2013 has been a successful year for Arab American Family Services.
We have served 7,724 families throughout the Chicagoland area. A total of 32,303 individuals have turned to AAFS for assistance and services that effect their lives. Through our Safety Net Program, Cultural Diversity Training, Elderly Services, Domestic Violence and Prevention Services, Immigration Services and Mental Health Services, Parent Mentor Program, Youth Programs, Community Health and Civic Engagements, we are proud to say thousands of people throughout our communities have been given the tools and knowledge to lead healthier lives.
With so many changes taking place in our community and throughout the country, AAFS is working on ways to help our clients adapt to changes. At AAFS, our caseworkers underwent the necessary training to handle all our clients questions, as well as assist in all aspects of the services.
2013 was the year in which the Affordable Healthcare Act, or Obamacare as it is commonly referred to, swept the country. The new law making it mandatory for every man, woman and child in the United States to have health insurance, left many scrambling to find an insurance plan that would work for them and their families, AAFS was here to help.
Screenings were required to determine if clients qualify for Medicaid or the Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace. The application generally takes 2 to 3 hours for seniors, and 1 to 2 hours for non-seniors. Our clients are more than welcome to give us a call for more questions on the Affordable Healthcare Act.
AAFS made their way to Springfield as our Elderly Council joined hundreds of American Muslims on Illinois Muslim Action Day (IMAD) in Springfield. For the first time, American Muslims were taking part in civil engagement and advocacy wanting to make a difference in their very own communities.
Our 6th annual Walk in Faith Not in Fear brought hundreds out to walk for a good cause. The annual walk, held at Lake Katherine in Palos Heights, IL, gives the men, women and children of the community a chance to show their support in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, as well as support those who have suffered through domestic violence. The year, the event will take place on October 11.
In 2013, our English as a Second Language courses gained popularity throughout the communities. This course has many benefits, such as providing knowledge and power, to better adapt throughout the country, and to help themselves and family.
The Civic Classes offered by AAFS have helped over 600 people who have applied to become United States citizens. The classes prepare individuals with giving them a history of the United States which will help them on exam day.
This knowledge ultimately leads to stronger citizens who are given the rights and freedoms enjoyed by many throughout the country. This includes the right to vote, stability and security for their families and greater opportunities.
Through our mental health program, which includes counseling and therapy services, we are proud to say that we have helped families work towards stability and offering a solution when they may have lost hope.
AAFS has worked with various schools, communities, hospitals and other social service providers throughout Illinois and the Midwest (Indiana and Wisconsin) to provide our services and offer a more in depth understanding about the culture of Arab Americans.
Our annual Cosmic Bowl was a success this year. The event, which was held on December on Saturday, December 14, brought the community together for a night filled with laughs, fun, food and off course, bowling.
The goal of AAFS is to change and impact the quality of life by serving and building stronger and healthier generations of Arab Americans in our communities. This is also our mission statement.
We thank our community for giving us a wonderful 2013 and supporting us. We promise that 2014, and the years to come, will be spent working on ways to enrich the lives of our community and help in any way we can.
(708) 599-2237
