STARS
AMONG US: The
Stars Among Us is our annual fundraiser honoring outstanding first or second
generation refugees or immigrants living in the United States. Our fundraiser
supports scholarships for refugee students at the secondary school and collegiate
levels. Since Stars Among Us began, we have distributed approximately 109
scholarships to students from 13 countries of origin for a total of $92,600.00.
For the past nine years, Stars Among Us has honored many distinct personalities,
such as this year's 2008 Recipient:
Abdullah
S. Jafari, President and Chief Investment Officer for Texas Merchant Financial.
Abdullah found his passion for philanthropy while a student in Pakistan, creating
his first non-profit organization in 1969 to provide medical care to thousands
who could not afford it. It was the beginning of a long career of volunteer
work.
Jafari worked around the world in the aviation business, coming to Houston
as President and CEO of Skyways International. He then branched out into firms
in the medical field before taking his current position as President and Chief
Investment Officer for Texas Merchant Financial, Inc. How Jafari found time
to work on his many volunteer activities is a mystery. In just the past couple
of years, he organized Muslim doctors to provide medical care to Katrina evacuees
who came to Houston.
Both
Mayor Bill White and the Pakistani-American physician's organization called
on Jafari to coordinate Houston relief efforts for victims of the 2005 Pakistani
earthquake. He is on the boards of Rotary Club of Houston; Developments in
Literacy, which funds over 150 rural schools in Pakistan; Pennies for Education
and Health, which provides health care and scholarships in India; and the
North American support organization for the Sind Institute of Urology and
Transplantation in Karachi, Pakistan, which treats over 400,000 persons suffering
from kidney related diseases each year free of charge.
Abdullah S. Jafari is truly a Star Among Us.
Click
here to See our past honorees
Stars Among Us is a worthwhile Gala that recognizes those refuges and immigrants
who have made a difference in their lives by coming to America, as well as
within their own communities.
Washington Mutual was also recognized this year as one of our collaborators
and partners. Washington Mutual Bank (WaMu) has considered the Alliance for
Multicultural Community Services one of our distinct partners within the communities
we serve. Over the past five years, WaMu has provided grant funds to the Alliance
for Operational and Program support. Programs consist of Financial Education;
Homebuyer Education Seminars, Volunteerism and Business Development, etc.
for the many families they serve.
Providing financial support and community service, WaMu is committed to providing
and delivering excellence to many non-profit and community-based organizations
whose missions are in line with ours; financial education, affordable housing,
K-12 education and volunteerism. WaMu has assisted many of the Alliance customers
with financial education workshops that resulted in "free checking accounts
and financial education certification."
Thank you WaMu for another great year in collaboration.