higher than the gross proceeds from last year’s brunch – included $26,000 raised during the three-hour event in response to an emergency appeal for help fixing widespread roof damage at the organization’s Hope For Humanity Center in Inkster.

More than 650 guests attended the ladies-only brunch, which was catered by Habib’s Cuisine in Dearborn and which featured a “marketplace” to shop for locally made products and a raffle for more than 90 themed baskets featuring everything from designer purses and cosmetic procedures to children’s games and home goods. Zaman attributed the fundraiser’s record-setting success to the generosity of attendees, event sponsors, marketplace vendors, and donors – who contributed raffle items worth a combined $16,830.

The brunch was supported by $7,000 from sponsors Dearborn Pediatric & Adolescent Medical Center, Drug Max Pharmacy, Michigan Cosmetic Surgery, and a donor giving in loving memory of Imad Fadlallah. It was also sponsored by Retea (www.getretea.com), a Detroit-based company owned by Ali Bazzi and Saad Saad that donates a portion of its sales to refugee education worldwide. Retea treated guests to a tea bar and a packet of tea at each place setting, a donation worth more than $4,000. An in-kind donation was also made by Jihan Jawad, who donated nearly $1,000 worth of hardbound journals so that guests could write words of encouragement to be read by students in Zaman’s jobs skills training program.

Vendors at the marketplace included Retea, candymaker Narang Desserts, bakeries Planet Bakery and Crème au Beurre Pâtisserie, and nonprofit Soap4Hope – all of who gave a portion or all of their proceeds back to Zaman for a combined donation of roughly $1,900. The marketplace also featured handmade items by students in Zaman’s Sewing Program, who made more than $300 in sales to support their families.

Najah Bazzy, Zaman Founder and CEO, said the event showed the power of women to come together in support of other women – regardless of their circumstances.

“The women we serve are no different than the women who help us serve them – particularly when it comes to the universal experiences of motherhood,” Bazzy said. “Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity for women to come together in support of our common humanity and to celebrate and empower one another – no matter where we are in life.”

May 11, 2017

Zaman Founder and CEO Najah Bazzy named Hometown Health Hero by state’s public health leaders

The Michigan Public Health Partnership has given Zaman Founder and CEO Najah Bazzy a 2017 Hometown Health Hero Award for her efforts to protect and improve community health. Hometown Hero Awards are presented every April during Michigan’s Public Health Week to individuals who promote community health through education, policy and assessment.

This year, Michigan’s Public Health Week was celebrated on April 3-9 and synched with the National Public Health Week focus of “Healthiest Nation 2030.” The partnership noted that the United States spends more on health care than other comparable countries but experiences shorter lifespans and more chronic disease and infant mortality – across all ages and socioeconomic groups. Hometown Health Heroes are private organizations and individuals who are helping the United States achieve the goal of healthiest nation by pursuing varied public health objectives.

Among the objectives identified by the partnership are fostering income equality, promoting social justice, increasing access to healthy food, and helping youth graduate from high school – all of which Zaman does through its provision of urgent needs and job skills training to severely impoverished women with children.

“I am honored to be recognized as an agent of public health promotion,” said Bazzy. “As a registered nurse, I saw the interconnectedness of individuals’ physical, economic and social health and how each helped to promote and safeguard the others. Now, as head of a humanitarian organization, I see that same interconnectedness at the community level. It is exciting to think Zaman is doing its part for a healthier nation by helping to break the cycle of poverty.”

The Michigan Public Health Partnership is comprised of the Michigan Association of Counties, the Michigan Association for Local Public Health, the Michigan Department of Community Health, the Michigan Public Health Association, the Michigan Public Health Institute, Michigan State University, the University of Michigan School of Public Health, Grand Valley State University, Department of Public Health, Michigan Health Improvement Alliance, Inc., and Wayne State University.

May 05, 2017

Hope for Humanity Center Roof Fund

To contribute to Zaman's roof fund, please visit this link. https://secure.zamaninternational.org/np/clients/zaman/donation.jsp?campaign=16&

The nonprofit organization Zaman International helps Southeast Michigan's poorest women and children by providing urgent needs and skills training to break the cycle of generational poverty. 

Now Zaman is in urgent need of help.

A decades-old roof with widespread leaking threatens the safe, welcoming space where these vulnerable families seek help. Our services are provided at the 40,500-square-foot Hope for Humanity Center in Inkster, Mich., which includes a food pantry, resale shop, furniture warehouse, and classrooms for literacy and workforce development training. The entire span of the center's roof has multiple leaks, giving rise to health concerns of black mold if repairs cannot be made soon. If our staff cannot work safely in the building, we will have to shut our doors and cut off vital services to women and children who depend on us.

Over the past year, Zaman has obtained roof repair quotes. The most affordable quote of $75,000 would establish a two-inch membrane of silicone coating and a 50-year warranty.

Zaman's good deeds are your good deeds. Please help us keep our doors open.

Apr 28, 2017

NBC’s Today profiles Zaman staffer bridging cultures and faiths with food

Amanda Saab, nationally esteemed food blogger and director of Zaman’s Culinary Arts Program, was featured by NBC’s Today show this month for using her passion for cooking to bring people of different faiths – quite literally – to the table.

The April 13 installment of “Soul Searching Today,” the show’s Passover and Easter week series, showcased Saab’s idea to use hospitality – an important practice in Islam – to combat negative rhetoric about the faith. As hosts of “Dinner With Your Muslim Neighbor,” Saab and her husband, Hussein, use social media to invite people from diverse communities to their home to share a meal and learn more about one another’s traditions. The couple have hosted a dozen dinners to date and Saab says the candid conversations they encourage are breaking barriers and fostering friendships.

An innovator in Mediterranean-American fusion cuisine, Saab was a contestant on Season 6 of Fox TV’s MasterChef and her cooking blog, Amanda’s Plate (www.amandasplate.com), is followed by thousands. She is a graduate of the Wayne State School of Social Work and also serves as director of Zaman’s Bayt Al-Zahra urgent needs program.

Check out the Today show segment here.

Apr 12, 2017

Henry Ford College recognizes Zaman CEO Najah Bazzy

Henry Ford College (HFC) has honored Zaman International Founder and CEO Najah Bazzy with the 2017 Gene L. Brazell Community Role Model Award, a distinction bestowed each year by HFC’s Focus on Women program to honor a woman who works tirelessly in the community to better the lives of others, supports the work of HFC, and is an exemplary role model for women.

Bazzy accepted the award on March 24 at the Women’s Recognition Luncheon on the college’s campus. Proceeds from the luncheon go to Student Outreach and Support and its Student Emergency Fund, which provides financial assistance to HFC students with unforeseen emergency needs to help them stay in school and complete their education.

“Najah Bazzy is a dedicated, compassionate and respected member of the community who has been an invaluable asset in helping many households break the cycle of poverty,” said Lisa Copprue, HFC vice president for student affairs. “I cannot think of a candidate who is more deserving to be this year’s Community Role Model.”

Bazzy, who founded Zaman International 20 years ago to provide urgent needs to severely impoverished women and children throughout Greater Detroit, spoke to luncheon attendees about her inspiration to serve, Zaman’s work locally and around the world, and her dream of a world without hunger. 

“I’m incredibly humbled and honored to be recognized by Henry Ford College,” Bazzy said. “Being a role model is not something I set out to do; I simply saw a need in the community and tried to meet it. The countless individuals and community partners who have lent their support to this effort – partners like Henry Ford College – have made Zaman what it is today.”

HFC has provided vital volunteer support to Zaman over the past years, sending groups of staff and students to assist with packing hygiene items and organizing Zaman’s food pantry.

Mar 22, 2017

Zaman International releases 2016 annual report, “Navigating Growth”

Zaman has shared highlights from 2016 in a new annual report describing the "blessings and challenges" of rapid expansion. Among the developments detailed in the publication are Zaman's move to the Hope For Humanity Center in Inkster, the launch of its sewing and literacy programs, the opening of its resale shop and client-choice food pantry, community-based events that set records for attendance and fundraising, and key volunteer initiatives. The report's release coincided with the organization's V.I.P. Gala, which was held March 12 at Detroit's Port Authority building.

Click HERE to access the annual report online.

Feb 07, 2017

Zaman helps bring clean water to thousands displaced in Somalia

Some 3,000 internally displaced persons (IDP) in the Middle Shebelle Region of Somalia have access to safe, clean drinking water thanks to a well rehabilitation project supported by Zaman International.

International Medical Corps used a $16,000 grant from Zaman to rehabilitate three wells in a village and two IDP camps in the district of Jowhar, which has borne the brunt of recurring conflict, drought, flooding and food insecurity. Through a needs assessment, International Medical Corps determined that most shallow wells serving these populations had collapsed during flooding in 2015 and that remaining wells were damaged or susceptible to contamination. Heavily reliant on raw river water, the area suffered perennial outbreaks of acute water diarrhea.

With Zaman’s support, International Medical Corps prioritized three wells for rehabilitation based on the need and vulnerability of the communities they served as well as the communities’ willingness to manage the wells after rehabilitation. In addition to rehabilitating the wells, International Medical Corps engaged in an education and training initiative to promote sanitation and hygiene. Through house-to-house visits and community events, staff distributed 1,000 hygiene kits and increased awareness of handwashing, household water treatment, proper use of latrines, disease prevention and methods to prevent and treat dehydration. International Medical Corps also trained a committee of 25 community members on water management, well operation and management, and hygiene promotion.

In the two months since the wells have been rehabilitated, the area has recorded a four percent drop in acute watery diarrhea cases. Zaman Founder and CEO Najah Bazzy said the Jowhar District well project demonstrates International Medical Corps’ success in bringing communities from relief to self-reliance.

“International Medical Corps’ commitment to training communities to preserve and manage the infrastructural improvements they receive is a key reason Zaman invests donor dollars in its relief work,” Bazzy said. “Training and education are the keys to self-reliance and the only way to ensure the long-term success of community-improvement interventions.”

Feb 02, 2017

Lebanese Student Associations direct annual gala proceeds to Zaman International

Lebanese Student Associations from five regional universities have given Zaman International $1,000 to support its work with vulnerable women and children. The groups, from Wayne State University, Oakland University, Michigan State University, University of Michigan–Dearborn and University of Michigan–Ann Arbor, presented a check to Zaman at their Fifth Annual Unified Gala, which took place on Jan. 14 at Crystal Gardens Banquet Center in Southgate.

The $1,000 represents a portion of the proceeds from the gala’s tickets sales. According to Mohammed Turfe, vice president of the Wayne State Lebanese Student Association and one of the gala’s organizers, the undergraduate groups select a worthy cause to receive proceeds from the event each year.

The five Lebanese Student Associations operate under the auspices of the nonprofit Lebanese Collegiate Network and actively promote Lebanese culture through professional and academic formation as well as social activity and volunteer work. According to Turfe, Zaman was an obvious choice to receive their donation.

“Whenever we plan service work, Zaman is the first organization we think about,” said Turfe, who is studying sociology and public health. “Zaman helps everybody in need, regardless of race, religion or culture, and when you volunteer there you get to meet and connect with the beneficiaries of your work.”

Accepting the check for Zaman was Amanda Saab, director of the organization’s Bayt Al-Zahra urgent needs program, who spoke to gala attendees about Zaman’s mission and values. Zaman CEO and Founder NajahBazzy, who delivered the keynote address at the Third Annual Unified Gala, thanked the students on behalf of the women and children they are helping to feed, clothe, and train.

“These young men and women have given Zaman incredible support as volunteers, ambassadors, and donors,” Bazzy said. “They are a credit to their universities and a credit to their generation. We look forward to the many ways they will help all residents of Metro Detroit thrive in the years to come.”

Jan 11, 2017

Zaman International partners with Gleaners Community Food Bank to feed hungry

Gleaners Community Food Bank recently named Inkster-based Zaman International an official food pantry partner, a designation that will significantly bolster Zaman’s impact as a provider of crisis and basic needs assistance to women and children.

Headquartered in Detroit, Gleaners operates five distribution centers in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston and Monroe counties and provides food to 535 partner soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters and other agencies throughout Southeast Michigan. Zaman’s Client Choice Food Pantry, which opened shortly before Thanksgiving, distributed more than 2,000 pounds of food in its first three days as well as fresh dairy products and produce. The pantry also provides household cleaners and hygiene items.

Noting that partner agencies helped Gleaners distribute more than 34.5 million pounds of food to some 400,000 food-insecure individuals last year, Gleaners Agency Relations Manager Mollie Grierson said the partnership with Zaman will “greatly increase Gleaners’ ability to feed hungry families and individuals in the Inkster area.”

“It is our partner agencies who are our feet on the ground, working directly with community members and distributing the food that Gleaners is able to provide,” Grierson said. “Gleaners is extremely proud to add Zaman to our list of community partners and we look forward to making an even larger impact on hunger relief in the Inkster area due to this partnership.”

Located in Zaman’s Hope For Humanity Center, the Client Choice Food Pantry offers a dignified, culturally sensitive shopping experience for the organization’s clients that allows them to select food at no cost according to preference, lifestyle or religion. Clients, whose needs are assessed and addressed by Zaman’s social work staff under a comprehensive case management model, are given vouchers each month which they can use to obtain food and other items from the pantry. Under the terms of their partnership, Zaman pays Gleaners nothing for the produce, dairy and bread it distributes and just pennies on the dollar for other food items.

Zaman CEO and Founder Najah Bazzy characterized Zaman’s partnership with Gleaners as an organizational milestone made possible by the Hope For Humanity Center, which Zaman purchased in 2014 and occupied in the spring of 2016 after an initial phase of renovation.

“Zaman’s vision for breaking the cycle of poverty is based on leveraging community resources and forging partnerships that allow us to feed, clothe and train as many women as possible,” Bazzy said. “The Hope For Humanity Center has given us the requisite space to house a pantry and begin this collaboration with Gleaners for the good of our community. The Client Choice Food Pantry is one of Zaman’s most impactful undertakings and we look forward to continuing this partnership with Gleaners.”

Dec 29, 2016

M.S.W. turned MasterChef contender leads Bayt Al-Zahra, culinary arts programs

Dearborn native Amanda Saab, a master’s-level social worker and cooking enthusiast whose recipe blog “Amanda’s Plate” (www.amandasplate.com) helped land her a spot on Season 6 of Fox TV’s "MasterChef,” has joined the staff of Zaman International. Saab serves as director of Bayt Al-Zahra, the organization’s crisis assistance and client services program, and will also design and direct the BOOST Culinary Arts Program slated to launch in 2017.

A graduate of the Wayne State University School of Social Work, Saab was tapped to transition Bayt Al-Zahra to a comprehensive case management model that will better serve Zaman’s clients. The new model introduces a more rigorous intake and assessment process, allocates services and job skills instruction based on clients’ self-determined goals, and establishes a timeline for progress toward self-sufficiency. The program will be tailored around refugee resettlement, crisis assistance, and traditional client services.

Meanwhile, Saab will be looking to adapt a culinary arts curriculum for use by the Building Ongoing Opportunities Through Skills Training (BOOST) program, which is expanding its job skills training program to follow the success of the literacy and sewing programs launched in January 2016. The program will prepare clients for work in commercial kitchens through classroom and hands-on instruction in food safety and sanitation, nutrition, food procurement and storage, basic skills and techniques, and advanced cooking instruction. It will also provide them with access to professional chef and guest chef workshops, catering opportunities, mock interviews, and off-site internships.

Saab, whose specializes in Mediterranean-American fusion cuisine and updates her blog twice weekly with the recipes she develops in her kitchen, said Zaman offers her the opportunity to practice her two passions.

“Social work allows me to make a positive difference in people’s lives, while cooking and sharing recipes provides an opportunity to teach others how to create wholesome nutritious meals for themselves and their families,” said Saab, who even combined service work and cooking at her MasterChef premier viewing party by asking friends and family to bring donations for Gleaners Community Food Bank. Saab credits her family for fostering both passions, saying the flavors she grew up with are her “go to” ingredients when cooking and recalling childhood trips to Coalition on Temporary Shelter (COTS) to donate food from her family’s small grocery store.

Saab brings experience in program development to her role at Zaman, having most recently led the development and implementation of Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services-related policies at Valley Medical Center in Renton, Wash. Prior to that, Saab helped lead ethics and customer service initiatives at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle and led home-based clinician training for ACCESS in Dearborn.

Zaman CEO and Founder Najah Bazzy said Saab brings important strengths to the organization.

 

“We are most excited that Amanda brings master’s level social work experience to Zaman,” Bazzy said. “This perspective will broaden the depth of our work and programming. Her talent and passion for food will feed our clients but also teach them how to fish.”

Dec 20, 2016

Aleppo: Urgent Humanitarian Aid Required

Dear Zamanitarians,

We have just been alerted that the Syrian Red Crescent and our partner, International Medical Corps, are mobilizing to provide critical supplies, including winter coats, boots and blankets, to those leaving Aleppo.  These organizations are also ramping up services in communities that will be receiving the displaced.  While the evacuations are unpredictable, we are confident that our donor dollars will be leveraged in a significant way to serve the most essential needs of those on the ground.  Your contribution is not limited to the supplies listed above and may provide other life-saving goods and services as the situation demands.

I ask each of you to do your best to give generously as this year ends and a new one begins.  We are one human family, responsible for and to one another.  Please follow this link and donate immediately, selecting Syrian Relief as your Website Donation Purpose.  Zaman will release all collected funds promptly.

May you and yours be blessed.

Sincerely,

 

Najah Bazzy
CEO/Founder

Dec 19, 2016

Zaman International gives girls in Afghanistan clean water, education

Roughly 2,500 girls and school staff in rural Afghanistan have received access to clean and safe water with the help of a $6,000 grant provided by Zaman International to International Medical Corps. The funding was used by IMC to rehabilitate the water supply at Shikhan Girls Higher Secondary School in Laghman Province’s Zia Gul Shikhan Village, which will improve the general health and school attendance of the students.

Prior to the rehabilitation, students and staff were required to carry enough water to school to drink throughout the day and were unable to clean the school’s toilets, wash their hands after using the facilities, or maintain other hygiene practices. This placed them at risk for contracting water-borne diseases.  Additionally, the time required for young girls to collect water for themselves and their families presented a significant barrier to their school attendance.

With support from Zaman International, IMC constructed a reinforced cement concrete overhead tower for storing drinking and irrigation water and installed a 3,000-liter water tank insulated against storms and extreme temperatures. It also installed a water distribution point with water taps for staff and students to collect water. IMC ensured sustainability by orienting and training school staff on the proper use of the water system, which receives water from an underground source with pumping for use.

Zaman CEO and Founder Najah Bazzy said the rehabilitation of the water supply demonstrates Zaman’s interest in development projects that advance multiple objectives.

“The school project in Zia Gul Shikhan Village achieved improvements in public health while at the same time increasing access to education,” Bazzy noted. “Zaman is pleased that its longtime partnership with IMC continues to make the most of our donors’ development dollars through high-yield investments.” 

Dec 08, 2016

Najah Bazzy receives ADC Hala Salaam Maksoud Leadership Award

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has award its 2016 Hala Salaam Maksoud Leadership award to Zaman International CEO and founder Najah Bazzy.

The award, named after former ADC president and nationally recognized civil and human rights advocate Dr. Hala Salam Maksoud, is presented annually to a community leader who has exhibited great leadership, strength and compassion toward the concerns of the community and the mission of ADC. Bazzy accepted the award on Oct. 1 at the ADC’s Annual Gala in Washington DC.

Abed Ayoub, ADC’s director of legal and policy affairs, praised Bazzy as a mentor and teacher for the Muslim Youth Connection (formerly Young Muslim Association), which she cofounded in 1999 to prepare young adults for contemporary society with a focus on social justice and service. He also acknowledged her work to alleviate poverty throughout Metro Detroit through Zaman’s crisis assistance and job skills training programs.

“She embodies the values of Dr. Maksoud,” Ayoub said. “The two share many similarities.”

During her acceptance speech, Bazzy recalled looking up to Dr. Maksoud as a young woman and drawing inspiration from her efforts to dispel common misperceptions about Arab women through articles, lectures, and television and radio appearances.

“She worked to tear down the veil of ignorance just as Zaman works to tear down the veil of poverty,” Bazzy said. “Zaman is following the trail she blazed as it fights to defend the civil and human rights of women and children throughout Southeast Michigan.”

Bazzy also noted that she is 56 years old – the same age Dr. Maksoud was when she died in 2002 of pancreatic cancer.

“I can’t help but see this as a sign that I’m helping to carry on the important work she started,” Bazzy said. “Cancer claimed her body but not her legacy. That lives on through Zaman and through any organization that shares her commitment to social justice.”

Oct 18, 2016

7th Annual Hope For Humanity Run Walk Picnic breaks attendance, fundraising records

A record 800 supporters of Zaman International came to Dearborn’s Ford Field Park on Sept. 24 to run, walk, eat, and raise $35,000 for Metro Detroit’s most vulnerable women and children, making the organization’s 2016 Hope For Humanity Run Walk Picnic the most successful in the event’s seven-year history.

Organizers attributed the strong turnout to glorious autumn weather, a yearlong marketing push by the new Zaman Detroit Run Team, and the addition of a 10K run and kids’ run complementing  the annual 5K run and walk, family-friendly activities, and barbecue lunch that have made the event a community favorite. Attendance was up more than 40% over previous years and the funds raised, all of which will support Zaman’s crisis assistance, literacy and training programs, were more than double those raised last year. Among those in attendance were Congresswoman Debbie Dingell of Michigan’s 12th District, Dearborn City Council President Susan A. Dabaja, Inkster Councilman Jewell Jones, and Judge David Turfe of 20th District Court in Dearborn Heights, who served as event chair.

"The 2016 Run Walk Picnic exceeded all expectations,” Turfe said. “Everyone enjoyed an activity-filled day out with their family full of fun, exercise, laughter, great food and memories that will last forever!"

Event director and Zaman Detroit Run Team captain Ali Bazzi said organizers had “been planning for the event since late last year and from the beginning wanted to make it the most enjoyable event yet. We received a lot of positive feedback and saw many new faces which was great. The best was hearing adults and children alike say that they can’t wait for next year.”

Kelly Valente, who took first place in the women’s 5K, said the organizers’ hard work paid off.

"This is the second consecutive year I participated and I really enjoy running the route. It was well marked and the picnic and activities afterwards were great."  Valente said.

Simon Cox, who ran the 10K, agreed.

“It was a great event,” Cox said. “Well organized – and a fun run.”

Kids were treated to pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting, pumpkin decorating, basketball and tug of war challenges, and a photo both. Bazzi said the day was designed to offer plenty of fun – and remind guests of their plenty.

“This year’s theme was ‘local hope,’” Bazzi said. “We wanted everyone to have an enjoyable day but to also remember that there are many others in our community that are in dire need of basic necessities like food, shelter and clothing. Through Zaman’s local programs, all the proceeds from this year’s event will be going to assist people right here in Michigan.”

Zaman CEO and Founder Najah Bazzy expressed gratitude for the strong support the event received from new and repeat sponsors.

“Sponsorship for the Run Walk Picnic grows each year with attendance,” Bazzy noted. “The generosity of our sponsors makes this event possible and shows their commitment to strengthening Southeast Michigan by empowering struggling women and children.”

This year’s event was supported by Presenting Sponsors RE/MAX Team 2000 and Greenland Markets, Gold Sponsor Carhartt, and Silver Sponsors The Ann Arbor T-shirt Company, the City of Dearborn, the Detroit Medical Center, Omnex Accounting & Tax Services, Premier Cardiovascular Specialists PC, Rafic’s Falafel, Run Detroit, Saad Wholesale Meats, the University of Michigan Dearborn, Valassis, and Venture Title. Other sponsors included AXA Advisors, Cardiology and Vascular Associates, PC, Garden Foods, Henry Ford Health System, IHT Insurance Agency Group, LA Bistro, the Law Offices of Ashraf Al-Awamleh, PLLC, Mike and Nadia Ayoub, Mike Dorian Ford, Pat Milliken Ford, Sunoco Station on Ford and Inkster, Tim Holzer Ford, Tim Horton’s at Michigan Ave and Evergreen, Yogurtown, 1-888-TRASH-IT, and the $4 Magical Touch Car Wash.

Zaman International is a nonprofit organization committed to addressing the basic needs and empowerment of marginalized women and children locally and internationally. Founded in 1996 and incorporated in 2004, Zaman has to date assisted more than 125,000 people in Southeast Michigan with food, clothing, furniture, utility assistance, infant burial, and other essential needs, while providing humanitarian relief, disaster response, and access to safe drinking water to an additional 600,000 across the world through international activities and partnerships. Since 2016, Zaman has operated out of the Hope For Humanity Center, a 40,500-square-foot facility in Inkster that houses its crisis assistance, vocational training and life skills programs. For more information, please visit www.zamaninternational.org.

Aug 25, 2016

National Book Fund gives Zaman $2,000 in adult literacy curriculum materials

ProLiteracy’s National Book Fund has given Zaman International’s adult literacy program $2,000 to acquire new materials from New Readers Press. The publishing division of ProLiteracy, New Readers Press publishes the Laubach Way to Reading, which is a curriculum used by Zaman’s program.

Zaman’s Gigi Salka, director of the Building Ongoing Opportunities Through Skills Training (BOOST) program that houses the literacy program, said the grant will help Zaman offer a multilevel curriculum that has materials appropriate to all stages of learning. The BOOST Literacy Program purchased only the first two levels of Laubach for the program’s inaugural semester, which ended in May, and can use the NBF grant to purchase the next two levels for students who are ready to move up. The program also used the grant to purchase Digital Challenger, an interactive e-reader version of the Challenger adult literacy book series, as well as books on English conversation and cultural practices.

“Our students have worked extremely hard to reach the next levels of instruction and we want to make sure there are no impediments to their progress,” Salka said. “We are very grateful to National Book Fund for helping us give them the resources they need to become literate and improve their quality of life.”

The BOOST Literacy Program, which is based on the model developed by ProLiteracy America and the Adrian Rea Literacy Centers, provides one-on-one and small group tutoring in ESL and Adult Basic Literacy and integrates life skills through shopping excursions and library outings. It is free to Zaman’s clients and facilitates participation by providing child care and transportation to and from classes. Donations of time or materials, which are always welcome, can be directed to Salka at 313-551-3994 ext. 2017 or gsalka@zamaninternational.org.

Zaman International is a nonprofit organization committed to addressing the basic needs and empowerment of marginalized women and children locally and internationally. Founded in 1996 and incorporated in 2004, Zaman has to date assisted more than 125,000 people in Southeast Michigan with food, clothing, furniture, utility assistance, infant burial, and other essential needs, while providing humanitarian relief, disaster response, and access to safe drinking water to an additional 600,000 across the world through international activities and partnerships. Since 2016, Zaman has operated out of the Hope For Humanity Center, a 40,500-square-foot facility in Inkster that houses its crisis assistance, vocational training and life skills programs. For more information, please visit www.zamaninternational.org.

Aug 22, 2016

Zaman literacy program gets a bounty of books from Dearborn School District

Dearborn School District’s Adult & Community Education has donated more than 2,000 books to Zaman International’s new adult literacy program – a gift that will significantly enhance the English as a Second Language (ESL) curriculum Zaman offers its clients.

The ESL books are from New Readers Press, the publishing division of ProLiteracy, and include various series teaching financial literacy, health and healthcare, workplace culture, and other life skills and areas of acculturation. These series offer different levels of instruction for multilevel classrooms, teacher’s guides, and audio recordings.

The donation is perfectly timed for the sophomore semester of Zaman’s literacy program, which was launched in January through the Building Ongoing Opportunities Through Skills Training (BOOST) program. More than 40 students are registered for the fall, roughly half of whom completed the first semester of tutoring in May and are ready for advanced material. The donated books, many of which are brand new, include additional copies of series that BOOST is already using as well as series it had hoped to acquire.

“They gave us our wish list,” said BOOST Director Gigi Salka. “The books we received include curricula we had hoped to introduce but didn’t have the funding to purchase. The donation from Adult & Community Education allows us to enroll more students while at the same time augmenting what we teach them. We are tremendously grateful.”

The BOOST Literacy Program, which is based on the model developed by ProLiteracy America and the Adrian Rea Literacy Centers, provides one-on-one and small group tutoring in ESL and Adult Basic Literacy and integrates life skills through shopping excursions and library outings. It is free to Zaman’s clients and facilitates participation by providing child care and transportation to and from classes. Donations of time or materials, which are always welcome, can be directed to Salka at 313-551-3994 ext. 2017 or gsalka@zamaninternational.org.

Zaman International is a nonprofit organization committed to addressing the basic needs and empowerment of marginalized women and children locally and internationally. Founded in 1996 and incorporated in 2004, Zaman has to date assisted more than 125,000 people in Southeast Michigan with food, clothing, furniture, utility assistance, infant burial, and other essential needs, while providing humanitarian relief, disaster response, and access to safe drinking water to an additional 600,000 across the world through international activities and partnerships. Since 2016, Zaman has operated out of the Hope For Humanity Center, a 40,500-square-foot facility in Inkster that houses its crisis assistance, vocational training and life skills programs. For more information, please visit www.zamaninternational.org.

Aug 18, 2016

Zaman youth attend free STEM camps at Oakland University

Oakland University’s School of Engineering and Computer Science (SECS) this month treated nearly three-dozen Zaman youth to a week-long “STEM” immersion experience introducing them to the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

The 35 middle- and high school students attended one of two five-day camps organized by the SECS. The first was an “engineering exploration” camp examining a broad range of STEM concepts through lab experiments and activities, while the second was a projects-based robotics camp. The students, most of whom are children of women enrolled in Zaman’s Building Ongoing Opportunities Through Skills Training (BOOST) vocational skills program, were given lunch and round-trip transportation as part of the experience. The camps were completely sponsored by the SECS, and organized by Dr. Chris Kobus and Marianne Donoghue, who are the Director and Assistant Director of the SECS Outreach Program, respectively.

The camps were an exciting confidence-builder for youth who have suffered setbacks to their education as a result of difficult life circumstances, said BOOST Director Gigi Salka.

“The youth who attended the STEM camps are refugees whose studies have been interrupted by their displacement and who speak little or no English, as well as youth who are children of marginalized women heads of household trying to make a better life for their families,” said Salka, noting that the students were assisted with translation by a volunteer. “Spending a week at Oakland University, learning about dynamic disciplines with countless career opportunities – these experiences helped them to see themselves as college students and to believe that higher education is within their reach. This is vital to Zaman’s goal of ending intergenerational poverty and we are grateful to SECS for such a generous gesture.”

SECS Dean Louay Chamra – whose wife, Dr. Roufaida Al-Misky, is a volunteer tutor for Zaman’s adult literacy program – said “We are thrilled to provide this opportunity to these students. Encouraging students to pursue higher education in STEM allows for a brighter future. When students are successful, they better contribute to the advancements of their families, communities, and society. Everyone deserves an education in order for dreams to become realities. OU is proud to share these principles with Zaman.”

Zaman International is a nonprofit organization committed to addressing the basic needs and empowerment of marginalized women and children locally and internationally. Founded in 1996 and incorporated in 2004, Zaman has to date assisted more than 125,000 people in Southeast Michigan with food, clothing, furniture, utility assistance, infant burial, and other essential needs, while providing humanitarian relief, disaster response, and access to safe drinking water to an additional 600,000 across the world through international activities and partnerships. Since 2016, Zaman has operated out of the Hope For Humanity Center, a 40,500-square-foot facility in Inkster that houses its crisis assistance, vocational training and life skills programs. For more information, please visit www.zamaninternational.org.

Jun 21, 2016

Zaman International wins 2016 Better World Books literacy grant

Zaman International has received $5,000 from Better World Books to provide vocational training and literacy instruction through its Building Ongoing Opportunities for Skills Training (BOOST) program, which empowers marginalized, low-income women throughout Greater Detroit to achieve a better standard of living.

The South Bend, Ind.-based bookseller named Zaman one of 10 recipients of its 2016 Literacy Grants for Libraries and Nonprofits (http://cares.betterworldbooks.com/grants/literacy-grants-projects/). The socially responsible bookseller, which donates a book for every book it sells and directs a percentage of each sale to support literacy, said it reviewed millions of dollars worth of grant requests and hundreds of applications before selecting this year’s winners.

Launched in January 2016, the BOOST Literacy Program helps Zaman’s clients realize employment opportunities in Metro Detroit through a no-cost, multi-level curriculum covering English proficiency, job procurement and social/workplace acculturation. It provides one-on-one and small group tutoring in ESL and Adult Basic Literacy and integrates life skills through shopping excursions and library outings. It facilitates participation by providing free child care and free transportation to and from classes.

BOOST Director Gigi Salka said the grant comes at a critical time for Zaman’s literacy program, which has just completed its first semester of classes and which in May celebrated the progress of its inaugural 26 students.

“Our program is young and still identifying and acquiring the instructional tools that can best help our students,” said Salka, adding that there is a great need for literacy instruction among Zaman’s clients, many of whom are refugees. “Our students are determined to learn English to improve their situations and have made great strides in just a few months. We are incredibly grateful to Better World Books for its generous grant, which will help us purchase the advanced curriculum materials and online learning platforms our students need to continue making progress at home and over the summer months.”

The BOOST Literacy Program is based on the model developed by ProLiteracy America and the Adrian Rea Literacy Centers, both of which use one-on-one tutoring strategies and lesson planning to address the individual needs of each adult learner. Volunteer tutors, who include college professors, doctors, retired teachers, entrepreneurs, and college and graduate students, undergo intensive tutor training through Zaman’s partnership with Sienna Literacy Center and the Dominican Literacy Center of Detroit, long established programs under the Adrian Rea Literacy System. Tutors work under the direct supervision and guidance of BOOST Literacy Coordinator Debbie Abdulhamid, who is responsible for curriculum development and student lesson planning and progress.

Salka said Zaman’s BOOST Literacy Program welcomes volunteers and donations. Anyone interested in giving time or materials to the program can contact Gigi Salka at 313-551-3994 ext. 2017 or gsalka@zamaninternational.org.

Zaman International is a non-profit organization committed to addressing the basic needs and empowerment of marginalized women and children locally and internationally. Founded in 1996 and incorporated in 2004, Zaman has to date assisted more than 125,000 people in Southeast Michigan with food, clothing, furniture, utility assistance, infant burial, and other essential needs, while providing humanitarian relief, disaster response, and access to safe drinking water to an additional 600,000 across the world through international activities and partnerships. Since 2014, Zaman has operated out of the Hope For Humanity Center, a 40,500-square-foot facility in Inkster that houses its crisis assistance, vocational training and life skills programs. For more information, please visit www.zamaninternational.org.