JANUARY 2024

More documents

Recommendations

Info

ECONOMICS & ENTERPRISE ’Tis Better to Give Businesses find creative ways to give back BY PAUL NATINKSY As so many of us look forward to the holiday season and the gifts we’ll exchange with family and friends, our thoughts also turn to those who are less fortunate and the true spirit of the season — “Give big, to get back, to give bigger,” as Rob Bava says. Bava is Community Choice Credit Union’s longtime president and CEO. We talked to Community Choice Business Development Officer Beth Spadafore about the company’s signature giving program, “Give Big Month,” which takes place every September. Each fall, employees are encouraged to “spend” some of the 24 hours of community service they are required to perform each year. The time spent serving the community is paid time off. Spadafore says Community Choice’s Human Resources Department finds opportunities and helps employees connect. Departments band together “Business services might go to Forgotten Harvest for a half a day and pack boxes for people.” Weeding or gardening blighted areas in the city of Detroit is another opportunity. Each year Spadafore gets involved with the Stronger Warrior Foundation for “veterans that are not getting the support from government that they require.” She got involved through her brother-in-law. They do a September golf outing each year. This year they raised $14,000. Last year it was about $10,000. Last year’s money went to a veteran who needed a handicapped accessible bathroom built in his home. “He was bathing in a kiddie pool in the garage.” The beauty of targeting early fall for major fundraising activities is that summer vacations are over, and the winter holidays are still a ways off. Not to mention September boasts some of Michigan’s best weather. Weeding, gardening, and golf are very much in play. “One of the things I’m most proud of at our company is the way we’ve been able to give back to the community,” says Saber Ammori, CEO of Wireless Vision employees at various backpack drives throughout the area. Wireless Vision, a T-Mobile dealer with over 460 stores in more than 25 states. The company has about 20 stores spread across Michigan. “When you do business in a community, you have a responsibility to give back,” says Ammori. “It’s financial, but it’s also time. We’ve done leadership programs in the community, mentoring new Americans. We’ve done food banks. To me, it’s a responsibility and an obligation.” In addition to working with children’s organizations such as Brilliant Detroit, a nonprofit organization that provides programming and support for children aged 0-8 in high-need neighborhoods, and City Year, another program benefitting school kids who need help, Ammori says Wireless Vision works with the Chaldean Community Foundation to identify opportunities to help the communities in which it operates. He says CCF is a good place to start for businesses that are new to giving. Much like Community Choice, Wireless Vision has a signature program complete with a slogan. “We call it ‘WV’s got your back,’” says Ammori. “It started eight or nine years ago, we started giving school backpacks to kids in areas of need, underprivileged areas.” Sly Sandiha of Pinnacle Hospitality leads a company that owns hotels and related properties throughout Michigan. Unlike many businesses, the hospitality industry serves a clientele that is not geographically related to its business. Guests come in, stay a few days or a week and then return to their homes in places throughout the country or abroad. For Pinnacle, the properties’ communities are the employees, who are local. Sandiha says Pinnacle relies on property managers and employees to help identify giving opportunities in communities. Being in the hospitality industry affords Pinnacle a unique opportunity to support communities. In cases where homes are destroyed by fires or floods, Pinnacle can host families until their property is rebuilt. “They stay with us for, sometimes, months at a time and it’s their home away from home,” said Sandiha. Sandiha and Ammori say that much of their passion for helping others reflects the values they learned growing up in the Chaldean community, where they were taught to give back to the people who helped support them and their businesses. A giving culture has its own rewards for those working in businesses imbued with it. Spadafore has worked in the banking industry her entire career. Now 65, she has been with Community Choice for 15 years and says a big part of the reason she is still working is because the credit union is still giving. “Coming into this culture was really kind of eye-opening for me to see that the president of the credit union is out there digging holes or pulling weeds.” 44 CHALDEAN NEWS JANUARY 2024
PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS Authorized Agent for: Phone: (248) 851-2227 (248) 851-BCBS Fax: (248) 851-2215 rockyhpip1@aol.com ROCKY H. HUSAYNU Professional Insurance Planners Individual & Group Health Plans Medicare Supplement Plans 31000 Northwestern Hwy. • Suite 110 Farmington Hills, Ml 48334 Over 44 years of experience. Gabe Gabriel Associate Broker, Certified ABR, SFR 29444 Northwestern Hwy, ste. 110 Southfield, Michigan 48034 Office (248) 737-9500 Direct (248) 939-1985 Fax (248) 737-1868 Email MortgageGabe@aol.com Angela Kakos Producing Branch Manager - VP of Mortgage Lending o: (248) 622-0704 rate.com/angelakakos angela.kakos@rate.com 2456 Metropolitan Parkway, Sterling Heights, MI 48310 Guaranteed Rate Inc.; NMLS #2611; For licensing information visit nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Equal Housing Lender. Conditions may apply • Angela Kakos NMLS ID: 166374 Experience • Knowledge • Personal Service Experience • Knowledge • Personal Service TOP 1% OF REALTORS 2015 REAL ESTATE TOP IN OAKLAND ALL STAR - TOP 1% 1% OF OF REALTORS REALTORS IN 2015 2023 REAL ESTATE OAKLAND COUNTY COUNTY 1993 – 2015 - 2023 HOUR MEDIA ALL STARS – IN OAKLAND ALL STAR - HOUR MEDIA COUNTY 1993 – 2015 Proudly servingHOUR Birmingham, MEDIA Bloomfield, Proudly Farmington serving Birmingham, Hills, Bloomfield, Each office Each office is independently is independently West Farmington Bloomfield, Hills, the Lakes West Bloomfield, the Proudly serving Birmingham, Owned Owned and Operated and Operated Brian S. Yaldoo and surrounding Lakes and areas. surrounding areas. Bloomfield, Farmington Hills, Associated Broker Each office is independently West Bloomfield, the Lakes Office (248)737-6800 Brian • S. Mobile Yaldoo Owned and Operated (248)752-4010 Toll Associated Brian Free (866) S. 762-3960 Yaldoo and surrounding areas. Broker Email: brianyaldoo@remax.com Associated Websites: Broker www.brianyaldoo.com Office (248) www.BuyingOrSellingRealEstate.com Office 737-6800 (248)737-6800 • Mobile (248)752-4010 (248) 752-4010 Email: Toll brianyaldoo@remax.net Free (866) 762-3960 Email: brianyaldoo@remax.com www.BuyingOrSellingRealEstate.com Websites: www.brianyaldoo.com www.BuyingOrSellingRealEstate.com Paul M. Al-Attar, M.D. Orthopedic Spine Surgery Auburn Hills 3100 Cross Creek Pkwy Suite 150 248-475-0502 www.msspc.org 855-450-2020 Advertise Warren 11012 E. 13 Mile Rd Suite 201 586-582-0760 JACQUELINE RAXTER, LMSW, LPC BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAM MANAGER in our business directory section! for As little As $ 85 to place your ad, contact us today! 3601 15 Mile Road Sterling Heights, MI 48310 TEL: (586) 722-7253 FAX: (586) 722-7257 phone: 248-851-8600 fax: 248-851-1348 jacqueline.raxter@chaldeanfoundation.org 30095 Northwestern Highway, Suite 101 www.chaldeanfoundation.org Farmington Hills, MI 48334 Jaguar Land Rover Troy Sammi A. Naoum 1815 Maplelawn Drive Troy, MI 48084 TEL 248-537-7467 MOBILE 248-219-5525 snaoum@suburbancollection.com CHALDEAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION CHALDEAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SANA NAVARRETTE DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT 30095 Northwestern Highway, Suite 101 Farmington Hills, MI 48334 CELL (248) 925-7773 TEL (248) 851-1200 FAX (248) 851-1348 snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com www.chaldeanchamber.com www.chaldeanfoundation.org ELIAS KATTOULA CAREER SERVICES MANAGER 3601 15 Mile Road Sterling Heights, MI 48310 TEL: (586) 722-7253 FAX: (586) 722-7257 elias.kattoula@chaldeanfoundation.org www.chaldeanfoundation.org MARIAM ABDALLA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH STACY THERAPIST BAHRI STRATEGIC INITIATIVES MANAGER 3601 3601 15 15 Mile Mile Road Road Sterling Sterling Heights, Heights, MI MI 48310 48310 TEL: TEL: (586) (586) 722-7253 722-7253 FAX: FAX: (586) (586) 722-7257 722-7257 mariam.abdalla@chaldeanfoundation.org stacy.bahri@chaldeanfoundation.org www.chaldeanfoundation.org www.chaldeanfoundation.org MEDIA continued from page 43 zations ran at a loss and were forced to depend on parties or prominent figures for financial support. The spread of the internet, digitization, social media, and financing were the most significant reasons for the decline, which led to limiting the publications to just a few. On the bright side, the emergence of young journalists within the community and the diversity of journalistic work through satellite channels, podcasts, electronic newspapers, radio, and websites accommodated many opportunity seekers who did not find their place in the previous SANA NAVARRETTE DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CHALDEAN STORY 30095 Northwestern Highway, Suite 101 Farmington Hills, MI 48334 CELL (248) 925-7773 TEL (248) 851-1200 eras, perhaps stealing FAX (248) the 851-1348 spotlight from traditional snavarrette@chaldeanchamber.com names who could not www.chaldeanchamber.com keep up with www.chaldeanfoundation.org the changes. The creative people behind the Chaldean News are an example of a new and inspiring trend. They have learned a great deal from the passion and purpose of the pioneers and understand the mechanisms of serious journalistic work in the field of news editing, analysis, and writing. They are ambassadors of a culture that represents freedom in journalistic work, freedom from regression, fear, and retreat. This report is made possible with generous support from Michigan Stories, a Michigan Humanities Grants initiative. We are actively seeking new voices. Our upcoming journalists deserve recognition, appreciation, and support, especially since the community is in a state of constant evolution, forging forward in the fields of academic achievements, education, creativity, and independent thinking—far from partisanship and polarization—which will ultimately promote our identity and preserve our culture. Sources: Dr. Faiq Butti “The Iraqi Press in Exile,” published in 2006; Fouad Manna; Kamal Yaldo; Omar Abdul; and Ghafoor Al-Qattan. JANUARY 2024 CHALDEAN NEWS 45
Page 1 and 2: VOL. 12 ISSUE IX PASSIONS FLARE IN
Page 3 and 4: AMERICA’S LARGEST ARAB AND CHALDE
Page 5 and 6: Building Business Advocacy Building
Page 7 and 8: METRO DETROIT CHALDEAN COMMUNITY |
Page 9 and 10: AWARD-WINNING ATTORNEY ALEXANDER A.
Page 11 and 12: PUBLISHER'S CIRCLE Join the Publish
Page 13 and 14: JANUARY 2024 CHALDEAN NEWS 13
Page 17 and 18: There are enough things out there g
Page 19 and 20: YOUR Therapy can be a big step towa
Page 21 and 22: CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Educa
Page 23 and 24: and something that would get people
Page 27 and 28: CALLING ALL MICHIGAN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Page 29 and 30: to persecute Christians in the area
Page 31 and 32: 3601 15 Mile Rd., Sterling Heights,
Page 33 and 34: CITIZENSHIP PREPARATION NOW ENROLLI
Page 35 and 36: Creating beautiful smiles for life
Page 37 and 38: ARE YOU HIRING? PLEASE CONSIDER INV
Page 39 and 40: “H H H H H UNMISSABLE AND UNFORGE
Page 41 and 42: WE ARE HIRING Do you possess a pass
Page 43: استذكار رواد الصحا

JANUARY 2024

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?